On Wed, May 26, 2004 at 07:24:32PM -0400, John T. Blair wrote:
> At 12:04 AM 5/27/2004 +0100, Antony wrote:
> >
> >I'd be interested to know a bit more about why you think it could be
> >voltage regulation - I know nada about the inner workings of the
> >alternator.
> >
>
> Antony,
>
> It's probably not the alternator. Most of those electric gauges run at
> 10V. The battery outputs 12V and when the eng is running at about 1000
> rpm and above the alternator ups that to about 14.7 V. So the voltage
> is 14.7 - 10 = 4.7 V too high, or almost 50% too high. This will cause
> an invalid reading on the temp gauge. There should be a little metal
> box looking think on the back of the speedo or tach. That's the "voltage
> stabilizer" or regulator. If that's shot, or the previous owner removed
> it, you'll get too much voltage to the sending unit, and the temp gauge
> will read too high.
John, that's very interesting stuff. I don't fancy pulling it all out
of the car, but I take it that a voltmeter at the sender will do the
same job?
A
PS That's some collection of cars you have there!
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