Itinerant Air-Cooled

Time to sort out the non-operating fuel gauge on the '75 Westfalia.

So, I look up Jamie Rivers troubleshooting article, and BANG, no power to the vibrator. I notice there is a brown wire with a black stripe connected to the vibrator. Should be a black wire, got something to go on.

**edited shortly after posting** The wiring diagram does not show a brown/black wire, but searching here and at that other site suggests the brown/black wire is supposed to go from the Gauge to the Sending unit. So, it looks like I mixed up the black wire to the vibrator and the brown/black wire to the gauge.

This explains why my gauge read full for about 27 seconds when I connected it last year, then went to E and has stayed there since. Is it safe to assume the gauge is toast? Could it be repaired. If not, I have another gauge I can swap in.

drober23 wrote:Time to sort out the non-operating fuel gauge on the '75 Westfalia.

So, I look up Jamie Rivers troubleshooting article, and BANG, no power to the vibrator. I notice there is a brown wire with a black stripe connected to the vibrator. Should be a black wire, got something to go on.

**edited shortly after posting** The wiring diagram does not show a brown/black wire, but searching here and at that other site suggests the brown/black wire is supposed to go from the Gauge to the Sending unit. So, it looks like I mixed up the black wire to the vibrator and the brown/black wire to the gauge.

This explains why my gauge read full for about 27 seconds when I connected it last year, then went to E and has stayed there since. Is it safe to assume the gauge is toast? Could it be repaired. If not, I have another gauge I can swap in.

Why? Why assume? Hook up the wiring correctly and test. You can test on the spot. I calibrate every gauge with my customer when we are back there.

For reference . . . every brown wire since forever is a ground on a German automobile.
Every brown + black stripe is a variable resistance ground on a German automobile.
Colin
(usually)

Ran to Radio Shack for some resistors and tested stuff.
The vibrator was fine, and the gauge was toast. I found a spare I didn't know I had!

With about 2 gallons of gas, the gauge shows about 1/8" red to the left of the needle in the R section. Drove the bus to town and filled it up. With the tank full, the gauge reads solidly above full. Should be good!