My fuel gauge needle is actually resting against the right side of the stop pin at 6 o'clock. Obviously this means that the fuel gauge is currently not functioning. Anyone had this issue?
Steffen
Others have had success using a strong magnet to drag the needle around to the other side of the pin. Maybe give that a try.
Cheers...Jake
Also be sure to check your bike's ground connections, which is normally the cause of the jumping needle.
I've had the same issue and what had happened is the damping fluid inside the gauge had dried up. I refilled it using silicone shock oil used in R/C cars.
Remove the gauge, and use a small drill bit to make a hole in the top of the gauge. Then use a syringe to fill the gauge back up. Next use a little silicone to seal the hole.
Since I had the gauge out of the cluster I also used a small wire brad as a needle stop. Again I drilled a hole the size of the brad and glued it in place on the back side. Then used a black sharpie on the brad. You have to look to see it in my cluster.
So the gauge works as it should now and doesn't bounce around, and the wire brad at the top of the gauge is there in case it wants to jump around again.
There is a "correct" fluid, but it can be a challenge to find. I figured the silicone oil wouldn't dry out any time soon and is easy to come by in small amounts at hobby stores.
Quote from: pdxfj on April 12, 2009, 09:44:01 AM
There is a "correct" fluid, but it can be a challenge to find. I figured the silicone oil wouldn't dry out any time soon and is easy to come by in small amounts at hobby stores.
Dimethicone, IIRC, but it's usually only available at beauty supply stores.
Maybe Henry can help us out with that. :bye2:
Randy T
Indy
wtf I don't use no stinkin' beauty supplies
We know.
This is some funny shit guys. :biggrin:
Are you saying that the gauge is completely filled with damping fluid? Is there a specific location of this cavity?
Does this also apply to the speedometer? I almost have to drive by rpm since my speedometer seems to bounce and read within about 15mph.
Steffen
Think of it this way.
You've seen fluid filled gauges before in cars and such. The same applies to the FJ's fuel gauge only the fluid is contained in a housing at the back of the gauge. The needle shaft runs into this housing and when the fluid dries up over 20+ years the needle now has nothing to absorb the vibrations of the bike and bounces like mad all over, until it hits the mid point of no return.
Once you re-fill the housing, things will be back to normal. You'll see what we are talking about when you remove the gauge from the cluster. There isn't much fluid in the housing. Once it's full again you'll notice the gauge will be much more responsive. Just very carefully drill a small hole in the top of the housing (translucent/white plastic) and use the syringe to fill it up. Don't poke yourself with the syringe..... :wacko1:
Also if your other gauges are bouncing around, loosen the gauge cluster. It's held onto the faring stay by two bolts that have a collar around them and some foam padding. Just tighten up the bolts until they are snug and don't try to stiffing up the cluster. It's supposed to flop around, as it helps suck up some of the vibes from the bike. The speedo is completely mechanical, but is subject to bouncing the needle around if the the cluster is too tight.
Check to see if you have any burned out dash lights. If you do, replace all of the lamps while you're in there (not just the burned out ones).
This maybe clear as mud, but things will be much more clear once you get the gauge out.
Since we are supposed to get snow again this sounds like a good project. Does the complete fairing have to come off?
pdxfj
Have a look at this. Is this the housing you mentioned?
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/181_28_04_09_11_05_04_1.jpeg)
Hey you got it apart. :)
You have to remove the metal housing and you'll see what I'm talking about.
While you have everything apart, be sure to replace all of the instrument cluster lamps. Well at least the ones that light up the gauges. Plus I would do the headlight relay mod at the same time if it hasn't been done already. Or go all out and do the HID lamp upgrade.
I had this problem with my 88 fj and using rare earth magnets does work, you just need to stack 4 or 5 of them,
wrap them in cloth so you wont scratch the clear plastic.
Still having a jumping needle i will try to fix it next winter with pdxfj's advice.
Alain
Mine seems to have this problem as well, the needle jumps around but only after I get above 70 MPH. Once I slow down, it goes back to norrmal. If it was a fluid issue, wouldn't it do it all the time? Could it be something electrical?
Probably bouncing at that speed because of vibration; it's hitting a resonant frequency.
So you have two issues, vibration and a lack of damping on the guage. Fix either and the problem should go away.
I added a stop pin to mine. Piece of guitar string cut to length heated over a flame and basically melted in place at approximately the same position as the lower level stop pin. It looks like factory and works like a charm. The bouncing is still annoying but I know how to fix that now when I take the cluster out the next time.
I tried to take a picture but it isn't coming out right.
I'm gonna get it for this.....I bought a new fuel gauge and it works great. I did the fluid replacement but I probably overfilled it. It worked OK but oil started leaking through the front of the gauge. I think the new gauge was $120. I think there is a file on how to do the repiar on the Yahoo FJ owners forum
Mike
cheers!!! i couldnt work out why my fuel gauge was dancing its own tune in my housing, and it did go past the stop, i just took the cluster apart and pushed the needle by finger( my bad) but it worked, thought the gauge bouncing was due to fuel sensor sensitivity,( which it is) but the lack of fluid makes more sense. :good2:
I had the original poster's problem, the needle was the wrong side the stop pin when I bought the bike.
I bought some silicone fluid ready to drill and fill, but when I took the gauge apart, I couldn't tease the windings enough to get a clear space to drill, per the photos and instructions on the Yahoo FJ board, so I did what another poster here did and put a stop pin in at the full end.
I took some photos and posted on the yahoo board files section.
Since then, I have not seen the needle vibrating, I have no clue why that problem went away!
Should have probably posted this here.
http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=1358.0 (http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=1358.0)
So what part am I drilling to add the oil to? I pulled the metal housing off... is it the TINY off-white peice of plastic behind the gauge where the shaft which turns the needle goes into?