Condensation in fuel gauge

[engleflick]

Hi Everybody,

Does anyone else suffer with condensation appearing in the fuel gauge on the glass after starting? (even did it today and its quite warm today - I had assumed that it was only because of the cold over the winter).

Any ideas on what could be causing it and how to stop it?

All comments welcome as usual[]

 

[Franck]

Hi Dan,

I use to get the same on my car from time to time (especially after washing it). I have now put an electric dehumidifier in my garage and get no more condensation on the dials.

FXM

 

[jerry911sc]

Hi Dan. Does the car get rained on much? I haven't had this prob on a 911 but have on other cars. Is the windscreen seal 100%? If you are not sure give it a really good slowwipe with clean tissue and see what comes off (look for mould/ damp) If it's not that I don't know!

Good luck

Jerry

 

[engleflick]

Hi guys,

What quick replies!

Franck: Dehumidifier seems like a good idea, what sort of cost was it?

Jerry: No the car doesn't get rained on hardly at all (Fair weather 911 driver Im afriad), but I do clean it quite a lot (gets very dirty in the dry you know[]) so it could be the screen seal as it isn't perfect - on the list to change, but way, way down...

Thanks.

 

[bones]

Dan it happens occasionally to one or two of my gauges and I've heard of other people having similar problems. However it has never been really bad (just oevr the top 14 perhaps) and when I recently took the speedo apart after 27 years it looked new and unaffected in there. As I say it's a rare occurence and only seems to happen in the depths of winter while the car is in it's cold brick garage. A de-humidifier isn't an option for me so I don't know if they work for the old fashioned outdoor garage I have which is draughty. Once on the move any condensation dissapears within minutes. If you want to try eliminating this problem remove the clocks and check that the sleeving surrounding the bulbs is doing it's job, perhaps a suitable size piece of heat shrink tubing over the wires and bulb holder would help.

 

[Franck]

Dan,

DYI stores have got a lot of choices but to be honest I only went for a "cheap" electrique one for around £25 which does the job perfectly well (automatique stop when full and so on). I guess you should consider how your garage is in terms of humidity and size. In the worse cas scenario, a large dehumidifier would cost you around £70.

FXM

 

[Guest]

What's the educated advice on dehumidifiers? I have a brick garage which is relatively new and not damp, will a dehumidifier work well in that environment? Ideally I would get and air chamber, but that could mean spending less on the car!!! Anyone know what they cost to run, I seem to remember an air chamber advert that said about £5 per year in electricity?

Regards
Ian

 

[bones]

Hi Ian, use the search button you'll find info on de-humidifiers

 

[SJW BASIRE]

I think the design of the dash with the backs of the gauges in the luggage compartment makes them prone to condensation.The best cure is to use the car more-not that I do.
Re: dehumidifiers I got a cheap compressor type one off ebay to go in my unheated concrete garage and it died after a month.As I had just had the car restored I had to try a different model.I found a make called "Rubydry" in our Co-op houswares shop.Instead of a compressor it has a ceramic rotor heated by an element to extract moisture.This is much more efficient at low temperatures(Compressor types are best in hot,humid environments).I sealed up the garage with foam sealer to ease the load on the dehumidifier.It has a 480 Watt power consumption and cost me 50 quid in the Jan-March quarter.Maybe I should insulate the garage aswell!!
The heat from the rotor has the added bonus of heating the garage aswell and my brakes and wheels were free of condensation and actually worked when I got the car out!

 

[engleflick]

I think you may be right about it being lack of use Steve, I have used the car again today (well with the weather it would be rude not to) and have had no problems with condensation.

So taking into account everyones suggestions I will check the back of gauges to make sure the seal is correct, will be purchasing a de-humidifier and I telling my wife that I must drive more often (alright maybe not the last one, if don't want to loose all privilages!!)

 

[sep4]

As Steve says, the gauges are really at the back of the luggage compartment. When the car is washed, water is kept in the channel and seal at the rear of the luggage lid just forward of the windscreen. It takes a full length stretch to reach this and leather it dry behind the lip of the seal. Some water probably runs down into the luggage area out of sight. Maybe water passing through the fresh air vent when washing the car encourages this condensation, as does a naturally cold luggage area and warm interior when driving.

Mike

 

[Franck]

Just to confirm what Steve said, my garage is also a little warmer since I have been using a dehumidifier and this can certainly not do any harm ...

FXM

 

[jerry911sc]

"The best cure is to use the car more-not that I do."

