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TR4/4A TR4 gas and temp gauges don't work

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J

JoeMad

Freshman Member
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I'm getting ready for the TR show in San Juan Batista, CA this weekend, so I drove my car into work this morning to warm her up for the show. Unfortunately, during my commute into work, my gas and temp gauges failed.

Do you folks know which circuit I should attack first, and where?

as always, Thanks!
 
according to my handy dandy wiring diagram there is a green/brown wire that goes to terminal I on the Voltage Stabilizer that runs both guages.

Here is a link for a diagram in color- just right click and SAVE AS. Thanks to Dan Masters for posting these.

https://www.advanceautowire.com/tr24a.pdf
 
The Smiths stabilizer has three connections. One spade lug will be marked with a "B" and that should have battery voltage on it when the ignition is on. You can check that with a regular volt meter. The other terminal will be labeled "I" and it goes off to the instruments. It should provide them with an average of 10v. The voltage is actually switching on and off very rapidly so it's hard to measure accurately with a volt meter. The third connection on the stabilizer is its case or chassis which must be well grounded.

From what you're describing, it sounds like either you've lost the supply to the stabilizer on the "B" terminal, or the stabilizer has stopped working in the "open" condition. I'd start by measuring the supply voltage on the "B" terminal.

I put together a document on the stabilizer a while back and you can pick up a copy of it at:
https://home.mindspring.com/~purlawson/files/SmithsVoltageStabilizer.pdf
Let me know if it helps or is confusing.
 
I had this happen recently on my TR6. I removed the speedo and then the voltage regulator. I found that there was a light layer of corrosion on the mounting tab of the stabizer and it's corresponding location on the speedo. I sanded those areas clean and it's worked ever since. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
the voltage stabalizer was not the culprit. It was the fuse box. Fuses were not blown, but the fuse box unit had to be cleaned. It solved my problem, but I'm buying new one along with a new regulator.
 
Buying a new "regulator" (as for the charging sytem) or a new stabilizer for the gauges? Be advised that in the Mini world, the NOS stabilizers that are available have a high percentage of DOA units. If your existing stabilizer works, I'd keep it until necessary... unless you want to go with the solid state solution.

I'm glad you got things working again. I put silicone grease on all my cleaned electrical contacts to protect them from future corrosion. I know other people who have had good results using vaseline. Regardless of what you choose, you may want to take this step when you install that new fuse box.
 
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