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Triumph TR6 - gas gauge

Finally got time to replace the gas sender unit in my 6. Took all gas out of the tank, replaced unit and put tank back (a tankless job) anyway, turned on the ignition before refilling it and watched the gauge go up as i filled it. It worked perfectly, at 1/4 a 1/2 etc. not problems. However, when i started it up the needle whent so far beyound full that it was no longer visable. When i shut it off the needle droped and with the iginition on, engine off it goes to full. This is very puzzling. Can some please help me out?
thanks
Lionel
lionel

You have lost your ground on the sender.

Bill
Bill Brayford

Hi Lionel

Ignore last post that should give empty by book.

Unless wires have been changed you will have a light green wire on the hot side of the gauge. From the voltage stabiliser. Then your dark green black stripe going to tank. Check for voltage on that wire at tank. According to the book ground will not affect but I will take a look this afternoon. I have mine out of tank. I think it does.

Bill
Bill Brayford

Lionel
The needle will move with ignition in on position..engine not running....typical for any car. Are u sure your Voltage stabilizer was working before? How does Temp gauge look/work? Both gauges are controlled (voltage stabilized to a constant 12V) through the voltage stabilizer located at back of
speedo. Possibly the 2 wires to the sender are backwards?
Rick C
Hay Bill...see ya tomorrow.
So Lionel..are planning to come to the BBSTTC meet tomorrow?
Rick C
Rick Crawford

Lionel,
I have my tach and speedo out for rework, and the weather turned nice a couple of weekends back and I couldn't resist a drive-sans instruments. The temp gauge slowly climbed to normal, and then to the red. After spending a couple of hours replacing the themostat, testing why it didn't work any better, etc, I realized the voltage stabilizer was no longer grounded to the absent speedo. Once I connected one of the ground wires to it, the gauge dropped to its normal position in the center again.

Sounds suspiciously similar to yours, which supports what these guys are saying about the stablizer. I guess its possible too that the stabilizer shook loose and lost its ground. Til this happened, I didn't even know for sure that it was grounded.

Mark

Mark H

hi Rick. I should be there tomorrow around 1 or so look forward to meeting all of you.
My other gauges work fine so i dont think its the stabilizer. I will switch the wires around. I still find it very courious as to why it reads correctly until the car runs.
I switch them and give it another try.

thanks.
Lionel
lionel

Hi lionel

2 are likely. If the gauge is grounding through another device? The stabilizer if not grounded will not keep the voltage regulated after alternator kicks in.

Tested sender today mines old but there is only a diff. of .75 volts between full and empty at the sender. When alterator kicks in and V jumps unregulated to 13+ I think gauge goes off the map.

Bill
Bill Brayford

Wires should not be wrong - different size terminals. Also know that the electric gauges will read full/hot if the sender wires are grounded, that is how you test them . Think stabilizer theory sounds likely . Peter
Peter G

Tried grounding the voltage regulator, no change in needle ?

Lionel
lionel

Hey Lionel

Great meeting you in person on Sat. What is the voltage at rest ignition on and again with engine running. Does it change?

Bill
Bill Brayford

This thread was discussed between 14/03/2003 and 18/03/2003

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