The weird thing is my garage is total rubbish with masses of damp and (fingers crossed) & I get no condensation at all anywhere (visible). But I do take the old girl for a decent drive weekly in the winter unless the weather/ roads are dire. I'd get a de-humidifier but it's like this - if your garage is really damp forget it! I reckon there is far too much moisture in a draughty old damp garage for any non-industrial de-humidifier. Now to get the wife and kids to leave their beloved hovel for a new hovel with better garage..... got to get their priorities straightened.


[]

 

[Richard Moore]

No condensation here but plenty of rust ! As for the dehumidifiers part of the spec will depend on how cold the garage gets. Something tells me I will be getting one this autumn and I'll probably spec it for low temperature use as well.

 

[Jonathan Collins]

Hi Dan
This is nothing new!
My sister had this problem with two brand new 911s that she had in 1985 and 1986, I used to travel down to London to visit her and get to drive these fantastic cars.
The first car was repaired under warranty by A.F.N. (who were then in Isleworth) at the first service.Their explanation was that there was moisture trapped in the instrument and it was condensing on the coolest part which was the glass.
When it happened on the second car I mentioned to the service receptionist that I was surprised to see the same fault on two cars that cost £29,187.50 (I still have the price list) and that it must be costing Porsche lots of money in replacement gauges, to which he replied "no, all we have to do is pull out the instrument drill a very small hole in the metal case (I think between the face and the glass) and then keep it in the warm for a few hours until the condensation is driven out and refit it".
They rectified the problem in both cases, they also said the problem was more common on cars with air conditioning (both cars had this option at £1,324.32) as this made the instrument glasses cooler and therefore moisture would condense more easily.
Hope this helps, Jon.

 

[bones]

Drilling a hole in the gauge casing sounds more like vandalism than a repair to me but you did say it was AFN in the eighties so enough said. Normal driving quickly dries out the gauges and if they were really that bad AFN should have inspected the fit of the bulbs mentioned above or suggested you park it somewhere drier, 9crazy as that sounds) why they never corrected this problem is down to VDO rather than Porsche I guess it happens in other makes of car too. I can see the mechanics point about the icey cold glass exharbating the problem though, surely VDO could have fitted a plastic face which would have helped but then maybe that is not scratch resistant enough. I've never heard of a cure for this although I recently fitted a new set of LED bulbs and was particularly meticulous about achieving a snug fit for the bulb holders, I haven't seen condensation for awhile, could be coincidence though.

 

[Jonathan Collins]

Yes Bones it struck me as a bit of a codge at the time, However it did seem to work although I agree a sealed moisture proof instrument would I think be the preferred option. By the way AFN also managed to dent the passenger door while servicing one of those cars,when I pointed out the fresh dent and they made no attempt at denying responsibility I suppose they were hoping that once it was off their premises it would not be their problem.In those days the approved Porsche body shop for London was a Vauxhall garage called Monorep.That also surprised me at the time, I had limited dealings with them but they seemed as careless as AFN because the tyre pressure gauge and compressor were nicked while they had the car! happy days.

 

[bones]

Same people snapped the aerial off my SC whilst washing it before handing it back. I went out to look and there was a young guy washing the car I kid you not with a broom! Several heart attacks and strokes later he put the broom down and left my company. I informed the service manager that Ididn't appreciate the car being treated to a bath with a broom and he informed me it was standard practice and I shouldn't be concerned, after I explained where I thought the broom should be stored I left the car with em for the aerial to be fixed. When I went to pick the car up a week later all the wiring under the dash was hanging loose and there was oil on the tan carpets.
I remember having a huge row on the pavement outside AFN in Isleworth which would have made an interesting story if I'd done what I wanted to do and strangled the Service Oik. I wonder where he is now , perhaps a club member, who knows? I'm so glad I've learnt to do most of the jobs on the car , my worst days are when it's not in my garage locked up safe from fools like that.

 

[Jonathan Collins]

Oh dear.
It seems that they were as rough as I thought, but as they were the only game in town when it came to warranty work, what could you do?
Just to let you know I served an old fashioned four year apprenticeship as an HGV mechanic but the first years course was common to all motor vehicles, I was lucky enough to pass my exams with a high enough grade to be put forward onto the motor vehicle technicians course (TEC) I passed this after another three years, not without some difficulty especially with the maths. It really pisses me off when garages say "one of our technicians is looking at it" because I know they have never seen the technicians course.
Anyway I walked away from the motor trade as a way of making a living in 1982 totally disillusioned with the time per job bonus schemes that were common place. However as one of my lecturers said "once you have oil under your finger nails you are stuck with it" so I now have my dream car (sorry it's a 3.2 targa) and I just have to tat with it myself, especially at the prices even independents charge.
regards, Jon

 

[bones]

Great cars 3.2s Jonathan! 'If you want something doing properly do it yourself' is as true today as it's always been. I just wish I had more comprehensive facilities to practice what I preach.