Gauge Failure Prevention


fjpikul

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Jan 4, 2006
11,475
Belleville, IL
The OEM gauges are air operated if I'm not mistaken. No oil involved. The problem is a dirty electrical signal coming from the SJB at startup. There is no corrosion problem either.
 

BlackICE

GT Owner
Nov 2, 2005
1,416
SF Bay Area in California
The OEM gauges are air operated if I'm not mistaken. No oil involved. The problem is a dirty electrical signal coming from the SJB at startup. There is no corrosion problem either.

???

OEM gauges are voice coil operated and the Speedhuts use stepper motors. Dirty electrical signals don't help but haven't been proven to be the problem. Some owners still had gauge failures using Jay's power cleaning circuit. I think DBK hinted that it may be corrosion.
 

nota4re

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Feb 15, 2006
4,177
The problem is a dirty electrical signal coming from the SJB at startup. There is no corrosion problem either.

Oh really? So this is your conclusion.... based on.... uh, reading the internet?
 

fjpikul

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Jan 4, 2006
11,475
Belleville, IL
Kendal. I suggest you call Analogdesigner and discuss his findings after analyzing a few gauges. If you need his number let me know.
 

nota4re

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Feb 15, 2006
4,177
Kendal. I suggest you call Analogdesigner and discuss his findings after analyzing a few gauges. If you need his number let me know.

Do you mean the conclusions that led to the development of a "fix" which was sold to a lot of people which has now proven to be completely ineffective? So much for that THEORY.
 

Joehand1

Tungsten GT Owner
Sep 20, 2007
599
Hattiesburg, MS, USA
Boys! Boys!

All I was posting was that I haven't had any intermittent gauge failures since I put a smart charger on the DieHard battery.
I got rid of the Optima long ago....
But you know my gauges might fail today...
 

Xcentric

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jul 9, 2012
5,213
Myakka City, Florida
I haven't had any gauge failures since I started doing nothing. None before that either.

No such thing as gauge failure prevention.

Anecdotal experience is not evidence; it's not correlation; it's not cause and effect; it's not synchronicity. Really, it's nothing.
 

Sinovac

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jul 18, 2006
5,832
Largo, Florida
I haven't had any gauge failures since I started doing nothing. None before that either.

No such thing as gauge failure prevention.

Anecdotal experience is not evidence; it's not correlation; it's not cause and effect; it's not synchronicity. Really, it's nothing.

That last sentence was deeply profound Gary. Just beautiful. :lol
 

Xcentric

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jul 9, 2012
5,213
Myakka City, Florida
Ha! Well here is a fact.

My method of gauge failure protection has proven to be 100% effective. NOBODY can do better than that. And nobody can equal it any cheaper.
 

Joehand1

Tungsten GT Owner
Sep 20, 2007
599
Hattiesburg, MS, USA
Then how come I don't have intermittent gauge failures any more?

The tach and fuel gauge never worked if it sat more than a week, fortunately they would work once I stopped and restarted the engine.

That shit doesn't happen now, they always work.
 
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twobjshelbys

GT Owner
Jul 26, 2010
6,053
Las Vegas, NV
Then how come I don't have intermittent gauge failures any more?

The tach never worked if it sat more than a week, fortunately it would work once I stopped and restarted it.

That shit doesn't happen now.

Everything everyone has done has proved the old Star Trek The Next Generation saying "Resistance is futile". Every suggestion made to avoid the failures work. Until they don't.
 

fjpikul

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Jan 4, 2006
11,475
Belleville, IL
Kendal, Analogdesigner realized at a later date the fuse fix was probably not the answer. IF you have that much interest, I suggest you call him as I cannot release the data he shared with me. If you need his number, once again I offer to pm it to you. I realize you have a fix for bad gauges, but he is working on a solution to the problem.
 

nota4re

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Feb 15, 2006
4,177
Then how come I don't have intermittent gauge failures any more?

The tach and fuel gauge never worked if it sat more than a week, fortunately they would work once I stopped and restarted the engine.

That shit doesn't happen now, they always work.

The "intermittent" gauge problem and hard gauge failures are completely unrelated. This has been posted numerous times.

"Intermittent" gauge problems are a result of improper gauge control module to gauge initiation AT KEY ON. Essentially each gauge needs to get initialized - think of as getting an IP address assigned. If one or more gauges fails to properly initialize at key-on.... no one is going to try again that entire drive sequence so the gauge(s) will remain inoperative. Unlike the HARD GAUGE FAILURE, the cause of the intermittent gauge problem is known/understood. It will happen when battery voltage is low. Some cars are more susceptible than others. Typically, a re-start after a few minutes of running (alternator full-tilt charge), the gauges will initialize and operate correctly.

