[jeyjey]

First time out in the pissing rain today, and the 4-way gauge fogged up pretty badly. It started out a little fogged, and got worse.

My wife went out in the evening (with it still pissing rain), and said the 4-way guage started out fogged but got a little better as she went, but that the speedometer started to fog at the end.

What's the likely cause? Heater core pinhole blowing steam? Leaking window seal (or scuttle vent) somehow evaporating into the gauges?

Anyone else had this problem?

Thanks,
Jeff.

 

[Rodd Sala]

Very common problem - especially on Shadow (1). They fog up and then clear up after a few minutes. Not experienced it with a Shadow II but obviously the same symptom.

Interestingly, I have never investigated the cause simply because I considered it so common. Would be curious to know from others what it is. Leaking front window (also common) would seem a likely source for moisture ingress.

 

[jeyjey]

Thanks, Rodd.

I need to dig in to the dashboard again anyway (my coolant amp is now putting out a constant high signal rather than a constant low one), so I'll have a look around and see if anything jumps out.

Jeff.

 

[KC Saayman]

Mine does this as well, but it only lasts for a while and then starts clearing (1974 Shadow)

Cheers

KC

 

[jeyjey]

Has anyone tried poking a few holes in the case to see if a bit more ventillation cures it?

Jeff.

 

[eurofreddy]

I too have had this with my fuel gauge on my '76.. I believe it is just from moister stuck in the dash area. I keep a moister absorbing sand in all of my cars now and I haven't had any more problems. Also this prevents mold and mildew.

If anyone finds out the actual cause please do drop me a line.

 

[bentleyman22]

Hi well this is normal on most classic cars
The seals start to let moisture past and condensation builds up and then when you ventilate the car it disappears
If you’re concerned then you need to get some seals and reseal them but you all so need to do the Bulbs as well as the glass
If you use it daily then it will disappear
My Jag dose it all the time

 

[Adamski]

Although I haven't had this I bought a small de humidifier on EBay for about £35 and put it in the cars when I remember..
The E type always fogs up all gauges until it gets a blast of heat
Always fills up so must do something. I do cream the leather occasionally as well in case it dries out.

 

[shadow 11]

The gauges have fogged on my Shadow 11 but it usually happens when the car has been left out in the rain. It clears up after a while when I use the heater or air-con. I haven't found any water ingress and the carpets are bone dry. I was thinking of placing moisture absorbing silicon beads in plastic containers under the seats and hopefully remember to empty them regularly but I haven't tried it yet. I reckon the moisture builds as condensation on the inside of the windows and gets trapped behind the gauge lenses where there is little ventilation causing them to fog. It never happens in warm, dry weather. My Triumph Stag which is not well sealed against water ingress has similar but worse problem, actual water droplets collect inside the gauge glasses but also clear up in summer weather or with the heater fan blowing. I was at a bike show in Stafford last year and bought a small tub of "SPARKLEBRIGHT", it claims to clean and polish all lenses and also stops them steaming up. So far I've used it only on my spectacles and it definitely works on them. If you plan to remove your dash board for other work you could try "SPARKLEBRIGHT" on the inside of the gauge glasses, I can post a tub of the stuff to you if you like, it should work but I don't know how long it would be effective and it's not the cure for the underlying moisture ingress problem. If you want to give it a try let me know and I'll forward it to your address, Regards, Larry.

 

[jonnyc]

Hi All,

Same problem here, not as bad as you describe, but when I rebuilt my odometer, when I put the glass and bezel back on I manually closed up the lip around the bezel which holds the glass on (incidentally I think the glass might be plastic, cant remember) so by doing it this way and not as the factory would, perhaps, with a press, the seals really cause no seal which causes a modicum of air flow and my speedo NEVER fogs up, my 4 way cluster however, still does, it goes away rather quickly and since my car is always garaged I think it may be a simple function of humidity getting trapped, I'm not suggesting that anyone go and rip the gauges open but it either appears that you must have a positive air tight seal OR no seal as in my speedo to correct the problem. So either no air at all or more air flow seems to solve it.

Cheers!
Jon

 

[jeyjey]

Hi Larry,

I kept a couple of Silica Gel canisters in my T2: they definitely helped with mould/mildew, but not foggy gauges.

Jon's solution never occurred to me, so I didn't try that....

Cheers,
Jeff.

 

[jonnyc]

Yes Guys,

Just to reiterate, don't go destroying your gauges, if you are not sure of what you are doing then leave well enough alone, I don't want a lynch mob of angry RR owners showing up at my door with shovels and gauges they messed up!

Regards,
Jon

 

[jeyjey]

I mailed my wrecked one to you Jon. If you could get it back to me this week, that would be great.



Cheers,
Jeff.

 

[guyslp]

Now that we've established that this behavior is awfully common, and clearly has been occurring for decades now without issue, perhaps it should be allowed to fall into the "it's part of the charm" category.

SRH33576 does this, too. I stopped being concerned about it after a couple of seasons of driving as there were no leaks into the interior that I could find anywhere (at that time - I've sprung one since then, now arrested).

 

[jake66]

As a temporary measure, to see if they still mist up, try pulling the gauge bulb holders out and leaving them out for a while?
If they stop misting perhaps the answer is to put a couple of holes in the back?
Just a suggestion.

By the way, on my SRH 35325, never had any misting.

Jake.

 

[jonnyc]

Brian,
I digress, but what was leaking on your car? windshield? or....?

I just bought some flow-able silicone, I'm going to give my windshield a shot of it and see what happens...leave Gracie out in the rain for a couple of days and forget it, out come the front pads and carpets for a drying. She doesn't come out in the rain often so not a huge problem but the time I left her at the repair garage and they left her outside for a rainy spell I wasn't sure if I should pull the rugs or install a Bilge pump!!

AHH the joys of ownership!

Jon