Rehabilitating a Motometer

[ModelTWoods]

If a motometer has lost its red fluid (or it evaporated, etc.), can the fluid be replenished, how, and what do you put in it?

[Mark Gregush]

No way to replace it once it is gone. If it is gone the glass is cracked. There are no replacement parts except the glass, rims and plates for the JR size meters.

[Humblej]

Terry, Mark is correct for your specific question regarding lost fluid. However, many motometers that appear to have lost all or most of its fluid are still good. The fluid can separate into small dribs and drabs and some hide in the ends giving the appearance that the fluid is mostly gone and only a few drops remain. If you do not have a obvious break in the tube, and if some red can be seen it is probably OK and can be made to work like new. I have had success by heating the bulb end in boiling water, then whacking the bulb end with a rubber mallet, then put the bulb end in ice water, and repeating. It can and should be done with the motometer fully assembled. Do not try to take the thermometer tube out to do this.

Post a picture and you will have more advice than you can bear, most of it good.

If the glass tube is cracked or broken you are out of luck.

[ModelTWoods]

Humblej, when you say wack the bulb end with a mallet or something similar, I assume that the motometer should be held in an upright position with the bulb end down, and 'wacking' with an upward motion. Otherwise, if held with the bulb end up, I would think it would drive any fluid to the top of the tube, where its not supposed to go. The motometer in question is one that I just bought off of Ebay, and the seller told me he couldn't see any fluid, but that the motometer hadn't ever been out of the original packaging. Even if I can't make it work, It'll still look good in my radiator cap. A lot of T's don't even have a motometer. At least they didn't come from the factory with one.

[Humblej]

Yes, hold motometer upright and wack the bulb upward with a rubber mallet (not something similar, a rubber mallet). Old mantenance manuals suggest rapping a motometer in a downward motion against the top of a car tire, but I never got that to work for me.

Exercise patience, hot, cold, and wacking may take awhile. Once you get the red settled in the lower part of the thermometer with no more air bubbles, keep it in an upright orientation.

[Norman Kling]

I had one which got too hot and the red went all the way to the top. When it cooled down it was still at the top. I tried tapping it on the top of the spare tire, then boiled it and put it in the freezer. These didn't work. Then I tied it to a rear wheel and jacked up the car and spun it with the engine running in gear. It flew across the garage, but it is still at the top. This was a reproduction motometer. Finally put it with my old parts in the garage and ordered another repro.
Norm

[ModelTWoods]

The "problem" turned out to be a "non-problem". I received the Boyce motometer that I ordered on EBAY; took it out of the package and after heating a cup of water in the microwave to boiling state, I put the bulb end into the water. Instantly, the red fluid shot up into view, faster than a Saturn rocket. All is good. I made a hell of a buy on EBAY.

[Novice]

I have two reproduction Motometers No red can be seen in either till the engine heats up or I put the end in hot water. I also have one that came with the car and have tapped in on the spare tire and put it in hot water with no success. bought replacements off E-Bay.