Another 2a build thread

[Sleepy]

Doesn't on my SIII.
No clicking at all, although there is a 3rd party warning light added to the dash as well as the arrow indicator lights. Pretty spiffy.

I have the same flasher as pictured in my S1(without the do-dad) and it clicks. Although agree my S3 doesn't click. Wouldn't matter ITS A 2.25D AND YOU CANT HEAR THE RADIO EITHER. - OR ANYTHING ELSE FOR THAT MATTER.

[subasurf]

YOU CANT HEAR THE RADIO EITHER. - OR ANYTHING ELSE FOR THAT MATTER.

hahahah tell me about it!
Hence I haven't gotten around to installing a UHF.

[drifter]

So... I got the little rubber ring sorted for the indicator 'return home' mechanism. and I got some new 'o-rings' for around the instruments on the instrument panel. $5 the lot and I thought I had a bargain - until I noticed they have a minimum purchase limit of $5! Would have been interesting to see how much they really were. He will make rings and seals, too, so I'm pleased with that part of my day out.

I am currently putting the external lamps on the back - the front was fine. Number plate light is rotten so I'll go looking for one of those soon.

My indicator lenses had faded with time. A bit of lens dye has brought them back to life.

Softly, softly catchee monkey...

[drifter]

I have 2 rear tailgates. Both have a hinged assembly in the middle for a number plate. And, obviously, both have number plate lights on them.

How do you wire them and retain the ability to remove the tailgate?

Do you have a 'hidden' plug somewhere?

Thanks in advance for any assistance.

John

[JDNSW]

I have 2 rear tailgates. Both have a hinged assembly in the middle for a number plate. And, obviously, both have number plate lights on them.

How do you wire them and retain the ability to remove the tailgate?

Do you have a 'hidden' plug somewhere?

Thanks in advance for any assistance.

John

The only way you could completely remove the tailgate was to disconnect the wires at the bullet connector in front of the crossmember. If I were doing it this way today I would find a suitable in-line polarised two pin plug and socket and put it a couple of inches outside where the wire emerges above the crossmember.

My current 2a has the number plate on the RH side of the tailgate - it does not fit, but it does with the edge under the lip of the tailgate! An alternative approach would be one of the smaller custom number plates. But in a restoration I would use the original tailgate setup with a plug and socket, as this is indistinguishable to how it came from the factory.

John

[drifter]

Thanks John - I have a high current plug and socket I used for electric R/C aircraft - I'll use one of those.

[drifter]

Next question.

Earlier, we mentioned the voltage stabiliser as an item in the later 2a vehicles.

All my reading so far has indicated that they produce a steady 10V to the temp and fuel gauges.

I set up a test on the workbench for the one I have here - providing it with a regulated 12.8V input.

Open output produced 12.7V

Hmm - needs a load?

I then modified my test to include the fuel gauge.

Output was still 12.7V and the gauge climbed slowly to the 'F' position.

So - my question for this post - should it be 10V?

If so, it looks like my unit is broken. I can easily make an electronic stabiliser so that won't be a problem - just wondering about the output and whether mine is right or not.

John

[JDNSW]

Next question.

Earlier, we mentioned the voltage stabiliser as an item in the later 2a vehicles.

All my reading so far has indicated that they produce a steady 10V to the temp and fuel gauges.

I set up a test on the workbench for the one I have here - providing it with a regulated 12.8V input.

Open output produced 12.7V

Hmm - needs a load?

I then modified my test to include the fuel gauge.

Output was still 12.7V and the gauge climbed slowly to the 'F' position.

So - my question for this post - should it be 10V?

If so, it looks like my unit is broken. I can easily make an electronic stabiliser so that won't be a problem - just wondering about the output and whether mine is right or not.

John

The voltage stabiliser is one that operates by a bimetal strip and a small heater element which switches power off and on, a higher voltage giving more current and hence faster heating and switching off, and will not actually give a stable 10v - what it does is to give an average of 10v, as measured using a meter with a long time constant, such as the bimetal strip guages for fuel and temperature. If the input voltage is 12.7, the on cycle will be about 80% of the time and the off about 20% on a cycle of several seconds. If you just take an instantaneous reading, you will get either your input voltage or nothing.

However, I suspect your problem may be that you have not realised that the case must be earthed for it to work.

An electronic one should work perfectly well, but the original type usually works forever - most replacements made because "it doesn't work" are successful simply because the action of replacing it has given a good earth to the new stabiliser, and simply fixing the earth on the old one would have done the same.

John

[drifter]

<snip>

However, I suspect your problem may be that you have not realised that the case must be earthed for it to work.

<snip>

John

Sorry, I should have mentioned that I was using the case as the eth

My bench power supply +ve was connected to the 'B' terminal.
The -ve was connected to the case.

I connected the 'I' terminal to one side of the fuel gauge. The other side of the fuel gauge was connected to the same earth (the stabiliser case).

The multimeter was connected across the 'I' terminal and the case.

Cheers,
John

[JDNSW]

Sorry, I should have mentioned that I was using the case as the eth

My bench power supply +ve was connected to the 'B' terminal.
The -ve was connected to the case.

I connected the 'I' terminal to one side of the fuel gauge. The other side of the fuel gauge was connected to the same earth (the stabiliser case).

The multimeter was connected across the 'I' terminal and the case.

Cheers,
John

That ought to work, as long as by "fuel gauge" you mean fuel gauge plus sender in series. Otherwise, if it is just the fuel guage, it will go straight to full. If you have your multimeter across the output of the stabiliser, you should see intermittent on/off, with a period of several seconds (long time since I've done it, can't remember how many seconds). The output is independent of whether anything is connected or not.

John