Louishn

I have replace all the ground cables, the alternator is working correctly, but now the stupid temp guage needle is dropping as engine rpm's increase, the grounds under the dash are clean and shiny, all I can figure is a bad connection somewhere, but where, oh lord, where. this one problem may slowly send me to the funny farm

Tabor

you are right about it being the wiring.

Good luck.

IceShark

You mean if you sit there and goose the throttle for a second the temp gauge goes down? If so, that would seem to say you still have a voltage problem. Look to see if voltage is changing at the same time. It shouldn't unless you are running a big load, i.e. the regulator should be keeping alternator output at the preset maximum as it can usually put out an awful lot at idle.

What did you do to verify alternator is OK? You may want to look at voltage regulator/brushes or a diode or two may be shot. Or a drive belt that is slipping at different speeds. Guess looking at the electrical connection at temp sending unit wouldn't hurt either.

Seems that it is engine speed related over extremly short periods which points to alternator or an electrical connector that starts to conduct better, i.e. gets shaken to make a better/worse connection.

[ 05-06-2001: Message edited by: Dan ]

TOM_C

I just had the clutch replaced on my 951 and now I have the same problem as you, as soon as the car warms up my voltage gage moves around and my temp gauge makes radical swings to high temp. It too seems rpm related, If I hold the RPM above 3000 it seems OK. Monitored voltage at battery and it stays steady even though V guage is moving. I was hoping by now you would have gotten a solution.

P.S. Another symtom is that my Oil low light comes on even though there's plenty of oil and pressure is good.


Tom_C 87-951

IceShark

Someone else did the work? You remove various electrical connectors to do a clutch job, including grounds. They probably mucked up some connectors with crud. Go back to the mechanic and tell him since it started right after the job.

keith

My 951 has a dancing temp needle when the turn signal is on, when rolling windows up or down, etc. etc.

IceShark

That is definitely a low voltage problem resulting from those loads. Could be bad grounding, corrosion in the fuse/relay board, poor positive feed to the relay board, etc. Good luck finding it.

Martin

If it is the early car check the rear lifting bracket, there is 3 6mm bolts that hold it on that come loose, the main ground is attached here, they fixed this problem on the later cars by grounding to the block also