The try at a fix was not necessarily aimed at THIS problem but was thought to have some possibility to solve the HARD GAUGE FAILURE which, unfortunately, we have still seen failures. Does it help? Maybe. There's simply not enough data at all to say weather it helps and, if so, by how much.

Admittedly, it is a nice side-benefit in that it seems to have helped or fixed your intermittent problem.
 

2112

Blue/white 06'
Mark II Lifetime
Has anyone had one of the "new" Autometer replacement gauges fail? By fail, I mean hard fail.
 

bonehead

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Aug 18, 2012
2,814
Houston, TX
Has anyone had one of the "new" Autometer replacement gauges fail? By fail, I mean hard fail.

I've had 2 hard failures in the past. Said enough is enough and recently had all the remaining available ones installed, functional or not. I'll certainly report back (after I have some stern words with Autometer) if any of them take a dump.
 

nota4re

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Feb 15, 2006
4,177
IF you have that much interest, I suggest you call him as I cannot release the data he shared with me.

"My interest" is dealing with facts. I took exception with your post because it was stated as fact where the reality is that it is speculation... again. Plenty of new GT owners are coming on here and hopefully researching on their own and I don't think we do anyone any favors stating speculation as fact.

I realize you have a fix for bad gauges

THE solution for all of the small diameter gauges is to purchase the replacements from AutoMeter. The new gauges use a stepper motor and, to date, there have been no known failures of these new gauges. I think it is a good fix.

For the Speedometer and Tachometer, there is no solution from AutoMeter. Owners can either purchase a new one from Ford for ~$1200 and hope they get one that won't fail - but admittedly the "new" ones are exactly the same design as the old ones, so perhaps not the best bet. Alternatively, owners can send their bad tach or speedo to us and we'll replace the innards with a new design - keeping all other attributes of the gauge, namely; gauge case, treated glass, pointer, background, etc.
 

spartan

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Feb 11, 2017
1,216
Bloomfield Hills MI
"My interest" is dealing with facts. I took exception with your post because it was stated as fact where the reality is that it is speculation... again. Plenty of new GT owners are coming on here and hopefully researching on their own and I don't think we do anyone any favors stating speculation as fact.



THE solution for all of the small diameter gauges is to purchase the replacements from AutoMeter. The new gauges use a stepper motor and, to date, there have been no known failures of these new gauges. I think it is a good fix.

For the Speedometer and Tachometer, there is no solution from AutoMeter. Owners can either purchase a new one from Ford for ~$1200 and hope they get one that won't fail - but admittedly the "new" ones are exactly the same design as the old ones, so perhaps not the best bet. Alternatively, owners can send their bad tach or speedo to us and we'll replace the innards with a new design - keeping all other attributes of the gauge, namely; gauge case, treated glass, pointer, background, etc.

I did this for my tach. Just received the unit back from Kendall. I'll be installing it this week.
 

Sinovac

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jul 18, 2006
5,832
Largo, Florida
"My interest" is dealing with facts. I took exception with your post because it was stated as fact where the reality is that it is speculation... again. Plenty of new GT owners are coming on here and hopefully researching on their own and I don't think we do anyone any favors stating speculation as fact.



THE solution for all of the small diameter gauges is to purchase the replacements from AutoMeter. The new gauges use a stepper motor and, to date, there have been no known failures of these new gauges. I think it is a good fix.

For the Speedometer and Tachometer, there is no solution from AutoMeter. Owners can either purchase a new one from Ford for ~$1200 and hope they get one that won't fail - but admittedly the "new" ones are exactly the same design as the old ones, so perhaps not the best bet. Alternatively, owners can send their bad tach or speedo to us and we'll replace the innards with a new design - keeping all other attributes of the gauge, namely; gauge case, treated glass, pointer, background, etc.

How much is the conversion?
 

Scooter

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Apr 15, 2009
166
Hi Guys... I'm back.. I didn't fully read all the post but I think what I did see is still no fix for the speedo or the Tach?? Unbelievable! I see the Speed Hut set going strong but I really want to keep the originals in the car. I need a new Tach! I put some miles on the car today and realized this is ridiculous going without a Tach for years now ...what the hell is going on with Ford!
 

Scooter

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Apr 15, 2009
166
Hi Guys... I'm back.. I didn't fully read all the post but I think what I did see is still no fix for the speedo or the Tach?? Unbelievable! I see the Speed Hut set going strong but I really want to keep the originals in the car. I need a new Tach! I put some miles on the car today and realized this is ridiculous going without a Tach for years now ...what the hell is going on with Ford!

Wait I spoke to soon(and had a few to many)...your rebuilding Tachs?