Well sorry but I just had to ask. I was selling one of those (a 60's capilary water temp gauge) on ebay - the gauge is in mint condition and I've described it as "almoust perfect".

Anyway the buyer emails me after receiving it and complains that the sender and the capilary tube are not included and says that thats not "almoust perfect" and wants to return it. Now I can understand the capilary tube, but "sender"? its a capilary gauge ffs.

Would you guys expect those if a description was given of the gauge only and so is the photo with no reference to tube \ fittings?

I wouldn't have expected to get it if thats not what you had pictured/described. I probably would have asked a question, but if you supplied what was pictured/described, then the buyer only has himself to blame.

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Jonathan
http://photobucket.com/albums/y64/FatMaserati/

Ive bought guages off ebay before, I understood taht listings that didnt say they included the fittings did not come with them.

Therefore I bought a guage set WITH fittings for both Temp. and Oil.

Id offer a refund, then tell them to read descriptions properly, then leave negative or nuetral feedback. (Try and get them to leave feedback first)

I could understand where he's coming from. I would expect if the item was described as almost perfect that you were referring to it's operation as well as the appearance of the gauge.

A well placed question by the buyer might have sufficed as well to save the hassle.

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

A mechanical capillary gauge is complete with the capillary. The capillary does not unscrew off it but is soldered onto the internal workings IIRC. It is quite a complicated business to build and calibrate this type of guage.

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Chris

Everything I like is either
illegal, immoral or fattening.

Ok so if the gauge has approx. 15cm of the capilary remaining and the rest cut off - what does it mean for its operation? can you just use a rubber joiner to a different capilary (like with the oil pressure gauge)?

I just don't want to go selling this gauge if its unusable or requires great expense to fix.

The gauge can be repaired, though it will cost about 100 dollars to do so.

Places like Otto Instruments at Rocklea in Brisbane fabricate a new capillary tube, put a new bulb and nut on the end and re-gas the capillary . It relies on the expansion of this gas whthin the tube to get the mechanical (bourdon tube movement) reading.

One that can be done at home? unfortunately no.

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

I just had the capilary replaced on my temp gauge for $135. A mechanical gauge without the capilary, bulb and nut is useless. These parts are not removable and must be replaced professionally. I would say it is not in near perfect condition.

I throw more mechanical guages away cos of capillary and sender faliur than anything else.
a smiths guage is old but as long as they are complete they should be ok, you can buy a cheap trisco gueage for $20 and fit it and it will do the same for years to come and only 1/5th of the price of rapairing a smiths unless its an original car and want to keep it original, theni would suggest buying a new one.

if the sender is not on the tube send it back as not explained, but always read whats for sale on these site as you can mask a lot with photos.