Electrical problems

[julian.jay]

I have some problems with my Mk 2 Cortina. It is much modified with a Rover V6 3.9 engina and Capri front and rear. I have only had in for a few weeks and have not been able to use it much yet.

 

However, the temperature guage will not work. I have checked it is OK by direct wiring it from the sensor in the block to the battery. I then checked the wire from the sensor to the guage and it is OK. But when I tested for a live feed at the back of the guage, I got an intermittent current. The test lamp will go on for a short burst then off for about 1 second and it continues in this way with a regular but intermittent supply. This does not seem to make the dash guage work.

 

Also there is an ammeter that shows a discharge even with the ignition off and nothing appparently on ! I tried a different ammeter with the same result.

 

Any thoughts,

 

Julian

[Guest MK1gaz]

The temp gauge wire does send a pulse to the sender so that's correct . It's propably the dashboard that's faulty and not the sender or wiring . There's normally a voltage stabiliser on the back of the dashboard and these cause most problems . They can also cause a drain on the battery when faulty

[julian.jay]

Many thanks for the advice. I will check out behind the dash.

 

Sorry to be dim but as the car now has an alternator rather than the original dynamo, does it still need a voltage regulator, or can I just remove it ?

 

Julian

[bortaf]

The one in the dash is for the dash only and had to stay to make the temp and fuel gauges work properly

When you say tou put it to the battery i take it you meen the NEG terminal of the battery? if you touched it to the live you may have fried the gauge as the sensor is a restisted earth for the gauge ,

[Guest MK1gaz]

If you mean the seperate black regulator box that works with the dynamo then you don't need it . You have to join some of the wires together though or the battery won't charge