My fuel gauge reads wrong so does my temp gauge.
Someone said its the voltage stabilizer, i changed it with 2 others but the problem still remains.
The strange of the story is that when the car is on idle my temp goes ALMOST to half of the gauge and my fuel needle moves somewhere above middle. When i drive the car, the temp gauge goes all the way down to COLD and my fuel needle goes to FULL. The car will run out of petrol when my fuel needle is somewhere in the middle...
Whats the problem with that? It really couldnt be the voltage stabilizer, or the fuel tank sender or the fuel gauge since the temp gauge acts strange also right?
Fuel+temp Gauges Problem
Started by
orangeteg
, Feb 02 2011 10:05 AM
4 replies to this topic
#2
dklawson
-
- TMF+ Member
-
- 10,923 posts
Moved Into The Garage
- Name: Doug
- Location: Durham, NC - USA
- Local Club: none
Posted 02 February 2011 - 12:56 PM
Your car does have some strange gauge behavior. Consider for a moment that you may have a problem with the wiring, not with the voltage stabilizer or gauges.
You said that when the engine is at speed, the temp gauge reads cold and the fuel gauge reads full. If the green/black fuel sending unit wire becomes earthed at any point, that gauge will read full. Likewise, if the temperature sending unit wire (green/blue ????) "opens" (as if the wire were broken), the temperature gauge would read cold.
Were this my car I would be tracing the wiring back looking for spots where the loom may be compromised or connectors are loose or corroded. As a troubleshooting method, I would probably find the fuel gauge connection for the standard green/black wire, disconnect it at both ends, and bypass it with a temporary wire. If the gauge works properly when bypassing the green/black wire you will know that the problem is indeed in your loom, not the stabilizer or gauge.
You said that when the engine is at speed, the temp gauge reads cold and the fuel gauge reads full. If the green/black fuel sending unit wire becomes earthed at any point, that gauge will read full. Likewise, if the temperature sending unit wire (green/blue ????) "opens" (as if the wire were broken), the temperature gauge would read cold.
Were this my car I would be tracing the wiring back looking for spots where the loom may be compromised or connectors are loose or corroded. As a troubleshooting method, I would probably find the fuel gauge connection for the standard green/black wire, disconnect it at both ends, and bypass it with a temporary wire. If the gauge works properly when bypassing the green/black wire you will know that the problem is indeed in your loom, not the stabilizer or gauge.
#3
orangeteg
-
- Noobies
-
- 127 posts
Mini Mad
Posted 02 February 2011 - 04:38 PM
Yes, when i am in speed the temp goes to cold and when i stop at traffic lights for example it goes again to the middle(which is not correct either, but it does move anyway). So does my fuel gauge, different measurements when on idle and while driving, none of them is correct aswell. The problem is the car was recently restored and one day they stopped working, it was a voltage stabilizer problem, i replaced it and it worked for few days then one day this happened. I guess i ll have to check the wiring again..
#4
Darkscamp
-
- TMF+ Member
-
- 1,475 posts
Drives the 'Thing'
- Location: Nottingham
- Local Club: Nottsaboutminis
Posted 02 February 2011 - 04:50 PM
Sames issues with mine and it turned out to be the voltage stabiliser everytime. I think i replaced it several times but something was causing it to repeatedly go faulty.
Fitted a more modern version from Maplins and not had a problem since.
Fitted a more modern version from Maplins and not had a problem since.
#5
dklawson
-
- TMF+ Member
-
- 10,923 posts
Moved Into The Garage
- Name: Doug
- Location: Durham, NC - USA
- Local Club: none
Posted 02 February 2011 - 05:15 PM
While normally I'd agree that this is a voltage stabilizer problem, one gauge going "up" while the other goes "down" is not consistent with a change in supply voltage. Of course, there could be two separate issues contributing... like one gauge wire becoming disconnected while the stabilizer experiences a problem.
As a footnote, the Smiths stabilizers must have a good earth connection to their case. Make sure the stabilizer has a good earth connection before you start chasing this problem, run a dedicated earth wire if necessary. Also make sure that the wires are connected to the proper stabilizer terminals. If you look carefully at the back of the stabilizer, one set of terminals will be marked "B", the other marked "I". The "B" terminals get the dark green wire coming from the fuse box. The "I" terminals get the lighter green wires that are connected tot he Instruments.
As a footnote, the Smiths stabilizers must have a good earth connection to their case. Make sure the stabilizer has a good earth connection before you start chasing this problem, run a dedicated earth wire if necessary. Also make sure that the wires are connected to the proper stabilizer terminals. If you look carefully at the back of the stabilizer, one set of terminals will be marked "B", the other marked "I". The "B" terminals get the dark green wire coming from the fuse box. The "I" terminals get the lighter green wires that are connected tot he Instruments.
1 user(s) are reading this topic
0 members, 1 guests, 0 anonymous users
