Hi everyone,

Tonka had her first outing this weekend. Duluth and Grand Marais. On the return trip the temp gauge hand started twitching and finally dropped to zero and stopped working. I'm hoping it's a loose connection, sending unit or something I can replace myself. Any suggestions for diagonostics?

Thanks,
Wally

A loose connection is the most likely. Disconnect at the sender, jump to ground and see if the gauge responds; if so the gauage is good.

Clean the terminals and reattach. If that doesn't cure the problem when the engine is run up, it's the sender.

Last January on my way back from Texas I had the same problem. I called the techs at Allison and they suggested a loose connection and even told me exactly where it would be. I crawled under the bus and it was exactly where he said and it was loose and dirty. I cleaned and tightened it up and it has been okay since. I hope your situation is as easy as mine was.

Thanks Rusty and Lance,

Turned out it was the effects of gravity and road rumbling. One of the wires was loose in the terminal fitting. The gauge is near the top of the dash. I was barely able to stretch to reinsert it but its not as tight a fit as it should be. A secure permanent fix will need a tall lanky friend with long arms and small hands, a trained orangutan or pulling the dash to get at it.

For future reference, where is the temp gauge sending unit generally located. My current ongoing maintenance routine is to locate, inspect and clean electrical connections.

Thanks,
Wally

After I had replied to your posting I realized I wasn't certain if you meant the engine or the transmission temp gauge. The gauge I had problem with was the transmission gauge. It's transducer is on the transmission oil cooling lines. In my case it was in the line just as it leaves the rear of the transmission. The two lines are easy to spot. Just follow them along and you should be able to find it easily.

Tonka,
Do you have an oblong looking panel in the top of the dash shelf? Sorry I'm not going to fight the skeeters to take a pic right now. Am I being clear? On mine and a number of others there is an access hatch at above to dash. Makes it easy to get to most of the wiring and gauges in the dash.

I spent over a month working on various parts of the dash including documenting all the wiring. After I was done and took my first trip I noticed one of my instruments didn't work. I stopped and while starting to remove the dash I was thinking how I would make an access above the dash, just about where that strange oblong piece is. At that point I had a realization that there was already an access panel there. I could have saved a lot of pain, agony and many not so nice words had I noticed it earlier.

There is a tab that should be sticking out so you can pull it up but that tab usually gets tucked under the panel. Just use a screw driver and pry it up, it removes easily.

After removing the panel I saw a wire I had failed to reconnect. I reconnected it and all was well with the world. It was sooooo easy.

Good luck!

Dana, Lance,

Thanks for the advice. I don't seem to have an and access panel for the dash but I'm going to spend some more time checking to see if I'm just overlooking something. It doesn't seem logical that Barth wouldn't have provided for easier access to the gauges especially after they had been for years.

Our dash seems to be a great place to spend time if you're a cat or small dog. Mayber not so much if you're a mechanic.



Also Lance our dash temp gauge is for engine coolant temperature. Seems odd but Tonka has no dash temp gauge for the Allison transmission.


Thanks,
Wally

Tonka,
I also have no temp gauge for the Allison. It on the plan. Sure looks like no access hole for the dash on yours. Mine I can't believe there is no easy way to access the dash fan to run the defrost and heater. Mine needs attention. Before I dig that out I want the vacuum working to open the doors. Maybe the reason the fan seems to not be going is the door are default closed.

Dana,

So far we've been pretty lucky. The heater, fan and air ducts work and you know first hand how much they're needed around our lakes with the temperature and humidity swings. We really needed the defroster and both windshield fans to defog the windshield in the rain on the way to Grand Marais two weeks ago. I need to crawl under the bus and try to figure out where some of these things are located and what needs to be removed to get at them.

Thanks to Rusty, I was able to identify and free up the heater core valve but the cable from the climate control is toast (kinked), needs to be replaced and has either a factory installed connector or some kind of spring washer that looks really tough to remove without damaging it.

Does your Barth have much space between the front fascia and your dash or is your dash thicker and hollow. Mine seems to be mostly a thin firewall but it may have a few hidden cavities.

Thanks,
Wally

Wally,
We need to get together and compare notes and Barths. And of course share a tasty adult beverage.
Less than a foot between the front the outside of the dash. Not much room I have the same cable problem. I am replacing/putting in a vacuum pump. there is no room in the dash it is packed in with the dash heat vent tubes.

quote:

I don't seem to have an and access panel for the dash but I'm going to spend some more time checking to see if I'm just overlooking something. It doesn't seem logical that Barth wouldn't have provided for easier access to the gauges especially after they had been for years.

Tonka,

It's quite easy, remove the screws on the wood fascia and the whole dash will come up enough (from the top) to access anything there.

quote:

It's quite easy, remove the screws on the wood fascia and the whole dash will come up enough (from the top) to access anything there.

That is a beautiful dash, don't over-tighten the screws when putting it back together, it WILL crack the plastic! I agree with Corey, remove the panel to access behind the dash.