[Vwdiesel] Fwd: Temp guage

[William Longyard]

Terry,
The back of the instrument cluster is a flexible "printed circuit" panel. 
These panels comprise copper circuit pathways coated onto a flexible 
plastic.  Some of the pathways come off the main plastic panel as little 
"dog legs" of copper.  THESE CRACK OVER TIME, and that very well be what 
happened to yours.  I've had it happen to my temperature gauge.

This can be fixed with difficulty.  What you have to do is remove the 
instrument cluster (don't forget speedometer cable).  Once the cluster is 
out, you'll see on back the contacts that go to the temperature gauge.  If 
the copper "dogleg" is in fact cracked through, you can get some very thin 
copper wire and bind the split pieces together.  Soldering would help, but I 
simply did a wrap of the two ends and have had not problems since.

This is a lot of work if you've never had the cluster out before, but if you 
are familiar with removing it, it only takes an hour.

Good luck,
Bill Longyard
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <fudny at aol.com>
To: <vwdiesel at vwfans.com>
Sent: Thursday, July 19, 2007 2:33 PM
Subject: [Vwdiesel] Fwd: Temp guage


>
> It is pouring out so my test for now is off. But from the replies I'll do 
> the short to ground tonight to test the gauge, my fuel gauge operates 
> fine, the high water temp/level LED operate fine, lights, glow plug 
> indicator and clock are fine. I should have mentioned the car.
>
> 85 Jetta 2 Dr. NA diesel
>
> Thanks all
>
> Terry
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: fudny at aol.com
> To: vwdiesel at vwfans.com
> Sent: Thu, 19 Jul 2007 10:27 am
> Subject: [Vwdiesel] Temp guage
>
>
>
>
> This morning my temp gauge never moved. I drive about 63 miles each way 
> and
> scary to see it still pegged all the way to the left. Ambient temps around 
> 70.
> So before I leave work today I'll check the sending switch with a meter. 
> So the
> question is which of the sending units are for the gauge 1) the water 
> outlet on
> the left side of the block or 2) the one on the front?
>
> Do the gauges ever fail suddenly as last night going home all was fine and 
> I
> check the wires after I was on the freeway this morning and both are 
> connected??
> I have to change my speedo cluster out soon as I have the oil pressure 
> buzzer
> issue, the trip odometer broke (487K) and now maybe the gauge.
>
> So before I drive it I would like to meter the sending unit and before I 
> hit the
> interstate check it again when?I know it is warmed up.
>
> Thanks - Terry?
>
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