Good and Bad,

[tim leech]

Had the dashpod out the valver this week to renew blown bulbs, fit a new top speedo cable and to replace the unworking oil level/pressure gauge. Fiddly job for a sunday mechnic for me but I must say once the pod was out changing the speedo cable was a doddle. I now have a full set of dash lights including ABS (which is on all the time pending the driveshaft change) and a rock solid speedo However, still no battery light and I have changed the bulb (the alternator charges ok) and STILL NO SODDING oil pressure gauge, yet the light works.

So where is the oil pressure sender unit as thats my next port of call.

Thanks

[Mike P]

Fiddliest part of the job was getting your fingertips just onto the wing nuts holding the pod inside the dash

Mike P.

[jayw]

First of all does the Pressure Gauge give you the Oil level when you first switch the ignition on? If not it could still be an issue with the gauge.

But, most likely you will find a connector off the OIL PRESSURE SENDER:



Getting into it is difficult, but clear any excess oil off and check it's getting good connection. The OIL LEVEL sender is on the back of the block below the exh manifold

[thanuttiscotsman]

hi there,
have had troubles with changing bulbs meself. but i can tell you its prolly a loose connection. when you put the bulb in wiggle it around a little as in the black plastic part of the bulb and wiggle the actual bulb around in the plastic housing. these bulbs are know for silly connection probs. but im pretty sure if you play around with them it will work.

cheers rossco

[Anonymous]

Battery/alternator light works like this: A battery + feed goes to one side of batt lamp on dash. other side earths out through alternator field windings (via spade connector, thin wire, on back). So when engine is stopped, the lamp lights. When engine is running the voltage at this terminal is slightly above battery voltage, so in effect you have approx +12volts at BOTH ends of the bulb, so the lamp will extinguish.
I would suggest that there is alternator fault that although it is charging at the moment may give you future worries.
Try this: disconnect the thin wire at back of alternator. With the ignition on, momentarily earth the connector out on the engine. The light should come on. If light works ok using this method, then there is an internal fault with the alternator. Possibly the brushes on the slip rings. If lamp does not light, check for a 12v feed and wiring from lamp to alternator.

[tim leech]

Thanks guys, theres no oil levl or oil pressure at all on the gauge yet the warning lamp lights up, the oil loevel gauge was in working order.

Will try replacing the sender units, and see how we get on, fortunatly Mike P i do have skinny fingers but managed to loose one of the wingnuts down the back of the dash somewhere so need a spare!

[Mike P]

Tim,

I might have one of those wingnuts spare.

I'm working in the garage this weekend for a change, so I'll have a look for you.

Mike P.

[tim leech]

Thanks Mike, im aiming to come to oadby soon to see my aunt whos not been so well so can probably skirt buy yours on the way with that driveshaft.. Will let you know

[Mike P]

Cool, let me know and in the meantime I'll have a garage trawl.

Best wishes for you Aunt,

Mike P.

[robin hughes]

Ha Ha those silly wing nuts! I tightened up one on timmos car and he struggled to get it undone oops

[Timmo]

Bl##dy right you tightened it up! strained my wrist getting the damn thing off hahahah! 'Rob Crank them up tight Hughes'!!

btw tim, i lost one of mine down the dash, soudns a bit yeahaaa ish but i just hit the bit around the steering columb and out popped the wing nut!

[Toddman]

Those plastic lugged nuts are a pain especially if you no longer have the large vinyl washer to fit them onto - luckily you can get a 10mm open ended spanner up onto the RHS one which tends to be the hardest to loosen.

Cheers
Luke

[tim leech]

Have hit the relevent bits of dash timmo trying to free it off to no avail but with all the speed bumps round here it may jar it loose!

[tim leech]

First of all does the Pressure Gauge give you the Oil level when you first switch the ignition on? If not it could still be an issue with the gauge.

But, most likely you will find a connector off the OIL PRESSURE SENDER:



Getting into it is difficult, but clear any excess oil off and check it's getting good connection. The OIL LEVEL sender is on the back of the block below the exh manifold

Ive located the sender unit, and theres a brown wire connected to it and loose green one next to it not connected at all, but theres no spade connector coming out of the pressure gauge to attach it too, should there be one? If there is it means its snapped off.

The small sender unit to the left (looking at it head on) is that the coolant temp one? and how the hell do you change them! I have slim fingers but cant get at it!

[RobC]

changing them's an inlet manifold (or radiator, depending on what takes your fancy) - out job. maybe at a push you could do it by removing the alternator and reaching through that way?

make sure you use the right washer when refitting though - i learnt that to my cost when i rebuilt my engine using the wrong washer on the pressure sensor. spent ages working out where the hell that leak was coming from

by the way there are two sender units there - one for the oil pressure gauge and the other for the warning light. can't remember which is which though sorry! simply ground the wires going to them to find out - if the light lights (which also illuminates all the others on the dash) or the gauge goes up to max then you'll know which is which.

all 3 of the water temp sensors are next to the thermostat.