Gauges and tell tale lights, rust prevention?

Guardian1fox2

So I'm curious about something. The instrument panel and wiring has been restored, however I've been noticing some odd behaviors. I wasn't sure if it was just standard things that happen or what. 

Since I got the car, the oil tell-tale light has worked, it will be illuminated when off, and when cranked it goes right off. Today, after it sitting for a week, I went to start it and before I even hit the starter the light went off....odd. Started it, still off. Killed it...still off and never came back on again...not sure what's going on there. Does the 1934 Deluxe have a regulator behind instrument panel? 

Next thing I've been noticing is the oil level gauge. Sometimes, it'll read just by turning key...sometimes it'll only read after running, and sometimes while driving it'll go low, and just kind of move back and forth...which I guess I expect while driving. 

Both the gas and the water gauge do not work however. I believe the gas sending unit was restored, but I have some seat belts for the back seat coming in and while removing the rear seat I was going to check on the sending unit and see if I can make it read on the dash either by shorting or what have you. The generator light hasn't worked since I got it. The instrument illumination lights come on perfectly when I turn headlights on and I can adjust the brightness no problem. 

The entire car I believe has a new electrical system installed at time of mechanical restoration, I believe from YNZ that was built for the car. (btw really cool how it looks like cloth and antique wiring but in fact modern). 

I'm really hoping this humidity is not getting to the car and creating any corrosion on contacts, but I'm honestly not sure where to start looking. My wife is generously going to allow me to move the car from our shop to the garage during this nasty cold weather where its a little warmer and better sealed. The 30x40 shop while doesn't allow rain in really doesn't do much against the Louisiana humidity. 

This brings me to my last question (for now lol). The antifreeze that dripped everywhere looks to be creating quite the mess on the leaf springs, the nice black paint and in between each leaf nice and orange  . What could I do to prevent any continual rusting? I wiped it all down really well and sprayed everything with some ballistol, and wiped again. Just curious if there's anything else I can do. Btw, if you have never heard of or used Ballistol I highly recommend it. Invented by the Germans I believe during WW1, you can use it on wood, leather, metal anything. Its extremely good with black powder guns as well, and I use it on all my guns. Its got a smell you'll never forget. 

Guardian1fox2

One more thing...always forget something. 

I noticed while driving the throttle will kind of "stick" when slowing down like to come to a stop. I push clutch in and notice the idle is still high...so I just tap the accelerator and it comes right down to normal idle. I know it has the slow closing throttle according to the maintenance manual; but is that what it is or is there something else going on simply could be the linkage? I did notice in the truck of the car I found what looks like another linkage but not sure what it goes to. 

Toddh

Before you mess with the gas tank sender, better read the service bulletin about them. The sender and gauge use a heated wire scheme and shorting them to chassis or applying full 6v will ruin them.  The Water Level sender and gauge are the same.  I believe the service magazines for 1934 are on Alex Burr’s (RIP) site. 

The tell-tale light for the oil pressure sounds like it’s dirty inside or the wire connection is loose.  The sender is on the right rear side of the engine block. The normal operation is the dash lamp will flash at idle and go out above idle speed

Guardian1fox2

Toddh said:

Before you mess with the gas tank sender, better read the service bulletin about them. The sender and gauge use a heated wire scheme and shorting them to chassis or applying full 6v will ruin them.  The Water Level sender and gauge are the same.  I believe the service magazines for 1934 are on Alex Burr’s (RIP) site. 

The tell-tale light for the oil pressure sounds like it’s dirty inside or the wire connection is loose.  The sender is on the right rear side of the engine block. The normal operation is the dash lamp will flash at idle and go out above idle speed

Thanks for the info Todd, I got the idea of doing that from the maint manual…but definitely don’t want to ruin them! Before I do anything I’ll pull the instrument panel out and just check connection and make sure everything is clean. I’ll do some more reading but I remember on my other cars I had I would just check ohms as I moved the float up and down. I’m sure it’s simple fix. 

Geoff

The tank unit is a bi-metal, not resistor, so you won't get a sensible reading with an ohm meter.  Make sure your tank unit is grounded.   

tallentr

As far as the oil pressure light not coming on when key is turned on ,possibly the actual lamp burned out ?

Guardian1fox2

Geoff said:

The tank unit is a bi-metal, not resistor, so you won't get a sensible reading with an ohm meter.  Make sure your tank unit is grounded.   

