Messages

31

General Discussion / Re: PLEASE HELP!!! I can't get this #!@&!! fuel gauge to work...

« on: July 09, 2015, 07:38:22 PM »

Brian -

One additional question - I was under the impression that a car with the gauge package should have a low fuel light as you mentioned.  Mine does not appear to have one, although I do know that the gauge layout is different on a 68 vs a 69.  The only unconnected wire under the console is a single yellow wire, and I have no idea what it's for...any idea?

Thanks again...

Chris

32

General Discussion / Re: PLEASE HELP!!! I can't get this #!@&!! fuel gauge to work...

« on: July 09, 2015, 07:35:07 PM »

Pace - THANK YOU!!!

I corrected the connector mounting, switched the connections, and ran a ground wire to the bottom lug...lo and behold, the gauge slowly climbed to 1/4 and stayed there.  I added the fuel that I'd drained, and it rose to 3/4, so the gauge appears to be working correctly.

Chris

33

General Discussion / Re: PLEASE HELP!!! I can't get this #!@&!! fuel gauge to work...

« on: July 09, 2015, 06:27:03 PM »

Further comments - measured the resistance from the hot terminal in the factory plug to the sender terminal, and I got about 30 ohms resistance.  Re-checked the resistance of the sender at the plug behind the lock mount in the trunk, and got virtually the same reading, about 30 ohms.  So...I'm getting current into the gauge at the correct voltage, I know that there's no break in continuity in the sender wire into the trunk, and that the sending unit is working properly.  I also cleaned the sending unit ground at the pass side fuel tank strap holder, and added a temporary ground to the gas tank just in case.

Still, the gauge pegs full, although it's slow to react.

Also, the gauge does NOT return to empty when you turn off the power.

Chris

34

General Discussion / Re: PLEASE HELP!!! I can't get this #!@&!! fuel gauge to work...

« on: July 09, 2015, 05:25:30 PM »

Here's the gauge as I "think" it should be set up.

You can see that someone enlarged the holes in the mounting plate.  I have no idea why.  There's also the hole in the top of the plate that matches with the center top hole in the gauge.  There was no screw in that hole.  Should there be something there?

Thanks...

Chris

35

General Discussion / PLEASE HELP!!! I can't get this #!@&!! fuel gauge to work...

« on: July 09, 2015, 04:53:17 PM »

Hello!

Last week I posted about trouble I was having with the factory gauges on my '68 Z8.  Right now, it's the fuel gauge that's really got me stumped.   Here's the situation as it sits now.   One warning...I am duplicating the connections that I saw when I first pulled the gauge pod.  It appears as if someone may have had the pod out before, so I cannot speak to what someone may or may not have done before I got the car.

I read through the gauge tech threads, and I ran all of the tests.  There doesn't appear to be anything wrong with the wiring.

Gauge is new.  Rick's Camaros sent me 2 by mistake, so I have a spare to test my results.

I have a measured 11.5v coming from the doubled up pink wire that goes into the 2 prong factory plug.  The plug appears to be intact.

The sending unit measured about 88 ohms with the tank full.  To make sure it wasn't stuck, I drained about 6 gallons from the tank, and the resistance dropped to about 30 ohms, so I know that the sending unit it working.

With the factory plug plugged onto the gauge, and the gauge mounted, I have the same voltage current flowing into the sending unit - I checked at the plug that's behind the trunk lock mount, although the test light appears to be very dim.  So, I have current flowing through the circuit as it should be

Per the directions, the gauge is an internally resisted gauge, so I do NOT need the factory shunt resistor.  The gauge came with a phenolic plate that replaces the shunt resistor.

I mounted the gauge with the phenolic plate on the outside of the gauge pod, between the two mounting lugs, just as the original shunt resistor had been.  The copper colored middle bottom lug was simply fastened down with the factory nut and lock washer.  The nut/washer are in contact with the gauge's mounting plate.

There appears to be a threaded hole in the back of the gauge, top center (see pic).  There was nothing in that hole when I removed the gauge that was in the pod, although there's a matching hole in the mounting plate.

No matter what I do, the gauge pegs full.

Pulled the gauge from the pod and made all of the connections with alligator clips...power from the factory plug to the left terminal (looking at the back of the gauge), a lead from the right lug to back to the other terminal in the factory plug.

