Temperature Guage

[sclemow]

I'm having a few teething problems with my mini. The temperature gauge shoots up to max very quickly and stays there.
I have checked the part numbers for the gauge and sender and believe that I have the correct ones, and I don't suspect the regulator currently as the fuel gauge doesn't do the same.

The wiring diagram here http://www.minimania.com/images/wiring/ ... ring01.pdf shows a rectangle on the wire from the gauge to the sender. Is this supposed to be a resistor?
If so what value is it?

Thanks

Simon

[guru_1071]

simon

its just a joiner to show that there is a loom break - like where the headlamp looms join the main loom.

i guess your problem is either the sender or the guage

[sclemow]

I thought it was probably a joiner, it was a long shot but would help electrically. I have changed the gauge and fitted a new sender. I guess I'd better go back and take another look.
What voltage should come out of the regulator?

[guru_1071]

i think its more of a case of 'how consistant is the voltage'

the regulator stabalises the 'float' of the voltage between (say) 10-14 volts as the load alters on the battery/dynamo

i would assume that on a running car the output would be about 12 volts near enough

[12g295]

I would check the resistance of the temperature sender.
It should be quite high (3000 ohms ? at 15c) and drop to around 200 ohms ? at 100c.

[sclemow]

Hi 12g295 - I tried a few new senders when at Steve Harris's the other day, and I've tried a few gauges I'm pretty sure that it's not the sender.

[bmcman.ie]

are you sure its not a short/earth problem?

[Jack of all trades]

The voltage from the stabiliser should be 10V, it uses a Bi-metal and a heating element so that it roughly gets +/- 13,6v(engine running) 73% of the time and the the rest of the time 0V so that averages at +/- 10V.
If you're in to simple electronics then use a solid state L78S10 voltage stabiliser(for negative earthed cars) that will make 10V (and switches 2Amps) all of the time by connecting the batt input to pin 1, ground to the backplate(or pin 2) and you're instrument to pin3.

It will make the world of difference and makes you'r instrument(s) more accurate trogh the range and you can fit it inside the original stabiliser so no body will notice.

Cheers,

Jack

[12g295]

Jack wrote :-

If you're in to simple electronics then use a solid state L78S10 voltage stabiliser that will make 10V (and switches 2Amps) all of the time by connecting the batt input to pin 1, ground to the backplate(or pin 2) and you're instrument to pin3.

Here is a pictorial guide from a guy that has done exactly that. Simples

http://www.ken555.plus.com/gtm/regulato ... rsion.html

Or you could buy a ready made one from here :-

http://classicstabilizers.webs.com/information.htm

£8.99 delivered.

Some good information on that page about how they work to get a "10 Volt average".
Switching on and off all the time means you can't put a Volt meter on it and measure if it is ok or not.

[sclemow]

Does anyone know if the gauges are different internally?

I have a 2204/04 gauge and a 2204/11. The faces are different (the 2204/04 has a red hot region, whereas the 2204/11 is black and white.)

I believe that all but the early ones are 2204/11 guages but I'm not sure.

Thanks

Simon

[sclemow]

Finally took the dash out to investigate this - all solved, however I'd rather not admit to my schoolboy error

[12g295]

however I'd rather not admit to my schoolboy error

Go on then, tell us what it was

[sclemow]

The live was connected to the wrong side of the regulator giving ~13.5v unregulated.

(To quote my Star Wars obsessed 3 yr old .... "go on then laugh it up Fuzzball!")