[T3] fuel gauge and gauge light fluctuating

[David Yaghoubian]

Many thanks for the responses Jim. Sorry I was unclear... but I am still
confused about the terminology, so let's quickly go over it. By "retaining
spring ground" are you talking about the two metal tabs on the sides of the
gauge that fit into the two horizontally-located slots and (I assume) are
intended to push past the dash and seat behind it (?) ... or by "retaining
spring" are you talking about the wire ring around the gauge that, in my
situation, would not make contact with the metal dash due to the dash pad
material. 

The two tabs/springs are what will not seat correctly (insofar as I can't
seem to push the gauge in far enough to get them to pop out behind the
dash), not the lamp base, which was a bit loose, but otherwise fits nice and
tight after I tightened up the push-on connectors. 

Installing my other lamp base with the #31 tab (and grouding that, of
course) will enable me to leave the gauge easily removable and I won't have
to cut and fit to get the gauge grounded, so I think I will carefully do
that. Oh how paranoid I am about frying or messing up this original wiring,
but this exchange is not T3 rocket science (like vent wing seal replacement
;) but the task it clear, and the results sound very promising.

One last question... on the right upper side of my '71 lamp base there is an
unnumbered brass tab that does not have a connector. Jim can you confirm
that this is how it is supposed to be and that this one is not missing a
tab? 

Thanks again,

Dave
68 sqbk



-----Original Message-----
From: type3-vwtype3.org [mailto:type3-vwtype3.org-bounces at lists.vwtype3.org]
On Behalf Of Jim Adney
Sent: Monday, September 22, 2014 7:13 AM
To: type3 at vwtype3.org
Subject: Re: [T3] fuel gauge and gauge light fluctuating

David,

I believe you should add a ground wire to your lamp base, one way or the
other. Either way should work equally well, so pick the way that seems
easiest for you. I would not try to trim the dash pad. Adding the ground
wire should make the retaining spring ground redundant and unnecessary. I've
never seen a problem with any of the lamp bases.

The "ground" post on the back only connects the ground on the lamp base to
the body of the gauge unit. It assures that both parts are at the same
potential. You still need some means to make sure that those parts are
actually connected to the body of the car, hence the ground via the spring
clips or the ground via an extra ground wire.

Once you do that, it sounds like you MAY discover that there is a remaining
problem. That's not clear at this point, but you'll never find it as long as
you have the compounding ground problem.

Do you know yet why the lamp base does not want to seat all the way against
the back of the gauge body? That seems odd. You should be able to pull BOTH
of these out of the dash together and examine them directly and see what's
interfering.


 
--
*******************************
Jim Adney, jadney at vwtype3.org
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
*******************************

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