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Seems to look that way, searching for the part number brings up several results of things like 'VW, Audi, Seat, Skoda 481957071 REGULATOR'. I'll check for numbers or markings on the tonight, but I don't remember seeing anything at all other than the main number on the metal shell, above. Should it not be where the 3 Lucar terminals are? Yep it was, I pulled it off to photograph. Metal box type looks like a stock smiths type voltage stabiliser - Google it. They can be replaced/ modified to the type JB has indicated - plenty of info on the web with an images and all search. Also worth a check of the alternator output see if its over charging or turn every electrical device on the car one and see if the temp drops. I would say disconnect the alternator but thats usually followed by - never ever do that world will stop rotating and we will all float off into space. I'd not thought of that, will test it tonight - so turn full beams, heater, hazards, window heater, cig socket, wipers on etc? Not sure what you mean about disconnecting the alternator and the world stop rotating - I don't fancy floating into space Is that something I can actually do without blowing something up? Assuming I just pop the cables off the alternator and turn the ignition on...? EDIT: Herp derp. My alternator runs my water pump, so this might not be the best idea Can't see anything that looks like that unfortunately. Don't particularly fancy opening up the cluster just yet either, especially as I can't disconnect it from the wiring, doesn't want to budge off. But several people seem sure the metal thing I posted is the regulator, and search results seem to confirm this. Again everybody's knowledge here astounds me, I have no idea how you've all acquired such in-depth knowledge of such random parts! Many thanks and I will report back tonight on my findings!
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Last Edit: Feb 2, 2018 14:46:04 GMT by arsonist
1979 Mk1 Passat Estate 1.6 LS 1996 Mk3.5 Fiesta 1.3 Classic 1997 Mk1 MX5 1.8i 2005 Mazda 3 TS
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jpr1977
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 656
Club RR Member Number: 18
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Many years of toying with old car electrics to cure symptoms like this...
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taurus
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,084
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I'm a bit confused reading recent posts, are we saying the photo of the metal boxlike component with three pins is the voltage stabilizer or not? The ones I've changed in past looked similar to that.
The gauges all reading high happened on a few of mine and swapping the stabilizer always sorted it.
Strangely Haynes kept printing a page on voltage stabilizers mounted on the back of instrument clusters long after manufacturers stopped using that system. I rang them up about it and they admitted it was just a cut and paste included in new manuals and they hadn't checked properly.
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Yes the metal box is the voltage regulator. Later models used a 7810 voltage regulator like I posted. Calling it a voltage regulator as that’s what it is called in electronic component terms. Vw may call it a stabiliser, but that’s what an electronic’s engineer calls the two wheels either side of a kiddies first bicycle 😂😂
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Okey dokey, some progress this evening from a comment from above. Put the part we're all accepting is the regulator back into the cluster and got the car running to full temp. Rad fan was cycling every few mins, all looked good, but with the usual hot hot hot gauge. - Temperature gauge reading deep into red into the red warning zone. - Fuel reading just a tad above half full. Engine off, very quickly disconnected the alternator, engine back on. Waited a few moments for both gauges to drift into position again. - Temperature sitting at 3/4 hot - Fuel reading a tad over quarter full. So, I'm now very happy there's no over heating issue! But, what's going wrong and how do I sort it? Is the alternator pumping out too high voltage? Or is the regulator just old and knackered, and disconnecting the alternator just means fewer volts are reaching the regulator than should be? FYI, I'm pretty sure I really do only have a quarter tank of fuel too, as something to measure the scenarios against. Thanks for any forthcoming comments, you're all bloody amazing people Also apologies for no photos, I took some as evidence but my phones derped out and not saved them!
