Recent Posts

21

Electrical / Re: Gas Gauge Needle Wobble

« Last post by MIPS on July 08, 2024, 03:28:42 PM »

The gas gauge is one of my few pet peeves on the Eagle. Because I've been keeping a logbook on the fuel consumption for almost six years now I have now spent many hours calibrating, fine-tuning and keeping the reading perfect as to preserve my experiments across multiple senders and two tanks. I mean as long as the needle isn't whacking its own end stops (which I confirmed it's not) the extreme wobble isn't damaging it but you're making a long-distance trip and there it is out of the corner of your eye wobbling about and it's just.... ugh. >_>

22

Suspension, Steering, Brakes, Wheels & Tires / Re: What coil springs and leaf springs can I buy to keep as close to stock as possbl

« Last post by Evenprime on July 08, 2024, 02:50:30 PM »

Thank you for the info.

I reached out to Eaton Springs.

They do not have springs for the front. They said they have over 2,000 springs, but none for the Eagle.

Rear Leaf Springs - I was quoted $800.00US for the pair and shipping would be $225.00US = $1,025US = $1,435CAD (Canadian) and that doesnt include Duties which I suspect would be a another 1-2 hundred. .... Not sure that includes the shackles either.

Im going to reach out to the other two and see how that goes.

23

Inside Your Eagle / Backrest angle std seats 1983 wagon.

« Last post by PH3500 on July 08, 2024, 03:21:19 AM »

I took a test drive in a low mileage 83 wagon. (imported into The Netherlands in 2018). The seats in this car are manual seats with the checkered pattern. In order for me to have a good seating position the backrest should be more straight up. Is there a way to do this? As I haven't bought the car I cannot start dismantling the seat to look if this is feasible. If I would manage to get leather electrical seats (like in a Limited) would the backrest of these seats be more straight up?

24

Meet and Show Eagles / Went to a couple shows Sat.

« Last post by Still Pat on July 07, 2024, 06:56:22 PM »

Got to the first one a little late & no room in the regular parking area, had to park in the overflow. Second one, I got the time wrong & was WAY too early. Didn't stay & wait, gave up & left to get some chow. Drove through after eating & left, didn't feel like sticking around.

First one: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.7989917977731991&type=3

Second one:https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.7990758217647967&type=3

Not an Eagle, but DID see a Hornet at the first one. HUDSON HORNET that is!

25

Electrical / Re: Gas Gauge Needle Wobble

« Last post by djm3452004 on July 07, 2024, 09:42:52 AM »

Non-tach clusters are still available pretty cheap used, from about anywhere -- here, eBay, Marketplace, etc.  I'd grab a couple of those for salvage and swap their fuel gauges into your cluster to see if there's any difference.  Final-gen AMC cluster parts are so plentiful that it would be pointless to spend a bunch of hours trying to diagnose a bad fuel or temp gauge unit.

For me pulling the cluster is such a pain, particularly with the speedo cable disconnect/connect step being one of the worst parts, that I'd probably just leave the needle wiggling, provided it's somewhat close to accurate.


David

26

Electrical / Re: Gas Gauge Needle Wobble

« Last post by maddog on July 05, 2024, 07:37:38 PM »

I I've never had mine fluctuate like that. I myself have a different issue with my gauge as it will not go below the quarter of a tank mark, other than that it's perfectly accurate.

27

Suspension, Steering, Brakes, Wheels & Tires / Re: What coil springs and leaf springs can I buy to keep as close to stock as possbl

« Last post by vangremlin on July 05, 2024, 11:59:41 AM »

Here are a couple suppliers.  I've purchased from Springs n Things and Stengel Bros, both provided good service.  Eaton is supposed to be the best and will manufacture them with any specs you want (within reason). Good luck!

https://www.springsnthings.com/

https://www.eatondetroitspring.com/

http://www.stengelbros.com/

28

Suspension, Steering, Brakes, Wheels & Tires / What coil springs and leaf springs can I buy to keep as close to stock as possbl

« Last post by Evenprime on July 05, 2024, 11:31:36 AM »

I've seen many posts with many different options but I know things change over the years and many options are no longer available.

I'd like to replace both the front springs and the rear leaf springs on my eagle and I'm looking at what is available to maintain as stock height as possible.
If anything, a small 1" lift is fine but definitely not lower than stock.

I suckered MIPS into lending me his spring compressor tool specifically for these cars and I've ordered all parts for the full rebuild with the exception of the tie-rods (haven't found them yet - fingers crossed) and still awaiting the lower ball joints from another friend on this site.

As far as I recall, the Javelin springs are the closest. Does anyone have any part numbers specifically, or website links.

1984 AMC Eagle Wagon


Thanks a bunch.

-EP

29

Electrical / Re: Gas Gauge Needle Wobble

« Last post by AMC of Houston on July 04, 2024, 07:07:01 PM »

That affliction may be normal!   The first paragraph in the Fuel Gauge Diagnosis section of the MR251 shop manual (page C-98 in my copy) seems to be a disclaimer that implies that the fluctuation is normal.   Kind of worded a bit weaselly, but that's the way I'm interpreting it!

30

Electrical / Gas Gauge Needle Wobble

« Last post by MIPS on July 04, 2024, 12:58:16 PM »

Now I know that fuel senders and gas gauges from this era didn't have a whole heck of a lot to compensate for the contents of the tank sloshing around but I'm not sure what I did this time to make it even worse.

The last two times I had to dig into the cluster for unrelated reasons, the gas gauge decided to misbehave once it was all back together. The first time it seemed "too tight" and for the first tank of gas it was very jerky in movement but it did eventually settle down and become pretty linear with it's wobbling as you turned corners. This time around even though I was careful not to touch the needle while the cluster was disassembled and during cleaning it now acts "too loose". Even getting into the car is enough to send it on a wobbly trip up and down the dial and makes it a lot more annoying as you try and guess how much is left in the tank.
Suspecting I damaged a wire (or one of the riveted terminals, since those don't seem to like being handled excessively), I pulled the cluster again (I sure am getting good at this!), tested the grounds, tested the battery and ignition power and tested that all the wiring back to the sender was good using a spare cluster. The wiring was fine and the gauge itself is actually good. If you test it on the bench an open or shorted signal path pegs it beyond the E of F but with the sender attached it tracks cleanly between the sender end stops, but with no lag or hesitation, so indeed the gauge has become very, very sensitive.

I know some gauges compensated for extremely sensitive readings by using some sort of a grease that maintained viscosity across a wide temperature range. I can only guess it's been wiped out. Problem is that unlike the Eagle's speedometer and tachometer, the fuel and temperature gauges have the dial riveted on the front and the assembly is riveted on the back to the cluster circuit board, leaving only a small opening to reach the front needle shaft. Having just got off repairing the mistake of oiling the speedometer needle shaft I'm being extra cautious how I approach this problem since if I make a mistake there is no easy way to fix it.

Again, this isn't a sender calibration or an electrical issue. The gauge has simply lost its ability to compensate for variations as the fuel moves around in the tank. Google is absolutely useless for answering a weird problem like this.