I finally got around to doing some maintenance on Bonnie this week. I finished a tune up that I had started a few weeks back. Finally got the oil changed. I got to looking at some other issues I've had lately with her which included the gas gage not working, the fuel door cable broke, the radio crapped out and the dome light was out.
I started with the dome light- I had apparently wired it up backwards last time I had it out. The bulb was dead and the door switch had given out. I swapped the switches from drivers to passenger and cleaned up the broken one. It works again.
I somehow got the battery cables a while ago and the gas gage never worked since. Awhile a go, I replaced the sending unit because it wasn't showing varying resistance. Nope. Tried different vibrators on the back a few weeks ago. Nope. I needed a fuel gage off a speedo. I couldn't find a late one in my stash, but then I was going through a box of wire and found one! I swapped it and it works. No more carrying an extra gallon of gas in the trunk.
I went to replace my fuel door release handle because the loop was broken. It twisted the whole cable off at the end, so I removed the whole thing and bought one off the samba. It was the wrong one. Then I found one at the Decatur show for $5. Bought it and it fit perfectly. New handle is installed.
Radio- Bonnie has never been kind to radios. My first one crapped out because water leaked in and ruined the radio. I replaced the windshield seal and double checked everything. This was when she lived at UTK and spent her time outside. The radio got rebuilt by the mfr, but it wasn't quite right and got wet shortly after. I got another radio and keep a plastic bag over it to keep water off of it. It lasted a while, but when Megan and I stated dating, we took Bonnie to the Tail of the Dragon and got a quick rain shower on the way back- smoke from the dash! I pulled the wires and it lost the front left speaker but otherwise worked fine after that. Then I went to the trophy assembly part this past spring and it gave out. I let it dry out like normal, but the radio just buzzed when it was turned on. I pulled the terminal off the fuse block. I found one just like mine on eBay for $5 so I ordered it. It didn't work, but came with a cheap one that does. Tonight I finally got to take the two similar ones apart. Water damage everywhere. I disassembled down to the board and resoldered the board connections and reassembled. IT WORKS!!! I even tried the burned out channel to the front left- that worked too! I danced a jig.