Thanks Geoff! Maybe that’s the problem. Wasn’t able to get anything done today as it turned into a very busy work day hopefully tomorrow and Friday I can make some progress! 

And tallentr I’ll pull it and take a look, hopefully that’s all it is that would be too easy tho and my luck usually doesn’t work that way 

Old Fogey UK

I've never been able to get my water and oil level gauges to work, so I've given up trying  :'(

Geoff

Old Fogey UK said:

I've never been able to get my water and oil level gauges to work, so I've given up trying  :'(

Have you grounded the  wires from the sender units?  This will test if the gauges are working. If they go over to full when grounded, then  the sender unit is faulty, or perhaps the ground connection for the body of the sender is not good.  If they do not move, then the gauge is crook.  I have repaired a bi-metal tank unit, but it wasn't easy.  

Guardian1fox2

Forgot to report, got in car today, started it up fine and moved it from shop to garage so I could start the roof disassembly. When I turned the key the light was working as it should…lol ain’t broke don’t fix it I always say! My seat belts from resto belt came in today; I need to see how to remove rear seat carefully so it doesn’t come apart since it’s original, and while I’m installing belts was gonna check in sender

Guardian1fox2

Btw, any way to soften the old material in the grab handles in the rear seat that hang on the sides interior? I just know my kids are going to want to grab them and they’re so stiff I don’t want them to break lol. I don’t think they’re leather.

Guardian1fox2

Okay so I got the rear seat out, vacuumed up a bunch of dirt etc. i noticed the floor and bolts have a slight surface rust so I sprayed some kroil on the bolt heads just for preventative maint. How do I access the sending unit for gas tank? Is it under that oval shaped cover in the very back that’s held in place with two screws? After I check that out and install the seat belts, I was thinking of taking something to rough up the floor and coat with some por 15 just to be safe, the underside has already been cleaned and painted…looks brand new under the car lol I just wanna make sure the inside stays the same. Here are pics. Sorry for the weird wet spots on the bolts that’s the Kroil I barely put any but you can see how it penetrates! 

Toddh

Fuel sender is center top front on the gas tank.  It’s accessed under the car. You’ll need to loosen the strap bolts to drop it down enough to access the sender. Be careful with the sender wire and fuel line. 

I ran a short ground wire from one of the 8 fuel sender mounting screws to the body above. 

Guardian1fox2

Toddh said:

Fuel sender is center top front on the gas tank.  It’s accessed under the car. You’ll need to loosen the strap bolts to drop it down enough to access the sender. Be careful with the sender wire and fuel line. 

I ran a short ground wire from one of the 8 fuel sender mounting screws to the body above. 

Oh gotcha man I swore I read somewhere that the sender is accessed from under rear seat. Oh well lol 

Guardian1fox2

Yeah so the sender is indeed accessed thru panel under seat. Two flat head screws hold it in place

Toddh

Must have been a Hudson only feature.  There’s no access panel in my ‘34 Terraplane 

Old Fogey UK

Toddh said:

Must have been a Hudson only feature.  There’s no access panel in my ‘34 Terraplane 

You have to move both parts of the back seat to get at the access panel for the sender in my
34 2-door.
It's not the fabric panel under the back seat cushion - that's part of the interior ventilation system.
The access panel is further back.

Toddh

Old Fogey UK said:

Toddh said:

Must have been a Hudson only feature.  There’s no access panel in my ‘34 Terraplane 

You have to move both parts of the back seat to get at the access panel for the sender in my
34 2-door.
It's not the fabric panel under the back seat cushion - that's part of the interior ventilation system.
The access panel is further back.

I have a 4-passenger coupe and there’s no access panel in the floor 

Old Fogey UK

I wonder why they didn't put one on Terraplanes ?
I'd always assumed that the 34 and 35 Hudsons and Terraplanes shared the same basic bodyshells.
Dropping the tank is an awful lot of trouble to get to the sender as you risk damaging the wiring and the fuel pipe in the process.

Toddh

Agree completely

Guardian1fox2

So I haven’t got to troubleshoot the sender yet, however I did talk to mykmlifestyle.com and they can build what I believe to be an original sender with modern components for $175-200. May use as a last resort. 

Old Fogey UK

Just try carefully cleaning it and fitting a new float before spending that kind of money, it might solve the problem (it did for me).

Guardian1fox2

Finally took a pic of the plate lol