<VV> manifold pressure gauge tube

[Dave Thompson]

Jim,
I just now crawled out from under the dash of my 63 spyder with a
flashlight. 

Lay on your back on the front floor with your feet out the passenger side
door. Look up between the heater control and the steering shaft behind the
dash. See the brass fittings at the rear of the manifold pressure gauge?
Take your right hand and reach up and feel for the front of the gauge. This
will help you figure out where you need to look. 

Hold the larger fitting with a (1/2 inch???) wrench and turn the smaller
fitting with the hose attached. It looks like that fitting might be 3/8
inch. Don't put too much side torque on the larger fitting. The threaded
port out of the back of the instrument doesn't look super strong and you
don't want to twist or bend it. 

Not a lot of room to maneuver up there but it looks like if you remove the
heater control (three screws), you may get more workspace. Be careful of the
little press nuts that the heater control screws to. They are easy to loose.
(don't ask me how I know)

Be sure to understand how the new end fittings are assembled to the new
hose. If you do it improperly, you will get a leak and an unreliable
instrument.

When routing the hose, be sure to not kink it. Make nice round corners and
protect it from abrasion. I got some real small plastic spiral wire wrap
from the electronics store. I cut several lengths and wrapped it around the
hose here and there to protect it. Be sure to secure the hose through the
tunnel.

Go to the 99 cent store and get a cheap head lamp. You know, one of those
flashlights that strap to your forehead. They are great when working under
the dash.

While you are up under there, you might consider replacing the lamp bulb.

If you haven't had a manifold pressure gauge before, you'll enjoy seeing the
needle jump up when you romp on it and the turbo spins up & kicks in.

Good luck,

Dave Thompson
63 Spyder vert
Westminster, CA



-----Original Message-----
From: FrankCB [mailto:frankcb at aol.com] 
Sent: Saturday, September 13, 2008 12:02 PM
To: jeandelucca; virtualvairs at corvair.org
Subject: Re: <VV> manifold pressure gauge tube

Jim,
I haven't seen any answers to this on V V, so I'll respond on my experiences
with the gauge in my 1965 Corsa 180.  If this is anything like YOUR earlier
gauge, you shouldn't have to remove the instrument panel to remove the
tubing end from the back connection on the gauge.  Just reach back there
(hope you have a long arm) and feel the hex end of the fitting that secures
the end of the tubing to the gauge.  Then using a small open-ended wrench
(sorry, I don't remember the size - maybe 1/4 inch???) unscrew that fitting
and, when it's loose, pull the fitting and tubing off the back of the gauge.
Good luck!
Frank Burkhard



In a message dated 09/10/08 19:30:36 Eastern Daylight Time, jeandelucca
writes:
hello, i will be replacing the manifold pressure gauge tube on? my 63
spyder. the shop manual does not seem to mention this. i am open to
suggestions/ shortcuts to ease this job. does the instrument cluster have to
come off/or forward? how? the shop manual supplement is vague in this area
also. it basically shows just removing just the large 2 screws on the
underside and pulling forward. i do not want to force or break anything. all
tips would be appreciated. thans, jim