I have finally got round to finishing off my dash and turned it on to check all is well. everything seems ok, that i can check without running the engine. I tried the fuel gauge (sender of tank - a bit dubious about electrics in fuel tanks etc) it worked from zero, climed to full then came back down again when i manipulated the sender. i then moved the sender up and down a few times rather quickly to check there were no sparks, looked at the gauge and the needle had gone and smoke was coming from it. I turned power off and the needle appeared from beyonf the full mark and came back down to zero. I believe i have the correct sender, 20 ohm full 240 ohm empty. I took a guess at which terminal connected to the regulator and which to the sender but it worked so i think its right (no markings).
Anyone got any ideas why it did this? Have i Fooked the guage? was i moving the sender too quickly for it to cope?
I did a resistance check on the sender and there are a few dead spots where there is a break between the arm and the coils but i cant see this causing it to smoke.

Hope someone out there an help me

cheers

chris.

The gauge has a bimetallic strip (bends with heat) with a heating wire wrapped around it, you must have put a full battery on it and fried the wire, you may be lucky if it rises when you connect up but doubtful.

It should also probally need to work via a voltage regulator or will rise and fall with battery voltage.

It goes through the regulator so don't think it could be that.

Old Smiths fuel and temperature gauges used a voltage stabiliser , do you have one fitted?

Yes, has stabilizer/regulator.

pretty sure i had a fuel gauge die just like that and it was the regulator that failed causing the strip to burn out in the gauge
i would be checking out from the reg next to make sure.

ok, cheers will check the regulator this evening.