If I turn on the key with those two connections, I get nothing.  If I ground the bottom middle copper colored terminal, the gauge pegs full.

If I ground the gauge housing with the 2 connections above, I get nothing.

If I feed power to the left lug, leave the right lug unconnected, and ground the bottom middle copper lug, the gauge pegs full.

I'm fairly certain that I'm grounding something I'm not supposed to be grounding, or I'm not connecting something correctly.

I have the factory manual, but it doesn't give a detailed picture of the gauge connections.

Please help me get this sorted out.  I've put several hours into this and I'm at a dead end.

Thanks...

Chris
Monroe, CT

36

General Discussion / Re: '68 Z28 - Need help...Factory gauges do vex me...tach, fuel, temp.

« on: June 21, 2015, 05:53:49 PM »

Hide/John -

Does that also mean that I can test the fuel gauge's operation in the same way as the temp gauge, i.e. ground the connection to the sending unit and the fuel gauge should peg full if it's working(?).

Thanks...

Chris

37

General Discussion / Re: '68 Z28 - Need help...Factory gauges do vex me...tach, fuel, temp.

« on: June 21, 2015, 05:29:30 PM »

John -

Thanks for the tips.  Will test everything tomorrow.

Does anyone know what the gauge would read if the shunt was bad, or how to test a shunt?

Thanks...

Chris

38

General Discussion / Re: '68 Z28 - Need help...Factory gauges do vex me...tach, fuel, temp.

« on: June 21, 2015, 01:35:31 AM »

Barry - No clue, still learning myself.  This car is an unrestored numbers matching '68 Z28, so I see no reason why anything would be set up for a 6 cyl.

Chris

39

General Discussion / '68 Z28 - Need help...Factory gauges do vex me...tach, fuel, temp.

« on: June 20, 2015, 07:19:48 PM »

Hello!

After long last, I got my '68 Z28 on the hoist and checked everything out before the first maiden (more than 10 minutes) voyage.  Topped off the fluids, new rear brakes, lubed everything, oil chg w/ZDDP, new plugs (old ones were fouled).  Started up and ran great, but I still have some issues with the gauges.

Ammeter and fuel gauge didn't work, temp gauge only went to a quarter hot, so I had no idea if it was accurate or not.

I did some reading on the wiring, pulled the gauge package from the console and found that the internal (from outside the gauge pod to the fuel gauge) ground wire had been melted, and that the contacts for the ammeter and the temp gauge were badly corroded.  I pulled the gauges, replaced the ground wire, and cleaned all the contacts.  When I put everything back together and started the car up, here's what happened:

The ammeter now works (it shows a slight charge after starting the car, then goes to center, and will flicker slightly if I turn on any accessory) - victory.

The temp gauge now pegs to full hot.

The fuel gauge still does not work, although it appeared to move slightly (1/16") when I started the car, but it still basically shows empty with a full tank.  It now has a good ground (tested), and current flowing into the gauge through the pink wire that feeds into the gauge plug.

1) Temp gauge - how can I test if the gauge itself works?
2) If the gauge works, is the sending unit (driver's side of the head) probably bad?
3) Is there a way I can test the sending unit?
3) Could the shunt be bad?  If so, how do I check it?

I'm not a big fan of randomly replacing parts, so I want to isolate exactly what's bad before I start spending $$.

As far as the fuel gauge goes, the previous owner said that he replaced the sending unit, but I haven't dropped the tank to check it out.

1) Can I check if the sending unit is bad without dropping the tank, i.e. check the ohms resistance between the hot wire and the wire to the sender?
2) Any way I can check if the gauge itself is bad?

Last issue -

The tach is WILDLY inaccurate.  With 3.73 gears in 4th, it shows that the engine is turning 5800rpms at 70mph.  It's not.  I don't have another tach on it, but I'd guess that the motor is turning around 3200rpms.

One note - the car originally has 4.56 gears, and the previous owner swapped it to 3.73 gears.  My understanding is that the tach is driven by an electrical impulse from the distributor, correct me if I'm wrong.

Any idea why the tach would be so far off?

Thanks in advance...

Chris

40

General Discussion / Who do YOU use for repop interior/body parts?

« on: April 20, 2015, 07:16:07 PM »

Hello!

