[Tigers] Gauges & Voltage Stabilizer

[Gary Winblad]

Everyone is forgetting to mention:
When you check the stabilizer, you will not just measure 10V!  What you will see
is a pulsed 12V.  The pulses only time average out to 10V, meaning they are
at 12V more than they are at 0V but depending on your voltmeter you may get
"strange" readings.
Also, since this is a heated wire/bimetal strip, IIRC it depends on a load current so
leave the gauges and sensors hooked up when you try to measure it.

Failure to go to the top with a full tank could be due to Rule 3:
3. Check all connections to make sure they are not corroded or loose.
Extra Ohms in series is what could do it.
It also is probably more likely the gauge itself.  The temp and fuel gauges are
the same except for the labeling so you could swap them for trial.
Or, fill the tank and remove the wire from the sender and measure with an
ohmeter.  It should be low like (IIRC) 21Ohms.

Gary


----- Original Message -----
From: Tod Brown <todbrown at roadrunner.com>
To: tigers at autox.team.net, Rollright at aol.com
Sent: Mon, 30 Jul 2012 04:25:10 -0000 (UTC)
Subject: Re: [Tigers] Gauges & Voltage Stabilizer

Jim:

As always, NO GOOD DEED GOES UNPUNISHED.

Whenever something funky happens that involves electricity on a British 
car, two rules apply:

1. Check the ground.
2. Refer to #1

As Theo notes, the stabilizer should be grounded as should each gauge.  
If in doubt, run a jumper to ground.  Also, as Theo noted as well, check 
the stabilizer output - it should be 10 v.  If all checks out, I would 
replace the stabilizer.

If both gauges are behaving similarly, then the problem is probably not 
with the gauges.  The fact that both the fuel gauge and the temp gauge 
are not working correctly indicates the problem is with the stabilizer 
which feeds both gauges.  (See wiring diagram).  Finally, IIRC, the 
stabilizer is bolted to the left dash support behind the speedo.

On a related issue, my problem is that my gas gauge does not read full 
even when the tank is full.  Does anyone know if this is a problem with 
the gauge or the sender and how I might be able to tell?  Yes, my 
voltage stabilizer is working correctly.

Cheers,

Tod
B382002384LRXFE