caveman Posted March 30, 2007 Report Share Posted March 30, 2007 Can anyone help me out. I have a TR250 which I bought last year - we picked the car up from Nottinghamshire - whilst drivin back to Cornwall we stopped for a break. When I tried to start the car again it wouldn't start. It was dead. I called the RAC, the problem was that the earth from the alternator had not been reconnected. The RAC jump started the car and we set off again on our way. Whilst continueing the trip home the water temp. gauge started to creep up, I switched the Kenlowe Fan on and it came down a little but not much. When I got back to Cornwall I booked it into a garage that did some work on Classic cars. They had the car for some time trying to solve the problem. They assured me that the car was definately not overheating - they fitted a new 'sender' to the temp. gauge. They did however inform me that the alternator was charging the battery at 17.6 v. They gave me the Tel. No. of a car electrical specialist. He came to the house and said that there was a wire on the wrong connection on the alternator. He changed it over and it is now charging the battery at 14.4 v. The battery was not damaged. He couldn't however pinpoint why the temp. gauge was reading red hot - he suggested that I get a new Temp. Gauge. I have now fitted a new Temp. Gauge and it is exactly the same. EXTREMELY FRUSTRATED. Also - can anyone recomend a good garage in the South West ? I hope someone can shed some light on the matter. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jonlar Posted March 30, 2007 Report Share Posted March 30, 2007 Hi Caveman, I'd suggest you try the voltage regulator (in behind dash), how does the fuel gauge behave - what shows on the Ammeter - has anything else been mis-connected? If you poke around behind the dash, disconnect battery first! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mikew Posted March 30, 2007 Report Share Posted March 30, 2007 If the instrument voltage regulator is faulty, it would also affect the fuel guage, this should also be giving incorrect readings. The voltage regulator, regulates the variable battery voltage to a more or less constant 10volts. The only way to be certain is with a voltmeter, check voltage into and out of the regulator. I would do this with the engine cold and then later after the temp guage is showing an incorrect reading. If you have much more than 10v the regulator is faulty. It is also possible that a trapped / damaged or incorrectly placed wire to the temp guage is feeding this more than 10v, so if the first test does not reveal a fault check the voltage at the temp guage itself. Failing this, replace the temp sensor, as an incorrect type could have been fitted. good luck mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
paul gardner Posted March 30, 2007 Report Share Posted March 30, 2007 To avoid any confusion, the item concerned is known as 'voltage stabilizer'. Sorry to be an anorak, but could be confused with voltage regulator in the charging system. It is not too expensive (£8.75 from Moss) and is not too difficult to fit. From your description, it sounds very much as though this is the culprit. Your Paul Quote Link to post Share on other sites
raydrink Posted March 31, 2007 Report Share Posted March 31, 2007 Quite by coincidence there is a similar thread going on the Stag Owners' Club forum, and I hope 'Dave' doesn't mind if I cut and paste his suggestion about replacing the tin can stabiliser with a solid state one. He writes: It is a 10-volt regulator you need. I bought some from Radiospares a while ago for less than a pound each. You will have to find their website using 'Google' or similar. As their URL is rather strange, this forum tries to change it and it doesn't work as a link. Type 535-9010 into the 'Find Products'. This should find you 'Voltage Regulator LM2940T - 10' If you click on the Data Sheet it tells you about it. There is a mounting tag; you need to open up the hole slightly so that it fits to the back of the speedo in the same way the original does. The centre 'Ground' leg can be cut off as the tag is also 'ground'. The other 2 legs are 'input' and 'output'. these can be connected to the two wires that currently (no pun intended) attach to the existing voltage stabiliser. I soldered a short length of the correct colour wire to the legs, sealed in heat shrink and crimped the correct lucar connectors on. The wires are 'light green' and 'green' if I recall correctly. Don't have my wiring diagram to hand, but it should be fairly easy to work out which is which. Failing that, you can spend about a tenner on eBay for virtually the same thing. I hope this helps Ray Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted March 31, 2007 Report Share Posted March 31, 2007 Hi Caveman I have sent you PM Stuart. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
IanR Posted March 31, 2007 Report Share Posted March 31, 2007 Hi Yes I would go first for the Voltage reg and there are often several solid state versions advertised on Ebay. BUT just in case this does not work be aware that if you have bought an aftermarket temperature sensor recently it will probably read full deflection at 100 C. THis is NOT what you want and you can get an original Smiths Temp sender from Martin Jay at Revington TR, if this proves to be a problem. Test is yourself making sure the gauge is getting its proper 10V and stuff the sensor into a kettle of boiling water. If it goes to full deflection then you need a proper sensor as full deflection should not be reached untll about 110 upward dependeing on your pressure cap on the rad. Hope this helps Cheers Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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