Urgent! Dashboard parts for Fuel Gauge

Hia,

Those who follow my blog will know that my bus is currently stuck in mid France having suffered an electrical fault (loose wires after having mechanical work done in London(.

The garage have done pretty well finding a replacement ignition switch (blown during the fault) and repairing / replacing the wiring. However the fuel gauge is also affected. I'd like them to complete the work since I'm only on the first leg of a 6 month European tour and it'll save me in the long run!

The say that the need me to source:

214957023ARL MB or M8, manufacturer VDO, date 07/72. I don't know whether that description is still accurate, but I'll need the compatible alternative.

I will be back in the UK 5th-10th April, and then flying back to the South of France hopefully to collect the bus and continue (restart) the adventure!

Please email be ASAP if you know where I can get one.

Ta,
Badger

 

Well this is proving difficuilt

 

not being funny but what is a 214957023ARL MB or M8

 

No idea. I hate that spme Citroen garage is messing with my bus

But we're pretty sure they mean the dashboard components of the fuel gauge.

 

I sorry but I have no idea.. Perhaps put something in the Mechancial/Tech section and a guru may pick up on it..

our alternator died on us in Sete in France in the middle of a big trip.. So I have some idea of what you're going through..

good luck and stick at it - it was never going to be easy ;-)

 

It's the whols story thar's upsetting me so much!

5th February it passes MOT, no advisories
7th February it goes into a specialist VW garage to have twin carbs fitted on the engine plus some mechanical servicing.
20th February I call the garage to say the fuel gauge has gone a bit weird, moving up and down in time to the indicators and failing to accurately reflect fuel levels.
26th February I take it back to the garage for diagnosis. Before speaking to me, they change the sender unit. I drive away with 2 bust fuses.
27th February I drop into an auto electrician to.change the fuses.
28th February I drive to France and see the fuel.gauge is still weird.
Halfway through France the whole thing blows up and the RAC arranges a local Citroen garage to pick it up.
The Citroen garage say it needs a new ignition switch and spend a week getting hold of one.
A week after that they say it still isn't ready because they have "more problems". I ask for detail but they don't explain.
15th March I fly to Japan on my holiday.
RAC email to say that they can isolate the fuel gauge so it won't work but I can drive the bus. I ask for details, they ask for this spare part.

Now I've just had an email saying they've isolated the qiring and I have to fill up every 200km! I've replied saying that I don't autgorise this.

In the meantime, in London I got charged £135 for a sender unit hat was probably fine, £50 for the two fuses Nd now the Citroen garage are talking about 500Euros for, as far as I can tell, changing the ignition switch!

 

I'm fuming with frustration

 

ah shiz!
I'm sorry to hear.. this kinda yarn seems common place. Whats with mechanics not just getting it right!

It'd be good to think you can take something in to get fixed and lo and behold, it actually gets fixed!

Monies aside, I'd take the option to get back on the road and just refill regularly and maybe pick up a gas can in case you run out somewhere.. then at least you're back on your trip and youll be able to remember why you set off in the first place.. Just think, when you get to the next picture perfect campsite, all this will fade into the past..

as for the £££. we had a hard job with the Frenchies- I guess all you can do is get them to itemise then negotiate..

Hang in there badger! determination will get you through it

 

I would agree, but I'm in Japan for another two weeks so they may as well finish the job (they'll be charging storage fees otherwise!). With a 5 month trip ahead, travelling alone in foreign countries, and usually making long-distance hops where filling up every 3 hours would be preferable to filling up every 90 minutes...

I wanted them to just give it back before I left. Now I want them to finish what they started.

Then I can lay into the UK garage for letting all this happen in the first place!

x

 

Can you get them to email or text you a picture of the part they are looking for. ???

 

Did you get my e-mail to you a few days ago re the part number the garage in France gave you and my concerns about it?
If not I can repeat it on this forum.

 

Vwed yes I did, thank you so much - I couldn't figure out how to get back to you!

I asked the RAC to get me a description of the exact part that's failing... unfortunately their previously OK communication seems to have descended into a pile of poo over the last week - when I chased them up last night I got the reply "the parts are not available in France". Well they're not available anywhere, luv, not by the number quoted!

Vwed I couldn't find tge part number you gave me either though, so I've just been searching for RHD Late Bay fuel gauges pre March '73...

 

Both pre and post '73 fuel gauges (they are not handed) available from Classic Parts via this French company:
http://www.mecatechnic.com/vw_classic_parts.asp
Type in 211 957 063 (pre '73) or 211 957 063 A for post '73.
Hope the link works.

 

Parts also available in France from:

http://www.vintageautohaus.com/UsedParts.htm

 

Here is another one currently available in France and you'd get it quicker than from the firm I posted above:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1059510

 

Mazing guys, thanks so much! It's hard work on a smart phone from acriss the globe haha

Vwed if mine was made pre March 73 (it was registered in March 73) then will the Samba part be wrong?

 

Yay, found it on mecatechnics! Perfect, good price too. 11 days is fine as long as the frenchies can manage to fit it within a fortnight after that

 

The biggest single source of confusion when trying to get the correct VW part is always in relation to the vehicles age/date of manufacture.
The only sure way is going by the chassis number as the VW parts books/microfiches note the changes in a part number by chassis number.
The earlier of the two fuel gauges is correct up to chassis number 213 2166 507. In other words 166,507 buses off the production line since August 1st 1972. Another data source I have gives the chassis number at 31.12.72 as 213 2102 496 in other words 102,496 buses off the production line.
Pro rata 166,507 would have occurred circa March/April '73.
In a sense, when the change occurred is irrelevant so long as you go by the chassis number.
Do you know your chassis number at arms length in Japan?
As it happens another way to tell is the early gauge is a light grey in colour to match the other dials, whereas the later gauge is black (also to match the later dials).
Hope this helps.
PS. 37 years ago myself and two mates went on a 6 month odyssey around Europe, Turkey and North Africa in a 68 Bay, the engine blew up before we even got to Dover to cross to France, but after that initial set back we had the time of our lives. So keep the faith!
PPS I suggest you get your chassis number tattooed onto your forearm for future reference!

 

Oo, I do love people! First of all, you wonderful lot

Secondly a young man I've just met in a bar in Japan. Who's French and a long-time T25 owner. He's now on the phone direct to the garage (via Skype) getting all the techy details for me )