At wits end

[InkaSteve]

It's running more than good enough right now so where I could probably wait till 8/4/2007 and take it to SLO.

You MUST do that, we have a good group of Tourings in California. Have to go up to SLO together.

Some SoCal Tourings. (Clickable Thumbnails)

Some NorCal Tourings:

[JohnN]

Although a flickering gauge could be a poor solder joint and/or corroded connector, the most likely culprit is a deficient ground. This is a good opportunity to practice the KISS principle.

Later model instrument clusters (like the one on my '76) have a factory provided ground lung, earlier clusters (like the one on my '72) do not. I added additional grounds to my '72 cluster. As many have suggested, put some spade lugs onto the two nuts that hold the gauges to the PWB.

Like most troubleshooting on the car, start with the easy solutions, move towards the more difficult/complex. Put the wires in. If it helps, consider it a cheap and easy fix. If it doesn't, try something different.

Regards,

John N

[midijab]

Great pics Steve! I need to see these Tourings up close so I can get an idea of what I need to restore. Real OEM and the ETK can only go so far. I definitely gotta plan for August 4th! I've never been to one of these get togethers before. Do people bring parts around for sale? Like I've said before, there are a lot of "little" things that I want to replace.

[BillWilliams]

http://www.bmwmobiletradition-online.com/bmw/select.do?vin=&series=114&body=tou

The restoration of the 1972 2000tii touring is the blog section in two posts. One post is the tear down and the other the build up.

[midijab]

Thanks Bill! Like a kid in a candy store!

[02Les]

on the tourings? And how it is wired?

I only have the low Brake fluid level, choke, handbrake light functions on my 74. No low fuel light. Unless I just haven't run it down that low yet.

That's interesting that your Touring has the low brake fluid. The pages I posted above, come from the Touring Supplementary Handbook, and the "Key to electrical diag" shows the Cluster (41) and the tell-tale (o) as being only for fuel, handbrake & choke. Another of life's mysteries.

[InkaSteve]

That's interesting that your Touring has the low brake fluid. The pages I posted above, come from the Touring Supplementary Handbook, and the "Key to electrical diag" shows the Cluster (41) and the tell-tale (o) as being only for fuel, handbrake & choke. Another of life's mysteries.

Just when you thought you knew everything...

Possibly the later models or maybe just the 1802's had this. Personally, I would rather be warned about my hydraulic fluid being low (a safety issue), rather than a light telling me that I haven't looked at the fuel gauge (a common sense issue).

[midijab]

Didn't get a chance to disassemble the cluster today as I got home late from work. Will try again tomorrow. However, I did manage to get a pic of the 3-wire fuel sender unit.

[02Les]

Didn't get a chance to disassemble the cluster today as I got home late from work. Will try again tomorrow. However, I did manage to get a pic of the 3-wire fuel sender unit.

The wires appear to be correctly attached.

Brown-Black to W, Brown-Yellow to G.

The Brown-Black should run via the handbrake & choke switches to #5 pin on the gauge cluster plug. The Brown-Yellow goes directly to #10 pin on the plug. The solid brown goes to the earth point in the trunk.

[02Les]

That's interesting that your Touring has the low brake fluid. The pages I posted above, come from the Touring Supplementary Handbook, and the "Key to electrical diag" shows the Cluster (41) and the tell-tale (o) as being only for fuel, handbrake & choke. Another of life's mysteries.

Just when you thought you knew everything...

Possibly the later models or maybe just the 1802's had this. Personally, I would rather be warned about my hydraulic fluid being low (a safety issue), rather than a light telling me that I haven't looked at the fuel gauge (a common sense issue).

It looks (from the electrical diagram) that it would be relatively easy to add the low brake fluid to the circuit. Buy/obtain the correct cap, run a wire to earth and splice in the other to the wire that runs to the cluster.

Then when the red lamp lights up you have 4 things to worry about!

[BillWilliams]

I do not have that.

[2002haus]

Sent you a note via email.

[midijab]

Sent you a note via email.

Got it! Thanks Rob! I get with you soon.

It looks (from the electrical diagram) that it would be relatively easy to add the low brake fluid to the circuit. Buy/obtain the correct cap, run a wire to earth and splice in the other to the wire that runs to the cluster.

Then when the red lamp lights up you have 4 things to worry about!

I'm definitely going to add the 4th lamp as an upgrade in the future.

Les, got your email, Big THANKS for the interesting info!