Is there a fix for the Amp gauge? (1 Viewer)

[love2fly]

Seems as 99.9% of the amp gauges in the old FJ40's are just in-op. I have in most of mine I owned just put in a volt meter and called it good. But I was looking around on the web to see what the usual cause was for failing and mostly is there a possible fix for them. Anyone know more on this subject, or know a thread on this. I'm talking about repair not replacement for my 50/50 amp gauge. 30 amp shown is just for reference.
Thanks in advance.

 

[AlaskanWheeler]

I too would like to increase the longevity of my ammeter, perhaps installing a bypass charging wire and a limiting resistor in series with the ammeter. This would allow the ammter to remain funtional and limit the current running through it. Which, imo, is what usually causes these to fail.

my2cents...

 

[love2fly]

That's a good point, something that Toyota should of done. But if its not working due to frailer is there a place to send it of a possible guild in how to repair one? Seems as in this day and age we could find a way to fix one, maybe.
Thanks

 

[loosechange]

Not sure the purpose of you really needing the ammeter for anymore unless really trying to get back to near original condition... a voltmeter will tell you so much more about the system than an ammeter. However it’s not for me to decide which direction you take but www.redlinegaugeworks.com can take the old ammeter and turn it into a voltmeter without altering its original appearance. The ammeter was needed at the time for generators that some vehicles used and then the alternator was designed for much better application but people were still used to seeing an ammeter in the dash.


I am not using mine and doubt I will I have it bypassed since I’m running amps well over what my ammeter would carry without having a rolling toaster...

I would send it to you but then I’d have this big empty spot in my dash.

 

[1969FJ]

Give this place a try.


Williamson's Instrument's

 

[1969FJ]

Not sure the purpose of you really needing the ammeter for anymore unless really trying to get back to near original condition... a voltmeter will tell you so much more about the system than an ammeter. However it’s not for me to decide which direction you take but www.redlinegaugeworks.com can take the old ammeter and turn it into a voltmeter without altering its original appearance. The ammeter was needed at the time for generators that some vehicles used and then the alternator was designed for much better application but people were still used to seeing an ammeter in the dash.


I am not using mine and doubt I will I have it bypassed since I’m running amps well over what my ammeter would carry without having a rolling toaster...

I would send it to you but then I’d have this big empty spot in my dash.

Actually, the ammeter does tell you a lot. I have the old 30 amp , and it shows how much current the vehicle is drawing, or losing. A voltmeter would be a more precise display as well for showing voltage , but not current. I know without both , there is no electricity , but , each one has its proper place.

 

[rkymtnflyfisher]

Not sure the purpose of you really needing the ammeter for anymore unless really trying to get back to near original condition... a voltmeter will tell you so much more about the system than an ammeter. However it’s not for me to decide which direction you take but www.redlinegaugeworks.com can take the old ammeter and turn it into a voltmeter without altering its original appearance. The ammeter was needed at the time for generators that some vehicles used and then the alternator was designed for much better application but people were still used to seeing an ammeter in the dash.

School me on the pro's and con's of each please.


I find an ammeter to be of more use than the voltmeter.

 

[middlecalf]

If you break a belt the ammeter will still show amps being used (if any other than ignition system) but the voltage meter will drop to whatever the battery voltage is (and is usually less than the charging voltage from the alternator), and that will drop moderately quickly as it's no longer being charged. So belt status check. Also, the voltage meter is a good check for my wife to make sure she has the ignition key in the off position instead of acc position (and a dead battery the next morning). If I could only have one, I'd take the volt meter. But I have both. In fact, the ammeter is the only original meter in my '65 FJ40 that's still working lol. I know the fuel gauge is dead, not sure of the oil pressure or temp as they aren't hooked up as a result of PO's SBC conversion. Yeah I have that ubiquitous third party gauge cluster hanging where the heater control knobs should be (and those are where the ash tray should be). Should is not a prerequisite for Could or Would for this cruiser lol.

 

[loosechange]

Ammeter vs. Voltmeter: Which is Better?

 

[1969FJ]

Simply put, a voltmeter shows only volts. That is fine to see charging function but is says nothing about current flow. A similar deal is like water flow, there is pressure and then there is volume. If all you see is pressure, you do not know volume. That said, if a short occurs and all you had was a voltmeter, it would go down because of the short. In standard usage, an ammeter will show current draw of all the accessories etc... Also, the voltmeter will show how well the alternator is keeping up. So, best possible is to have both.

 

[love2fly]

My point was and is can one of theses Toyota amp meters be repaired if found bad. As for the two place that were offered to check into I will do just that-thanks for that information.
As why to have it repaired, I have a near complete stock FJ45 and I want to keep it as stock as possible with all factory gauges working, just my preference. I will note I have a volt meter installed so I believe in both, they both have their advantages. I will make contact with the two companies and post what information evolves from that contact.
Thanks

 

[Rusty 72]

I have an amp gauge without face. I changed mine to a voltmeter. If interested pm me.

 

[sandcruiser90]

I was wondering the same thing. My amp meter on my HJ45 is the only one not working. The FSM says you can check resistance of terminals on back or look for broken wire. I’m trying to see where the wire is connected in the engine compartment.

 

[love2fly]

Rusty72, yeah never hurts to try a used one as long as it was working before removal. PM me with info. Cheers.

 

[love2fly]

Should be the black two fuse case on the drivers side (RHD) may have yellow tape and maybe a bit hidden in the loom near firewall area. (2) 5 amp fuses. Cheers

 

[loosechange]

I should have not been so abrupt in my post, if so it was unintentional . My Fj40 is t really anything close to stock except the drivetrain I guess from the 350 back and with what I do with mine I never relied on the ammeter since I work with over 150 amps at times.. I’ve been wrenching long enough in the army and personally to figure if I’m dropping volts something’s not working and then I troubleshoot. However I believe the two monitoring system as well with the ammeter and volts. It’s a good choice but I don’t know who fixes them unfortunately

 

[1969FJ]

My point was and is can one of theses Toyota amp meters be repaired if found bad. As for the two place that were offered to check into I will do just that-thanks for that information.
As why to have it repaired, I have a near complete stock FJ45 and I want to keep it as stock as possible with all factory gauges working, just my preference. I will note I have a volt meter installed so I believe in both, they both have their advantages. I will make contact with the two companies and post what information evolves from that contact.
Thanks

Correct, these threads sometimes go off course. There are many options out there. Especially for basic , 30 amp . Another option is below.


http://dandmrestoration.com/

 

[1969FJ]

View attachment 1693190 I was wondering the same thing. My amp meter on my HJ45 is the only one not working. The FSM says you can check resistance of terminals on back or look for broken wire. I’m trying to see where the wire is connected in the engine compartment.

I believe that year ammeter is actually indirect. Meaning a voltage drop on a resister controls the deflection on the meter. More complicated than early models.

 

[Pin_Head]

There are a lot of amp meters out there functioning perfectly normally, but lots of people think they are broken because they stay put at 0, which is what they do when everything is normal.
If you want to check them, just turn on all the lights and accessories and honk the horn and watch them deflect to the left when the engine is not running.

 

[Pin_Head]

Ammeter vs. Voltmeter: Which is Better?

This is part fairy tale and part BS.

An amp meter can tell you not only if your alternator is working, but if your battery is charging, if it is fully charged and if it is not charging, it will tell you how fast it is discharging. Nothing wrong with having a volt meter either and you can have both. Even an idiot light can tell you if your alternator isn’t working. It is not like one meter is better than the other; it is that they tell you different things.