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Last Edit: Feb 2, 2018 18:14:26 GMT by arsonist
1979 Mk1 Passat Estate 1.6 LS 1996 Mk3.5 Fiesta 1.3 Classic 1997 Mk1 MX5 1.8i 2005 Mazda 3 TS
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Regulator on back of speedo cluster knackered. So,now we need someone with muchos googlefoo, to find a thread where somebody swopped the tincan regulator to a more modern three legged ,solid state unit.....😎
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Last Edit: Feb 2, 2018 18:46:27 GMT by Deleted
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jpr1977
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 656
Club RR Member Number: 18
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taurus
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,084
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That looks pretty simple to do - the bit needed is only 29p on their website www.maplin.co.uk/p/ts7810cz-1a-positive-fixed-voltage-regulator-to220-case-n38caAlternatively the ones for minis are available on ebay - they use two connectors and the earth is via the mounting bracket, which could be adapted quite easily. Fred - if you've got a multimeter check the voltage across the battery with the engine running, it ought to be around 13.5-14v
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Stu
Posted a lot
Posts: 2,913
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Just noticed this thread and was going to ask if you've tested the battery voltage with the engine off, then running, and running under load with headlights, fan, wipers on? As per this comment: Fred - if you've got a multimeter check the voltage across the battery with the engine running, it ought to be around 13.5-14v Not sure if they still have them, but a week or two ago Lidl had a small £4 gadget with two leads and crocodile clips you could use instead of a multimeter to easily show your voltages when running, test an alternator etc. I bought my Dad one to play with. Same as this on Amazon I think: CLICKWhat's described above, i.e. the dash behaving with the alternator unplugged and the engine running would suggest it could be related to the voltage regulator pack that's fixed in the back of the alternator. I forget how they were on Mk1 Golfs and Polos I owned, but certainly on late 80s/90s VWs I've had there was a removable brush pack/regulator that would occasionally fail or wear out and could be unscrewed and swapped. Like this: Definitely worth testing battery voltage as above to rule out that regulator as it's easy to change compared to components in a cluster
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Last Edit: Feb 3, 2018 17:22:36 GMT by Stu
'89 BMW E30 325i Sport, '04 MINI Cooper S, '09 Volvo V70 D5
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Some cracking responses, thanks so much guys!
So if you thought I was a novice with engines, I'm even worse with electronics!
I have a multimeter from Halfords which I've used a few times before. However I'm not sure if I'm either using it wrong or it's borked. Testing across the terminals on 20v dc is giving me weird readings of 0.06, which makes no sense. I'll clean the terminals up tomorrow and have another go.
Once I rule out the battery and alternator I'll investigate the regulator further.
Thanks a bunch guys!
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1979 Mk1 Passat Estate 1.6 LS 1996 Mk3.5 Fiesta 1.3 Classic 1997 Mk1 MX5 1.8i 2005 Mazda 3 TS
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Howdy, just a quick report on tonight's antics.
So I tested the battery pre load with engine off. Had a voltage of 12.60. With the engine on I get a reading of 14.24. I don't know much about car electrics, but those figures feel about right to me.
And on a possibly related note, my heater blower stopped working today. No idea why, although it's been intermittent the last few days when twiddling with it (been redoing some coolant piping so needed to make sure heater matrix was getting coolant/heating up etc). Might just be a fuse, no idea. Will probably move onto that problem when this one is resolved...
Cheers again guys and girls!
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1979 Mk1 Passat Estate 1.6 LS 1996 Mk3.5 Fiesta 1.3 Classic 1997 Mk1 MX5 1.8i 2005 Mazda 3 TS
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taurus
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,084
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Those voltages are spot on so it sounds like your alternator is fine.
Messing with the sparky stuff is usually OK so long as you don't upset the magic imps that make it happen.
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Good stuff, cheers for the comments all. Today I pried open the stabiliser, but have a few questions about upgrading the part. Based on a few links posted above, and some YouTube videos, I'm assuming all I need to do is get the 10v chip and wire the voltage in onto the voltage in of the original board, and the out on the out. And make sure it's grounded. First, how can I be sure it's a 10v regulator I need, as I've seen a few that are 6v. Second, how do I know which is voltage in and voltage out on the original regulator? And which is ground? There's a diagonal arrow in a circle and 'I' symbol on the reverse of the unit (see pic). flic.kr/p/23domZ3flic.kr/p/23domVqAlso in a YouTube video, a guy used a capacitor. Do I need one, and if so, what sort? Cheers again, much confused!
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1979 Mk1 Passat Estate 1.6 LS 1996 Mk3.5 Fiesta 1.3 Classic 1997 Mk1 MX5 1.8i 2005 Mazda 3 TS
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