I know this topic has been on a few times. I bought some damping Dimethicones oil for the fuel gauge but my gauge still doesn't work correctly (bounces). Are there different viscosity oils if so which one should we use and maybe a hint on where I can get it from?
Whatever you find, be sure to add it here:
http://fjowners.wikidot.com/gauges (http://fjowners.wikidot.com/gauges)
latest, last night I took the gauge out again but this time I drilled a 0.7mm hole below the larger hole and with a syringe I forced the dimethicone (through the larger hole) till all the air was purged out of the housing. On the way to work this morning the gauge behaved perfectly apart from a very "small" amount of movement. Fixed
:-)
Added: fjowners.wikidot.com/gauges
Bozo, what you are looking for is silicone oil that is available at hobby shops,
It is used in RC car/truck gear cases. and I hear also RC shocks?
Yes it is available in different WTG, as for which ..not sure.
Tony
Quote from: Antonn3 on June 09, 2013, 01:05:33 AM
Bozo, what you are looking for is silicone oil that is available at hobby shops,
It is used in RC car/truck gear cases. and I hear also RC shocks?
Yes it is available in different WTG, as for which ..not sure.
Tony
Thanks Tony, I bought some RC silicone oil 300,000 rating (I hope its thicker), there are lots of viscosities with weird ratings, even though my gauges work 90% better they still have a small bounce which I'm determined to eliminate. I'll let you know how it goes.
I can't remember why the rc diff oils are rated in the 000.0000 but same as most things, the higher the number the thicker, shock oils are easier to follow, 10 is thin, 50 is thicker ect,
Bozo sorry should of jumped in before about this I have a faint memory of doing this 10 odd yrs ago, Toyota supply an oil can't remember part number but its gauge oil used it on my speedo worked a treat, it comes in a small tube with about 10mls, if what you used doesn't work try that :good2:
Baldy
Quote from: baldy3853 on June 10, 2013, 09:32:19 AM
Bozo sorry should of jumped in before about this I have a faint memory of doing this 10 odd yrs ago, Toyota supply an oil can't remember part number but its gauge oil used it on my speedo worked a treat, it comes in a small tube with about 10mls, if what you used doesn't work try that :good2:
Baldy
I'm wondering if you are talking about the oil they use in pneumatic fans (sold in 10ml see through tubes), it is a sticky oil, until about six months ago I had two tubes. If the RC oil turns out to be crap I'll get a tube you suggested.
Thanks Baldy
Quote from: Bozo on June 11, 2013, 05:36:55 AM
Quote from: baldy3853 on June 10, 2013, 09:32:19 AM
Bozo sorry should of jumped in before about this I have a faint memory of doing this 10 odd yrs ago, Toyota supply an oil can't remember part number but its gauge oil used it on my speedo worked a treat, it comes in a small tube with about 10mls, if what you used doesn't work try that :good2:
Baldy
I'm wondering if you are talking about the oil they use in pneumatic fans (sold in 10ml see through tubes), it is a sticky oil, until about six months ago I had two tubes. If the RC oil turns out to be crap I'll get a tube you suggested.
Thanks Baldy
Yes it was oil they used in fans if I recall and it was only about 10mls and red too I think :)
Baldy, I got some and it looks thicker (obviously better) then the Dimethicone, it is a 18ml tube, for the technically minded it is 10,000Cst rating. Toyota part number 08816-10001. I'll be trying it this weekend and post my results.
Thanks for the heads up Baldy.
Baldy filled the gauge today, here is a photo of the silicone oil I used
http://i1297.photobucket.com/albums/ag34/Bozo36/IMG_3210_zps252e818a.jpg (http://i1297.photobucket.com/albums/ag34/Bozo36/IMG_3210_zps252e818a.jpg)
There are also some photos of the items used to fill the unit. I hope to ride the bike tomorrow and let you know how it goes.
No probs Bozo I think its the same stuff it was used to lubricate some fan on the Toyota and was a very heavy oil :good2:
Baldy
Quote from: baldy3853 on June 13, 2013, 01:17:34 AM
No probs Bozo I think its the same stuff it was used to lubricate some fan on the Toyota and was a very heavy oil :good2:
Baldy
Baldy, the gauge was fantastic (no I didn't glue the needle to the face) the needle was steady as.
Thankyou to all that helped me with this (even Arnie who helped in the background).
