Gauge Face Cleaning

[Crawfie]

Pulled out my dash yesterday and getting ready to put in my new dash, which is really lovely.

I'm going to clean up my speedo and tach. The smaller gauges are going to be replaced as they are really tatty.

I've tried to read up on how to clean the gauge faces, but Im asking those who have done this, how do I clean the faces without damaging them ?

Also, led illumination bulbs are going in. Best place to get them and how many of what type do I need.

Being lazy here.........too cold in the garage to pull the bulbs out.

[RogerH]

Hi Crawfie,

back in the 90's I stripped down the oil gauge, The face had quite a bit of dust on it.

Using a very delicate brush sable eye liner type brush I gently drew the bristles across the white lettering.

 

It was like a lawn mower with a very low cut. All the white lettering simply disappeared.

 

Not sure what the correct process is.

 

Roger

[Lebro]

I think you were unlucky Roger, I cleaned up all my gauges before fitting them (& calibrated where appropriate) the only thing I did apart from gentle wiping with the softest of cloths was to paint some of the needles with tippex to whiten them up again.

 

Re dash bulbs LED type, I changed all of mine, including the ign warning, & indicator tell-tale. I used "BA9ES white neg X 8" from Better car lighting.

this is a pack of 8 of the correct type for -ve earth cars for +ve earth use "BA9ES white pos X 8"

They also do them in warm white if you prefer.

 

Warning, if you have an alternator fitted, the led in the ign warning lamp position will need a resistor across it in order for the alternator to work.

Let me know if you need more details on this.

 

http://www.bettercarlighting.co.uk/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=85

 

Bob.

[stillp]

Roger, perhaps you'd already used that brush for your eye liner?

 

Pete

[boxofbits]

I took apart an oil pressure guage for a Mini which is similar to the TR version, and gently cleaned it with washing up liquid, and cotton buds.

 

To my horror the white markings started to come off. The guage itself works fine, and the needle swings real high, but with no markings it's difficult to tell what it's actually saying! Duh!

 

Kevin

[Crawfie]

Looks like a case of ........leave well alone !!

I'll clean up the bezels, glass and replace the seals.

Buy exchange gauges in the New Year.

Thanks for the info about the bulbs

Steve

[SeanF]

Steve,

 

Have you looked at Ed's gauge page?

 

http://bullfire.net/TR6/TR6-43/TR6-43.html

 

 

Sean

[stuart]

"Makes a note to book Steves car in for gauge sorting soon"

Stuart.

[Crawfie]

"Makes a note to book Steves car in for gauge sorting soon"

Stuart.

See you in the spring !!