29 replies to this topic

[garrett3]

1995/6 spi

Does anyone know the location of the voltage stabilizer on the spi mini?

On the earlier minis there is a tin plug in block on the back of the dials but on the SPI its not there.
The Haynes manual shows that there is a regulator/stabilizer in the dials electrics somewhere but I cannot find it.

Both my temp and fuel gauge readings are too low.

Edited by garrett3, 21 April 2009 - 10:27 PM.

[Dan]

On the Nippon Seiki gauges (fitted from 1988 or so onwards) the stabiliser is bonded into the gauge PCB with potting compound. It is not serviceable as a discreet part. If it's failed you'll have to either find a new PCB or cut the stabiliser out and solder in a suitable replacement chip from an electronics supplier. I think one of our members provides these chips in a form that is pretty simple to fit but I can't remember who I'm afraid.

Edited by Dan, 21 April 2009 - 10:34 PM.

[garrett3]

On the Nippon Seiki gauges (fitted from 1988 or so onwards) the stabiliser is bonded into the gauge PCB with potting compound. It is not serviceable as a discreet part. If it's failed you'll have to either find a new PCB or cut the stabiliser out and solder in a suitable replacement chip from an electronics supplier. I think one of our members provides these chips in a form that is pretty simple to fit but I can't remember who I'm afraid.

Thanks for that.

Do you have a picture? I cannot find anything... even bonded on?

[Dan]

With the PCB fitted you can't see it as it's on the back. It's inside a black blob of potting compound.

[garrett3]

With the PCB fitted you can't see it as it's on the back. It's inside a black blob of potting compound.

Thanks for your help, Much appreciated

Will have a crack at it in the morning.

[Hekmat]

On the Nippon Seiki gauges (fitted from 1988 or so onwards) the stabiliser is bonded into the gauge PCB with potting compound. It is not serviceable as a discreet part. If it's failed you'll have to either find a new PCB or cut the stabiliser out and solder in a suitable replacement chip from an electronics supplier. I think one of our members provides these chips in a form that is pretty simple to fit but I can't remember who I'm afraid.

The person you want to contact is Jupitus, he is pretty hot when it comes to electrics and related components.

Edited by Hekmat, 22 April 2009 - 07:31 AM.

[garrett3]

With the PCB fitted you can't see it as it's on the back. It's inside a black blob of potting compound.

Nope nothing there

Pulled off some good clocks from another car (injection) and tried them... Got the same results.

Are you 100% sure the voltage stabiliser is within the clocks/pcb?

[taffy1967]

Yes they are 100% correct.

But have you done the shorting tests? Try removing the 2 spade connectors off the side of the fuel tank and connect them together with a paper clip. Then with the ignition on the fuel gauge should then read full.

As for the temperature gauge, well I believe the sender is in a different position on the SPi models? So I don't know if shorting the spade terminal would work. But I believe it's near the inlet manifold?

One other thing, does your windscreen wipers park by themselves? If not, replace the wiper motor park-switch (attached to the rear of the wiper motor) now, because when it fails, it can cause a short circuit and as it runs on the same circuit as the gauges, the gauges can malfunction, or the rev counter can fail, or the main fuse can blow or in extreme circumstances it can even cause a fire.

[garrett3]

Yes they are 100% correct.

But have you done the shorting tests? Try removing the 2 spade connectors off the side of the fuel tank and connect them together with a paper clip. Then with the ignition on the fuel gauge should then read full.

As for the temperature gauge, well I believe the sender is in a different position on the SPi models? So I don't know if shorting the spade terminal would work. But I believe it's near the inlet manifold?

One other thing, does your windscreen wipers park by themselves? If not, replace the wiper motor park-switch (attached to the rear of the wiper motor) now, because when it fails, it can cause a short circuit and as it runs on the same circuit as the gauges, the gauges can malfunction, or the rev counter can fail, or the main fuse can blow or in extreme circumstances it can even cause a fire.

Thanks for that

Ive done soooooo many checks and traced the fault to the voltage stabiliser.

Just finding the little bugger lol, I will post some pictures of the clocks and pcb later as I must be going blind lol

Wipers are fine mate, Ive gone through all of the electrics (even tested resistance values).. If one things for sure once I get this sorted this car should have 100% electrics lol

Ive tried sending the temp signal to earth and got a 3/4 reading, same with the tank. the input voltage to the dials from the wite fuse line is 12.54 volts so that should be ok?
The is resistance somewhere or a trace to ground in the loom? But all electrics other than the two gauges do read correct so go figure?

Ooooh the fun of the later minis

I'm a determined bugger so I will fix this lol

Edited by garrett3, 23 April 2009 - 07:58 AM.

[taffy1967]

Well when you do find the voltage regulator, please provide us with some pictures and guidance as my temp gauge stopped working years ago after my coil packed in and fried it (the temp gauge shot up to hot and then hasn't moved since a new coil was fitted).