Tony, thankyou for pointing out RC oils, now we know that the rating is 10,000Cst we should be able to do either. I did try a couple of extra things to make this work -
1. I added a small hole below the bigger fill hole to expel the air as the oil was added - slowly
2. Obviously the higher viscosity oil.
3. Before the oil I used a vacuum pump to pump out any crappy leftover oil (don't forget I used thinner oil previously)
4. Selastic would leak after a while, so I used a hot glue gun (only time will tell if this worked)
(http://i1297.photobucket.com/albums/ag34/Bozo36/IMG_3214_zpse56937ed.jpg)
Quote from: fintip on June 04, 2013, 12:21:17 PM
Whatever you find, be sure to add it here:
http://fjowners.wikidot.com/gauges (http://fjowners.wikidot.com/gauges)
Fintip, I lost the plot can you add this last section for me please - John
Glad it worked Bozo :good2:
Quote from: fintip on June 04, 2013, 12:21:17 PM
Whatever you find, be sure to add it here:
http://fjowners.wikidot.com/gauges (http://fjowners.wikidot.com/gauges)
Hey Fintip, just looked over your wikidot site.
http://fjowners.wikidot.com/start (http://fjowners.wikidot.com/start)
Nice work!!!
CraigO
Thanks! :yahoo:
Feel free to add to it, ideally it becomes a community thing eventually more than just a 'me' thing. But for now, it's already been personally very useful. I go through so much information here, this makes it a lot easier to go and find it again later.
Need to go edit that gauges page to include the updated info here! I hope to do this to my own gauges soon, my gauges are a mess... bouncy speedo is the only functioning part of it. Left side dash lights are out, clock isn't keeping time and has some black stop blocking the left part of its visibility, tach just stopped working (will register up to maybe 4k during hard downshifts at times), fuel gauge used to bounce erratically... then it decided it had bounced hard enough and snapped the needle off, hi-beam indicator bulb went out, plastic gauge cover has hairline cracks... :empathy3:
I'll have a lot to add to the gauges page when I am done.
Fintip, how do I add to your site?
First, create an account. There's an option to do that at the top right of every page, I think. It's basic normal stuff--username, password, captcha, email. Then it sends a confirmation email. Click a link to verify account. Then go sign in on the site... And voila! Do whatever you want! It's just like wikipedia, basically.
Short version: Go to any page, and click 'edit this page' at the top. Then go in and edit.
More details on how to edit here:
fjowners.wikidot.com/how-to
Just did mine tonight.
The coil was so tightly wound with very little room to move. I managed to seperate the wires just enough to get a 1mm drill bit to clear. Rather than put the bit in a drill and risk hitting the center part and needle pin I just rolled the 1mm bit between my fingers and gently put pressure until I felt it break through. I use the oil from Toyota as advised and picked up a few different needle sizes from a medical supplier. (Free samples when I told them what they were for.) I tried a couple of different size needles untill I found the one that would allow the oil to drip through enough to fill the cavity. Supprisingly some of the needles were so small in relation to the oil viscosity it was very difficult to get them to inject. Then I used a glue gun to seal it back up and went for a test spin.
NO MORE BOUNCE.
Scouser, great to hear it worked, I checked my modified fuel gauge while doing the Speedo damping oil today and there are no leaks and the gauge works great.
When drilling you can drill through (gently, now is not the time you get the shakes) because inside there is a metal can. On one of my spare fuel gauges the drill hole had some burs which prevented the inner can from moving freely, so I spent a bit of time trying to free it up. The wires are bunched up but if you use a piece of plastic they do push apart.
I also found that unlike before, the bounce had me staring at the gauge most of the time, now I only look at it once in a blue moon.
I have some significant bounce in my fuel gauge, so I ordered some of the referenced oil. Does anyone know what size needle works best for filling the gauge up?
Is this something that can be done to the speedo gauge as well. (there is an ever-so-faint bounce on occasion)
What sort of glue (glue gun) are you using to seal the hole up after fill?
Quote from: iMav on June 25, 2013, 10:42:02 AM
I have some significant bounce in my fuel gauge, so I ordered some of the referenced oil. Does anyone know what size needle works best for filling the gauge up?
Is this something that can be done to the speedo gauge as well. (there is an ever-so-faint bounce on occasion)
What sort of glue (glue gun) are you using to seal the hole up after fill?
Welcome iMav, for the fuel guage I actually just used the syringe without the needle (Butted against the hole) and forced the fluid in but I had a second hole for the air to escape. If you have one hole i.e 1mm you need to find a needle that fits in comfortably and allows air to escape.
One word of warning do not damage the wires or remove the varnish (on the wire) with sharp objects push the wires apart with a plastic object or finger nail (or get your wife or girlfriend to do it). The glue is applied with a hot glue gun, I used just a cheap one, with the glue supplied (don't know brand or type of glue stick type), make sure the glue area is free of oil by gently wiping/ brushing with metho or paint degreaser (not thinners/ turps).
