Ghastly gauges

[Guest]

Hey all - I need some guidance on the gauge problems on my '81 GS850GT. Here they are.

1.)Trip odometer inaccurate
2.)Fuel gauge not working (not sure if it’s actually a gauge problem, and I wouldn’t even care if the trip-meter worked properly)
3.)Instrument lights dim and markings worn off (minor, just annoying)
4.)One-piece plastic speedo/tach front cover is very brittle and crumbling from sun damage
5.)Metal one-piece rear speedo/tach cover is cracked but intact (from a PO parking lot drop)

For the trip meter I keep missing the actual event (watching the road too much?), but somewhere in the first 30 miles from resetting, it flips to over 100 miles.

I’m willing to try fixing these things, but I’m pretty sure that if I do, I’ll need a new one-piece front cover for just over $60 from Bikebandit. Or is there some magical plastic restoring dip or cream or glue that’ll allow me to salvage my current part and save the $60 vanity dollars for the time later in life when I’m ready to do a full cosmetic restore?

Meanwhile, I think entire instrument units in working condition run about the same or a little less on Ebay. Won’t look as new, but no hacksawing/dremeling for uncertain results trying to fix something that was not designed to be fixed.

Probably the answer’s obvious given that I’m using this as a daily commuter (with an emphasis on function over form – thus the name: Millennium Falcon) but I’m interested in opinions.

About the picture – there’s some splatter from polishing compound off a friend’s nearby buffer. The plastic’s so porous it soaked in and wouldn’t wipe off completely, and I’m afraid to use Armor-all for fear it’ll just make things worse.

[Roostabunny]

Schematic

Here's the schematic from Bikebandit.

[NATEO]

mothers back to black works well for restoring faded plastic.

[hampshirehog]

Yours looks a tad tired and it's all a bit fiddly inside those meters, once you've cut through the shell. On the other hand it might just be a bit of muck that's stuck in there causing the trip to flip over. Fuel gauge might be the sender / wires or the gauge playing up.

On balance I think I'd be tempted to buy a set from Evilbay, then see if you can fix yours and sell them on. 'Son of a Gun' black plastic cleaner brings the plastic shells up like new if you are prepared to give it several polishes with soakings in between.

Wally

[TheCafeKid]

so does PB Blaster...found that out the other day...they look great and no theres no oily residue if you clean them well.

[Roostabunny]

so does PB Blaster...found that out the other day...they look great and no theres no oily residue if you clean them well.

PB Blaster? The same stuff that shows how well it dissolves styrofoam cups on the label?

I mean, I believe you (and I've got a can at home), but I'm just picturing trying to catch the remains of my speedo in a cup as it dissolves and drips down the forks. And then the cup dissolves.

I guess I'll try in an inconspicuous area first.

If I take on this project, and try disassembling these things, any thoughts on riding without gauges for a week or two? Do I need to cap the tach and speedo senders somehow? Is it even street legal to ride without a speedo? I do like the idea of buying used then trying to fix.

[Roostabunny]

Yours looks a tad tired and it's all a bit fiddly inside those meters, once you've cut through the shell. On the other hand it might just be a bit of muck that's stuck in there causing the trip to flip over. Fuel gauge might be the sender / wires or the gauge playing up.

On balance I think I'd be tempted to buy a set from Evilbay, then see if you can fix yours and sell them on. 'Son of a Gun' black plastic cleaner brings the plastic shells up like new if you are prepared to give it several polishes with soakings in between.

Wally

Elbow grease I've got plenty of. Soakings? Does it spray on? I couldn't find a "black plastic cleaner". Is it the protectant? Or maybe the tire stuff?

[hampshirehog]

It's tagged 'plastic trim restorer and protectant' over here. Mainly aimed at car plastic bumpers and other trim I think. You get the best results by spraying it on till run off, covering every bit, waiting a few minutes then wiping off. (I often take the spray cap off and just wipe it on with a rag as you waste less and it's not so messy). You'll see an improvement. Then you repeat the process and you'll see more improvement. It follows the law of diminishing returns so you can stop repeating when you get to a condition you're happy with.

It doesn't rot or melt the plastic if you have to leave the job and you can get a soft sheen finish by just wiping the liquid off or a more glossy finish by if you wipe then buff.

Wally