So I'd love to get my temp gauge working again and the shorting test did nothing on my Mini either.

[BLUE ITALIAN JOB]

if you have the same gauges as my italian job - nippon not smiths , the gauges are bi metal - uses heat to move the fuel and temp needles , and are held in place on a pivot and can be moved within the gauge housing , so if you are not reading full or max when trying the short test they can be reset on the pivot using a very small scewdriver ,
the tenp has 2 very small white leads to operate / heat the bi metal strip inside the housing
the fuel has a total of 4 , very thin white leads and do snap off - sometimes only making contact now and then so your fuel gauge only works when it wants to ,

[garrett3]

if you have the same gauges as my italian job - nippon not smiths , the gauges are bi metal - uses heat to move the fuel and temp needles , and are held in place on a pivot and can be moved within the gauge housing , so if you are not reading full or max when trying the short test they can be reset on the pivot using a very small scewdriver ,
the tenp has 2 very small white leads to operate / heat the bi metal strip inside the housing
the fuel has a total of 4 , very thin white leads and do snap off - sometimes only making contact now and then so your fuel gauge only works when it wants to ,

This will not give a true indication though, all you are doing is masking a problem.


I have however fixed this!!

Here goes.....

The temp gauge was reading low due to a bad earth on the engine, the temp gauge is on the underside of the inlet manifold on the spi and I ran a couple of resistance checks.

I then ground chean the arm that holds the earth strap and engine steady to the block and fitted some copper slip to keep things good in future.
The engine started sweeter and sounded much smoother and hey presto a temp gauge that reads correctly.

I then thought "but this does not solve my fuel gauge fault??"
So I set about checking the wiring that runs from the front to back and found the connector that joins the rear loom had got wet and was corroded. Spliced in some new connectors and hey presto a fuel gauge that now reads correctly.

Whilst I was there I noticed there is an earth lead that fits to the body just at the back of the ecu but an 11mm bolt, this got the same cleaning and copper slip treatment.
This seemed to help that little bit more too.

My temp is now just perfect on half and the fuel gauge is as accurate as any mini fuel gauge can be lol


Sorry never found a voltage stabiliser even though haynes does list on in the wiring diagram... very odd.
I have looked at how this system works and cannot actually see the need for one in the clocks as the feed from the white fuse line to the clocks it constant and steady! Does this mean the ecu regulates the voltage?


I have had many people tell me to look for the "blob" but on the three sets Ive looked at now from an 1995/6 spi there just isnt one... Honest!

Edited by garrett3, 28 April 2009 - 08:03 AM.

[garrett3]

Well when you do find the voltage regulator, please provide us with some pictures and guidance as my temp gauge stopped working years ago after my coil packed in and fried it (the temp gauge shot up to hot and then hasn't moved since a new coil was fitted).

So I'd love to get my temp gauge working again and the shorting test did nothing on my Mini either.

This is a shot in the dark but has the surge somwhow? shorted out the sender on the bottom of the inlet manifold?
If its shorted to earth it will behave like this.

This circuit does go through the ecu so it may be a good idea to look into this as the car may be running the wrong fuel mixture for the engine temp.

If it thinks its cold when its not it will run too ritch and if it thinks its hot when its cold it will run far too lean.
Both are not good for the engine and performance/economy.

[Dan]

The feed from the white fuse isn't either steady or constant because it's supplied from the same wiring as the rest of the car, the voltage at that node of the circuit will alter continuously depending on what equipment in the rest of the car is using electricity. The gauges are calibrated to 10v because that makes the maths easier for working out the resistances needed for the gauges and senders. The ECU would be capable of supplying a continuous, regulated 10v feed but I don't believe the circuit to the gauges runs from the ECU. It just comes from line fuse 7 which is fed directly from the ignition switch. On the later gauges they may have found a way to print the stabiliser directly into the PCB I suppose and not need a discreet component. I don't suppose you took a photo while it was in bits did you?

[garrett3]

The feed from the white fuse isn't either steady or constant because it's supplied from the same wiring as the rest of the car, the voltage at that node of the circuit will alter continuously depending on what equipment in the rest of the car is using electricity. The gauges are calibrated to 10v because that makes the maths easier for working out the resistances needed for the gauges and senders. The ECU would be capable of supplying a continuous, regulated 10v feed but I don't believe the circuit to the gauges runs from the ECU. It just comes from line fuse 7 which is fed directly from the ignition switch. On the later gauges they may have found a way to print the stabiliser directly into the PCB I suppose and not need a discreet component. I don't suppose you took a photo while it was in bits did you?

Ive have the original clocks here and will upload some pictures today.

The white wire to my clocks is a constant 12v... How odd? I can put lights on and run the heater and It still give s asteady 12v.
Thats Why I thought about the ecu.

I'm not trying to say you are wrong I'm just purely stating whats going on with my car.

Its an odd little beast isnt it lol