I just did my speedo but because it doesn't bounce till around 110kph I can't test it till the weekend. There is a section in "Maintenance" that covers how the fix the speedo bounce.
http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=2596.0 (http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=2596.0)
Quote from: scouser on June 24, 2013, 08:23:46 PMJust did mine tonight.
I use the oil from Toyota as advised and picked up a few different needle sizes from a medical supplier. (Free samples when I told them what they were for.) I tried a couple of different size needles until I found the one that would allow the oil to drip through enough to fill the cavity. Supprisingly some of the needles were so small in relation to the oil viscosity it was very difficult to get them to inject. Then I used a glue gun to seal it back up and went for a test spin. NO MORE BOUNCE.
scouser,
+1 one the medical stuff. Great for needle-point oiling, and for injecting glues into tiny places, or through fabrics for an inside repair.
Plastic ones are cheap, one-use, disposable. Break off the metal end, before it goes into the circular file.
Did a big 'gauges' page update:
http://fjowners.wikidot.com/gauges (http://fjowners.wikidot.com/gauges)
Still not completely pretty, but it'll get there. Focus is on data first, then formatting/readability second. This was an overhaul mix of both, but it's still not as pretty as, say, the FJ on a Diet (http://fjowners.wikidot.com/lighter) page or the Moditus (http://fjowners.wikidot.com/moditus) page. :)
Any quick howto on getting the fuel gauge out? (online manual) I have owned my FJ just over a week and have not taken the fairing off at all yet...Would love to know the most efficient manner of getting to the fuel gauge.
Quote from: iMav on June 30, 2013, 04:32:21 AM
Any quick howto on getting the fuel gauge out? (online manual) I have owned my FJ just over a week and have not taken the fairing off at all yet...Would love to know the most efficient manner of getting to the fuel gauge.
Imav, welcome, after having bikes that require 4 screws to remove a fairing etc the FJ1200 was a real culture shock. I'm assuming most FJ fairings are similar (based on 1989 FJ1200).
As you outlined there are manuals on line or fleeby.
If not here goes
Step 1. remove the air scoops on both sides (there are screws underneath these you need to remove for the plastic vents which fit beside the fuel tank).
Step 2 (optional). I found its easier to remove the fuel tank, remove screws holding the tank, shut off the fuel tap and remove hose to fuel pump and the fuel gauge connector, while there check the fuel filter.
Step 3. Remove the two plastic covers that fit on the sides of the tank by removing holding screws- Don't forget the choke knob needs to be removed first.
Step 4. Remove the fairing screen (there are screws under this to remove). Once the screen is removed the gauge plastic cover screws have to be removed. Take the gauge cover off.
By now you are starting to understand why a few dishes for the screws are required until you learn what goes where.
Step 5. There are two screws that hold the gauges to the frame, once these are out remove speedo cable and the two connectors for the gauges.
After the screws are removed from the clear cover (remove with the facia), undo the three screws on the behind the fuel gauge. EASY?
NOTE: when re assembling the clear cover don't over tighten the screws, the cover will crack if over done.
Quote from: Bozo on June 30, 2013, 07:22:01 AM
[
By now you are starting to understand why a few dishes for the screws are required until you learn what goes where.
Cardboard egg cartons. Best system ever invented for keeping track of bits and pieces. Write on them in biro as you place things in it, great for engines too where you have multiples of many things.
Well, good news, no more bounce. Bad news, gauge no longer works.
Anyone know where I can buy a replacement fuel gauge??
Quote from: iMav on July 01, 2013, 06:45:56 PM
Well, good news, no more bounce. Bad news, gauge no longer works.
Anyone know where I can buy a replacement fuel gauge??
iMav, assuming you didn't cut any of the wires accidentally (on the fuel gauge body), the hole you drilled might have a burr from the drilling which is stopping the internal barrel from spinning. You should be able to lift the needle by hand to the full mark and let it drop down - it should drop slowly to empty (not just sit there). If that works I suggest you check if a wire was cut, if you know an electronics person that has a steady hand you should be able to re-solder it (you can unwind one turn of wire if it helps, and insulate the solder point).
This is all assuming there are no other wiring issues leading to the gauge itself)
Actually, I'm pretty sure I DID cut the wire...
Digging that out of the glue is going to be fun. Sure would be nice to start over with a replacement gauge; even if I did have to give it another to at drilling another hole.
Picked up another fuel gauge off of eBay. ;)