10 replies to this topic

[Elwyn]

Hello

 

1993 L reg SPI Cooper, RHD, Manual

 

I'm trying to get to the back of the fuel gauge

 

I need to run a test cable / wire from the fuel tank sender to the back of the fuel gauge as I suspect there's a fault in the black cable

 

Getting to the point...

 

How do I get the dash / clocks / binnacle thing loose and off / out of the way, sufficient to get access?

 

Haynes gives instructions for removing a full dash. Google has plenty of videos for other types / styles of dash / clocks, but I can't find anything for the SPI clock binnacle thing (whatever it's called)

 

 Clocks dash.JPG   62.22K   1 downloads

 

Thanks in advance

 

Elwyn

Edited by Elwyn, 21 August 2021 - 02:27 PM.

[Elwyn]

I've already taken out the 2 red arrowed screws

It's loose and moving a little but still seems to be held somewhere to the right

 Dash screws.png   398.35K   2 downloads

Edited by Elwyn, 21 August 2021 - 02:24 PM.

[Midas Mk1]

You can remove the binnacle with the 3 clock pod bracket attached, nuts for the captive studs are on the bulkhead side.

Edited by Midas Mk1, 21 August 2021 - 02:50 PM.

[Elwyn]

You can remove the binnacle with the 3 clock pod bracket attached, nuts for the captive studs are on the bulkhead side.

Thanks I'll get back out in the rain to start looking in the right place!

[sonscar]

The black wire is probably an earth and will not go to the dash.You connected the green black wire to earth and the gauge went full so the wire and the gauge is OK.the battery goes through the gauge down the wire to the sender into the windings down the wiper on the arm and then to earth.The gauge measures the current flow.Your problem is most probably a missing earth in the boot.Have fun,Steve..

[Elwyn]

This suggests the black earth does go to the clocks / gauges, unless the earth referred to in this video at c2min 39 seconds is a separate earth for the clocks / instrument cluster itself?

https://youtu.be/aJWdHERNmS8

Edited by Elwyn, 22 August 2021 - 04:46 PM.

[humph]

There’s an earth from the voltage stabiliser behind the guages, but this should run to the windscreen wiper motor according to the wiring diagram below.

https://www.theminif...ttach_id=193863

The fuel sender earth is in the boot as sonscar says.

All the wiring diagrams you could ever need here.

https://www.theminif...agrams-redrawn/

Edited by humph, 22 August 2021 - 05:39 PM.

[Elwyn]

Thanks

I took a few days off working on the mini as it was starting to depress me

 

Thanks for the wiring diagrams

I have similar in the Haynes manual

The earth runs from the sender unit to ???

Somewhere in the boot?

 

The wiring diagrams don't really help with that sort of information

 

Also, I tested the voltage across the -ve and +ve battery terminals

12.56 volts

 

Keeping the red multi meter probe on the +ve battery terminal,  I then moved the black multi meter probe to the sender unit black earth connector

12.56 volts

 

I disconnected the black earth wire from the sender....

Again, keeping the red multi meter probe on the +ve battery terminal,  I then moved the black multi meter probe to the sender unit black earth wire

12.56 volts

 

Doesn't this show / suggest there's no problem with the earth?

 

if so, what else can I look for?

[Elwyn]

With the ignition on, the rear lights are on (when the lights are not switched on)

An earth fault on the lights causing a problem with the fuel gauge....is that possible?

[sonscar]

Yes,the power is earthing through the lamps.I am not familiar with your model of Mini but on my 1989 car the earth is on a stud on the lhs lamp cluster and a bolt through the floor near the petrol tank.
Testing with a Meter can mislead you as there is little current passing through it so a very high resistance earth can still give you full battery voltage but be otherwise non functional.Steve..

[Elwyn]

Update

All earth connections cleaned up

All fuses checked

The lights that were on turned out to be the brake lights

Low on brake fluid, pedal dropping and triggering the brake lights....no an earth issue after all

 

Fuel gauge

Despite having done it before, I tried the new sender again

In the boot

Loose

Not in the tank

And the gauge works

 

This afternoon I will be mainly syphoning petrol out of my tank and replacing the sender

In the rain

On the drive

These are glory days

 

Thanks all for your help as always

 

Regards

 

Elwyn

 

PS Engine back to running at 500 rpm and very lumpy, but that's another issue / headache