Boyce Motometer Question - Success! - See #22

[Pilotdave]

I have a Boyce Motometer that I cannot open. It appears to the same as the one on the right in post 16 (Marco's) on this thread:

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=162056

It seems clear that I should be able to rotate the upper part of the Moto and open it, but I've not been able to rotate it. I haven't forced it....any advice on how I can get it open?

Thanks much
Dave

[Brentwood Bob]

I have the one on the right. it does not rotate, or flip open. It goes on like a regular radiator cap.
A clue is that from the radiator side you can see where it twists into the neck of the radiator on a 30-31.

[Pilotdave]

Bob - thanks for responding. Does your also have a hinge? If not, perhaps we have different units.

Dave

[Brentwood Bob]

no hinge.
bob

[Pilotdave]

Here are some pictures. Underneath the "Ford" script is "Motometer G&E Corp Long Island City N.Y. U.S.A." The hinge picture shows the pin driven into the hinge.

I'm afraid that the thermometer has failed - appears that the mercury is indicating a very hot condition though the motometer is at room temp. But I'll deal with that after I get it to open.

Thanks for the help!

[John Duden]

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Take the head of the moto meter and shake it, throughout the Mercury downward, it will be good as new
John

[Stew Masche]

If it has been sitting, it may just be stuck to the gasket. Squirt a little WD-40 in there, and it should loosen up. Righty tighty-lefty loosey. Be gentle.

Stew

[John Duden]

DO NOT USE WD40!! It is pot metal, and it causes it to swell!

[Pilotdave]

Thanks, John.

If not WD40, what would you guys suggest I use for a solvent?

Thanks!

[J Franklin]

WD-40 can cause pot metal to swell. Use some light oil, 3in1 comes to mind, or Kroil. Wd-40 is great for wet distributors or cleaning gas varnish and stickers off of things.

[Pilotdave]

Thanks, J. How about ZEP?

[Vern]

A few years back, I bought a nice motometer with all the re liquid showing just like yours. As we drove home after the swap meet, my friend tapped the bottom of the meter on the side of his tennis shoe, for about 2 hours. The red all went down and has worked great since.

[Pilotdave]

Sounds as though I need to take it to the (long) meeting I'm going to tonight!

[Steve Wastler]

The meter should be turned around on the cap, hinge in back, blue oval toward front...

[Pilotdave]

That's easy to fix!

[Stew Masche]

Originally Posted by John Duden

DO NOT USE WD40!! It is pot metal, and it causes it to swell!

I was unaware that WD-40 would cause problems with pot metal castings. Thanks for the education, its much appreciated!

Thanks,

Stew

[Bob-A]

I have been able to restore/lower 2 out of 3 original Moto-Meter thermometer fluid levels. First I remove all the screws, rims, gaskets & face plates off the meter. Next I tie about a 3 ft. nylon string to the top of the meter. Then I prepare a bowl of boiling water & a bowl of ice water. I put a leather glove on my right hand, step into the middle of the living room (away from all furniture) and with the opposite end of the nylon string.
Start spinning the meter around and around changing direction at times.
After a minute or two of this I dip the meter stem in the ice water for 30 or 40 seconds then to the bowl of boiling water for appoximately the same
period of time and then back to spinning the meter around & around. Repeating the hot/cold treatments, etc., etc. Once I find the fluid down
I assemble the Moto-Meter and test it on one of my A's. Unfortunately, I
have never been able to get a fluid level down by just tapping on a tire
as suggested by the instructions included with the original Moto-Meters.
After laying on its side for 30, 40 years or more is probably why the Moto-Meter "tire-tapping" idea does not work all the time.

Bob-A

[Pilotdave]

Wow - thanks, Bob. If nothing else, one would get some good exercise.

Why is it necessary to remove the screws, trim, gaskets and faces?

[Bob-A]

Pilotdave,

I remove the rims, glass lens, etc. so that I can securely tie the string to the top of the meter. Once you take the meter apart you will see what I mean. It is a lot easier to "spin" the meter this way. Then to try and rig up some kind of sling to hold the meter upright while spinning.

Bob-A

[Pilotdave]

Thanks, Bob. I'll give this a whirl. [ ]

[Pilotdave]

Okay. Having examined a modern repro Quail, I now get how my Moto Meter opens: The female portion of the hinge is attached to a plate inside the knurled rim upper section of the base. That knurled section should be able to rotate to unlock from the lower section.

On my Moto Meter, the knurled section is seized and won't rotate. It's now soaking in a 50/50 mix of ATF and MMO doing penance for its sins. I'll give it a few days and see if it's freed up. Meanwhile I can work on getting the mercury to behave.

[Pilotdave]

Success! After an overnight bath in the solvent, I was able to rotate the knurled upper section and open the cap. I have removed the two socket cap screws and the small brass plates that secure the unit to the radiator neck. Both screws need to be replaced, but a local emporium should be able to meet that need. This is the good news.

On the other side of the ledger, one of the locking surfaces in the upper cap has been damaged, and as have the "ears" on the two "towers" in the lower section. The ears prevented the small brass plates from rotating when installing the unit into the radiator neck. I see no way to repair the broken locking surface, but I may be able to make replacement brass plates that rely on the shape of the towers to prevent rotation.

[Hoogah]

Originally Posted by Vern

A few years back, I bought a nice motometer with all the re liquid showing just like yours. As we drove home after the swap meet, my friend tapped the bottom of the meter on the side of his tennis shoe, for about 2 hours. The red all went down and has worked great since.

Hmm. Off to buy some tennis shoes now!!

[1931 flamingo]

Pilotdave: There's a repair kit made for your damaged parts for the Quail, should work on your meter. FWIW How's your health, I still say a prayer for you every night.

Paul in CT

[Pilotdave]

Hi Paul - thanks for the hint....and for the prayers. I'm doing well - in remission since mid-2012....and enjoying life.

Dave