LM Corvair Instrument Panel Gauge Checks

[Lane66Monza]

Attached is a procedure I put together to check the function of the LM instrument panel individual gauges. I suspect procedure would do the function checks of the EM panel gauges also.

I have included photos of the harnesses I made to connect gauges to the battery I use and to connect senders to the gauges. I am planning a Tach gauge test harness to duolicate the car installation. It will need a fuse on the battery positive post clamp-on clip wire, a ground wire to ground the tach housing unit to the negative battery post and a signal wire with an spring clip for the coil negative post. The tach function test is expector to be done on a running engine.

I also have to do an improved thermistor connection to get rid of an exposed hot temp gage connection when the signal power & cable is used to do the fuel gauge test.

I like the small riding lawn mower battery I have at my bench to do the checks. Much better than a large car battery sitting around on the bench during test then doing doing nothing afterwards or having to remove one from a car. I am sure a bench top 12 volt charger used for electronics work would work just as well. I have 2, but I have not set those up to take over the battery's function.


PROCEDURES

LM Corvair Gauge Checks.docx

(964.66 KiB) Downloaded 2 times

Clock Test Harness.jpg (66.05 KiB) Viewed 153 times

Fuel Gage - Head Temp Power Signal Harness.jpg (63.04 KiB) Viewed 153 times

Fuel Gauge Test Harness.jpg (81.73 KiB) Viewed 153 times

Tach Power - Signal Test Harness with Gauge Harness Battery Tender Connector -1.jpg (55.51 KiB) Viewed 131 times

Head Temp Test Harness 1.jpg (63.64 KiB) Viewed 153 times

Head Temp Test Harness 2.jpg (48.79 KiB) Viewed 153 times

[Lane66Monza]

I added the test harnesses for the tachometer. I made 2 versions of this test harness. One harnress is for cars having a fused Battery Tender connector tied into the battery posts, like my 66 More Door has. The other harness has a battery alligator clamp on clip with a fuse in the power feed line to clamp onto the battery posts. Both use the same tachometer adapter test harness.

You can see photos of both versions in my original posting.

[sethracer]

Very Nice, Al. Can you hook up something to Calibrate the tach?

[Lane66Monza]

Seth:

I am not intelligent enough nor know how to use specialty equipment to do such a task. I would think a freq meter could do something like that, but too rich and high tech for my shop.

I can only verify it operates smoothly with engine operation. I can hook up an Engine Analyzer, like my Penske or Sears unit, if someone wanted to see how close the tachometer under test really is.

[Lane66Monza]

I updated the Test Procedures which now include the operational test of the tacometer with the 2 styles of test harnesses.

Hope this hepe some one.

[bbodie52]

Humorous spelling correction...

Sometimes I spot an inadvertent spelling error that brings to mind a silly mental image...

...operational test of the tacometer...




...operational test of the tachometer...