Finally went through the Purgatory of CT DMV to get my '68 Z28 registered.  I dragged it home from NC in January, and posted some pics at that time.

Now that it has a plate and insurance, this plan is to go through it, fix anything that might need fixing, and drive it for the summer.  I've already had it out, and, aside for some squeaks and rattles, it drives pretty well....steering is decently tight, the car tracks straight, and I moves very nicely if you put your foot into it (which I did once or twice).

Anyway, the first thing I have to order is a new dash pad, as the original one I trashed, and the two interior pillar trim pieces (possibly...I have the originals, going to give them a good once over).

I've also got to get the battery hold down frame top and hardware, as the battery is just sitting on the tray at the moment.

This is my first Camaro (well, since that '69 RS I had when I was 17), and my first time ordering parts for the car.

So...

Which vendor, in your opinion, has the best quality parts and service?

I'm not so much concerned with the lowest price, rather with the best quality.

Feel free to throw out whatever names you've had the best experience with.

Thanks...

Chris
Monroe, CT

41

General Discussion / Re: '68 Z-28 is home...

« on: February 02, 2015, 03:06:33 AM »

Danny -

I'm about 90% there as far as originality goes.  It's got all the big pieces, although I know that the alternator, master cylinder, radiator, and parts of the carb are not original or correct, but those are minor changes as far as I'm concerned.  Would I have liked to have the POP and build sheet?  Yes, but there's not a whole lot anyone can argue with me about originality, so I'm not going to lose any sleep over it.

What I DO want to do, when I go through the car in a few months, is understand EXACTLY what on my car is original and what is not, and what I need to get it to 100%.  I'm counting on this site to help me out with some of the details, especially the aforementioned parts, i.e. radiator, alternator, MC, and carb.

The brakes are redone, but I have all of the original parts - calipers and rotors.

Can't wait to get it on the road.

Chris

42

General Discussion / Re: '68 Z-28 is home...

« on: February 01, 2015, 09:17:05 PM »

Yes, the car was Teal originally, and it will be when I get it repainted...

43

General Discussion / '68 Z-28 is home...

« on: February 01, 2015, 08:32:47 PM »

Hello!

About a month ago, I posted about a '68 Z-28 that I agreed to buy.

After a 21 hour day, driving 1,300 miles, 6 tanks of gas, countess pee and coffee stops, the car is safe at home in its new garage.

Of course, what story would be complete without some adversity.  Drove the car onto the trailer in NC no problem.  This morning, crank but no start.  Prime the carb.  Nothing.  Check the coil connections.  Loose, so I tightened them.  Crank, fire, die.  Prime, crank, fire, die.  Over and over.  Pull the plugs.  They're black and crusty.  Clean plugs and reinstall.  Prime carb.  Crank, start, die.  Prime carb again...crank, run for about 15 seconds, die.

Sit and think.  Have a brain storm.  Add a few gallons of gas to the gas tank.  Crank, run, die.  Crank, run die.  Crank...AND IT RUNS!!!!!

Helps to have gas in the tank when trying to get the car to run .

Pull into the garage, put it up on the lift.

Have a few other projects to get out of the way, then will go through the car...check brakes, lines, coolant, chg the oil, tranny and rear end oil, new plugs, do some digging to see what's original and what isn't (small stuff, i.e. radiator, alternator), clean it up, coat of wax to shine it up a bit, clean it.

Then drive when the weather gets better.

Can't wait...

Chris

44

General Discussion / Re: Round 2: Going to see a '68 Z/28 - Need some help w/pics

« on: December 24, 2014, 10:36:18 PM »

As far as price goes, you all know what he was asking for it.

You all also know what the general opinion of value was...some said ok, more said a little too high.

I paid less than his asking price, but he probably thinks that he sold it for a little less than he should have, and I think that I probably paid a little more than I should have.

But...we're both happy with the outcome, and I'm PSYCHED to have a numbers matching car.

Can't wait to get take that maiden (for me) ride.

Chris

45

General Discussion / Re: Round 2: Going to see a '68 Z/28 - Need some help w/pics

« on: December 24, 2014, 10:08:35 PM »

Well, after 2 days of texting back and fourth, we agreed on a price.

I should have it home is the next 2-3 weeks.

And so it begins...

Chris