Amp/Battery Gauge Replacement

[Duane D.]

Can someone tell me the best way to replace the Amp/Battery gauge in a 1970 Corvette? Thank you.

[Joe L.]

Re: Amp/Battery Gauge Replacement

Can someone tell me the best way to replace the Amp/Battery gauge in a 1970 Corvette? Thank you.

Duane-----

You have to remove the left side lower dash panel, the console forward side covers, and the center instrument cluster assembly. Then, you can easily remove the gauge from the cluster assembly. There's no other way I know of to remove the gauge.

[Bill L.]

Re: Amp/Battery Gauge Replacement

Duane-----

You have to remove the left side lower dash panel, the console forward side covers, and the center instrument cluster assembly. Then, you can easily remove the gauge from the cluster assembly. There's no other way I know of to remove the gauge.

Joe is right.

Mine is a 70 and removing the center bezel should be done with a great deal of caution. There are two well concealed nuts on the bottom of the bezel that will need to be removed in addition to the other pretty obvious screws. An AIM will show you the exact location of all the screws plus these two nuts. . Hope you have small hands.

The bezel has a safety feature that results in very weak spot(s) on the bezel about 2-3" from the top on each side. You can see the small indents once the wiper bezel is removed. This is so the bezel will collapse in the event of a collision. Pulling on the top of the bezel to remove it almost always results in a broken bezel. Be very careful. I pulled the bezel to have the radio repaired and all was fine using a patient and cautious approach. This bezel is not reproduced correctly by anyone and is very costly to replace. While the bezel is out I highly recommend replacing all the bulbs and having all the gauges properly restored.

Keep in mind that the bezel also serves as part of the instrumentation ground plane. Once the plane is broken the the wiper switch usually will not work.

Hope this helps.


Bill

[Duane D.]

Re: Amp/Battery Gauge Replacement

Joe and Bill,Thanks for your response, I was hoping for an easier way to replace the gauge. One more question, the replies to some past threads, stated that their gauge failed with the indicator in the zero position. Mine is in the minus forty position. The polarity has been checked and is OK. The charging system is working and is OK. Is this a normal failure position for the indicator? Thanks again for your help. Duane

[Jim T.]

Re: Amp/Battery Gauge Replacement

Duane have you started removing your gauge? My 70's gauge indicator stays in the middle when the battery is connected and even when I disconnect the battery when not being driven the gauge indicator stays in the middle.

[Duane D.]

Re: Amp/Battery Gauge Replacement

Jim, I have not removed the gauge and probably will not until the garage warms up a little. I wonder why our two gauge failures are so different? Duane