I just feel the need to rant.
I bought a mechanical temp/oil gauge set for my thunderbird last fall. I spent the better part of a day carefully making them fit into the dash. I got the temp sender connected, and it was all good. I saw that the oil sender was going to be a pain, so I decided to just run the line, and install it next time I changed the oil (since the sender is above the oil filter, and it would be easier to get to it with the filer out of the way).
So, while running the line, it seemed like the inner brass cone (ferrule?) on the gauge end was too big. I have installed this same gauge set in several cars, and something just didn't seem right. Sure enough, I get about one thread cranked and instead of compressing, it just stripped the fitting. I try it again, I got it to hold, but I can tell it's just 'snug' and not compressed. I figure, oh well, I'll tackle that when I finish the job another day.
Well, fast forward to yesterday. I changed the oil, and installed the other end of the oil line. That job went just fine. Now, I start it up, the gauge climbs, but it started to drip (almost to be expected, *sigh*). So I shut it down. I figure the gauge is screwed at this point, and I have nothing no loose, so I take the fitting apart and put some JB weld in it, heh. I wait about 12 hours and start it up. No leaks! The gauge climbed to about 45psi. That seemed a little low to me, being that I have new rod/main bearings and a new oil pump, and a fresh oil change. Oh well, I can live with 45 I guess. So I shut it down. But the gauge stayed on 45. It's still on 45. The thing is stuck. No amount of tapping it, smacking it, punching it, or screaming obscenities at it will make it budge.
All that waiting, and it's broken. I mean, I knew it was broken when the fitting stripped, but that was just the fitting. I thought I could redneck my way through to the finish line, assuming the gauge actually worked. It just sucks, now I'll have to order a new one, and wait, and finish the job yet another day. And I have to order the same model, so it matches the temp gauge that's already installed.
What a pain in my ass. All because of an $0.05 ferrule was the wrong size. I suppose it's half my fault, I knew it didn't seem right and I tried to make it work. Oh well, I just felt like venting.
Well, at least something is going right.
I found a nicer set of gauges on ebay. The same size, very reasonable price (about half of what I paid for the current set), and will match my dash better. These are NOS older gauges, so they look a little more like they are supposed to be there. The only drawback is I will have to re-run the temp sender (since it's not able to be removed from gauge by design). The other benefit is that the seller is in Ohio, so I should get it quickly.
What brand gauges did you install the first time?
They were the 1 1/2" Sunpro gauges. It's hard to find anything in a 1 1/2" size. I usually just get the triple set that AutoZone stocks, but all they had were white-face, and my instrumentation is black. I ordered a set of black ones on ebay. Basically the same set, just a different color.
I don't fault Sunpro for it. I have installed this same set in probably 5 different cars, and they are usually great. Must have just been a bad one that got through quality control. The new set is also Sunpro, and I got them in over the weekend and they work great. These are an older model with a matte-black bezel and blue graphics, which match my T-bird's black/blue cluster very nice. I'll try to get a pic later.