Additional Gauges / Instrumentation for a Classic?

[kmamedia]

Might add A Giroscope in case you get into a Turbulance

[Inland RV Center, In]

A properly installed "air speed indicator" and a "sensitive altimeter" worked great for me.

They told you when you had a tail wind or head wind, and if you were climbing ever so slightly, so that you could regulate your speed accordingly.

Andy

[Kota]

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In

A properly installed "air speed indicator" and a "sensitive altimeter" worked great for me.

They told you when you had a tail wind or head wind, and if you were climbing ever so slightly, so that you could regulate your speed accordingly.

Andy

My first trip in the AS was driving it from Seattle home to Colorado. Didn't really notice it in an unfamiliar vehicle but we had a nice steady 30 mph tail wind all the way. A few weeks later we drove it to Michigan with a nice steady tailwind. You can imagine our disappointment when we fought 40 to 50 mph gusty quartering headwinds all 1500 miles home.

I can't wait for the days when my travel days are not dictated by vacation from work.

[Kota]

Got everything ready to go for our fall trip when we got one of "those" family phone calls from Michigan. Ann had to travel back to be with her mother in the hospital. Figured I might as well get some projects completed. Found a place in the dash for the fuel pressure gauge. Its starting to look like the engineers panel in the spruce goose. Some day I'll make a new panel for it. Someday...

[streamquest]

Reviving an old thread here…..

Does anyone have a line on an OEM Air Suspension gauge for my '89 370???

Any thoughts on sources for repair of the existing unit??

Thanks,

Charly

[bkahler]

Charly,

I've been watching for Teleflex gauges on ebay for over two years and have not seen the air suspension gauge show up. However the one company that I know of that still deals in Teleflex gauges seems to list a price for one at $39.69 part number XLS50766-011. That doesn't mean it's available but it would be worth checking on.

Here's the page listing the Teleflex gauges.

And this is Custom Instrument Panels home page.

Hope this helps

Brad

[Keyair]

I too have not seen one Charly. I am wondering if its a mechanical oil pressure gauge with a different face.
Good link Brad!

[bkahler]

Originally Posted by Keyair

I too have not seen one Charly. I am wondering if its a mechanical oil pressure gauge with a different face.
Good link Brad!

The air suspension gauge I have is electronic and uses a transmitter similar to those used for the oil pressure gauges.



One thing to note. In the link I provided the gauge is listed as 0-150 psi mechanical. Mine is 0-120 psi and uses a transmitter. The part number on my gauge is 53679.

Steve, I thought you might find this page interesting. I don't necessarily like the looks but the process is interesting.


Brad

[bkahler]

Charly,

This isn't the same style but might work for you in a pinch.

Teleflex 0-150 psi gauge

Brad

[streamquest]

Brad and Steve, you two are a better source of info than the internet!!

Thanks for the suggestions and sources. My 370 came with an aftermarket gauge attached below the dash to replace the apparently failed original (which was the 0-120 unit that Brad referenced that is evidently discontinued). Since this moho is largely unmolested from original, I'm trying to restore it back to stock wherever possible.

In the case of a 370 on the Gillig chassis, the suspension and parking brake are both dependent on air pressure. Was this "Air Suspension" gauge used on the much more widely produced 345's, 310's, etc.?? I don't recall seeing one on my 325 before rebuilding the dash several years ago. Just thinking about potential "gauge donors".

Thanks again,

Charly

[bkahler]

Originally Posted by streamquest

Brad and Steve, you two are a better source of info than the internet!!

Probably because we've spent way to many hours searching for parts! And in my case more time searching than actually working on it

Thanks for the suggestions and sources. My 370 came with an aftermarket gauge attached below the dash to replace the apparently failed original (which was the 0-120 unit that Brad referenced that is evidently discontinued). Since this moho is largely unmolested from original, I'm trying to restore it back to stock wherever possible.

Are you 100% certain it's the gauge that is bad and not the sender? If I was a betting man I'd bet that the sender went bad and the PO just used a different gauge. Sometime in the near future I'll hook up my sender to see if I can determine what resistance values it uses. That should help ID what type of sender to look for.

Definitely don't throw away your old gauge until confirming it's actually bad.

In the case of a 370 on the Gillig chassis, the suspension and parking brake are both dependent on air pressure. Was this "Air Suspension" gauge used on the much more widely produced 345's, 310's, etc.?? I don't recall seeing one on my 325 before rebuilding the dash several years ago. Just thinking about potential "gauge donors".

I know my old 84 310 didn't have a suspension pressure gauge. The one I have came off an 86 345. Possibly 86 and newer has the gauge you're looking for.

I'll post back when I finally determine what type of sending unit is needed.

Brad

[streamquest]

Brad,

I've been digging through the Gillig chassis manual which provides a lot of detail regarding the air system (fittings, lines, etc.), but no mention of a gauge. Same with the Airstream manual. Go figure.
There's also a warning light on the dash that goes out when the air pressure is satisfactory to provide e-brake power when underway, or to release the parking brake (same) to get underway. So there is definitely something sending info from somewhere.
I'll get further into this when business settles down a bit. I want to have my head in a good place before opening up the dash.

Charly

[Keyair]

I wonder if this would work Charly.... Oil pressure gauge, so runs from a sender, and reads to 90psi....
I think I might grab one and try it as a Fuel pressure gauge...

Teleflex Oil Pressure Gauge 0 90 PSI Part 54658 | eBay


Added this to my gauge setup(temporarily installed).
Innovate Fuel/Air gauge.

[bkahler]

The thing to watch for with any gauge is making sure you have the correct sending unit to work with it.

Just so happens I spent about an hour earlier today playing with a variety of the Teleflex gauges that I've been buying over the last few years. I've been lucky and managed to find the correct sending units for all of the temperature gauges I'm going to use (engine oil temp, engine coolant temp & transmission oil temp).

When it came to fuel gauges I was a little unsure until posts from other members indicated the stock fuel sending unit is 0-90 ohms. So today I decided to test the 4 different fuel gauges that I have. Three of them are regular fuel gauges and one was an LPG gauge.

The Teleflex gauge used in the 86 345 had a 150 ohm 1 or 2 watt resistor tied between the (I)gnition and (S)ending terminals. Using my new fuel tank sending unit I tested the 345 gauge and it was spot on. The LPG gauge also came with the resistor in place so I tested it and it was spot on indicating that it uses a 0-90 ohm sending unit.

I then tested the two fuel gauges that did not have a resistor installed and when the sending unit was on empty the gauge showed half full. When the sending unit was on full the gauge was pegged to the right. I then retested each gauge with the resistor installed and they were both spot on.

Oddly enough the oil pressure gauge from the 345 has the resistor as well so I tested it with the fuel tank sending unit and guess what, it was spot on with 0 ohms being 0 pressure and 90 ohms being 80 psi.

So the point of all this is if you don't have the right sender the gauge isn't going to work

As far as that 90 psi gauge I have no idea what sending unit would work with that gauge. 90 psi is sort of an odd ball number. I've seen Teleflex oil pressure gauges that are 0-100 psi but again I've not seen a sender for them.

Brad

[Keyair]

Does this make any sense or help?

http://gfretwell.com/electrical/teleflex%20senders.pdf

[bkahler]

I ran across that chart awhile back. Most of the senders don't seem to match up well with the gauges Airstream used. One thing of interest, the oil temperature and transmission temperature gauges we have are 160-320 but the closest one Teleflex lists is 140-320. The 140-320F HA157 SS White senders that I bought (I think Peter bought as well) seem to work fine with the 160-320 gauges. So most likely the 140-320 senders from Teleflex will work the the 160-320 gauges.

Notice they don't list a 0-90 psi oil pressure gauge either. Kinda makes you wonder just how many different types of gauges did Teleflex make and what were their applications!

Just the other day one of the gauges I bought had a Blue Bird bus ID tag on it.

It's all so confusing!

[Bethany533]

Originally Posted by bkahler

Charly,

I've been watching for Teleflex gauges on ebay for over two years and have not seen the air suspension gauge show up. However the one company that I know of that still deals in Teleflex gauges seems to list a price for one at $39.69 part number XLS50766-011. That doesn't mean it's available but it would be worth checking on.

Here's the page listing the Teleflex gauges.

And this is Custom Instrument Panels home page.

Hope this helps

Brad

Brad,
The speedometer on my '83 is kaput. Do you recommend sending it out for repair or calling Custom Instrument Panels for a replacement? Mine looks most like their XLS54500.

Thanks,
Ray J.

[tjdonahoe]

Want to spend money? Digital outside air temperature gauge, rear axle temperature gauge ,maybe an exhaust temperature gauge......

[bkahler]

Ray, are you sure it's not the GM speedometer 53220?

54500 is an electronic speedometer which I would be surprised if yours was like that.

I may have the correct speedometer available. I'll check tomorrow morning.

Brad

[Bethany533]

It's cable driven, without tripometer.