Datsun Roadster Forum-311s.org

These posts are so funny. I just modified my center radio console, and upon removing the old Pioneer tape deck, found many years of PO "wiring." I ripped it ALL out, and started from nothing. It was so satisfying.

C.Costine wrote: The clear tube thing is most likely your windshield washer tubing

Perfect! Thank you. Gone!!!

Low windshield, flat dash FOREVER!!!! I've tried to look under the newer dash and can't imagine working on one. Having built the harness I wouldn't want to be the one installing it.

Pain, suffering, the Dark Side it is.

***Update***
I have given up on removing the clock. Thought about removing the cardboard glove box but no, not going to go there. Really a shame but it will just have to wait.

Ok, reverse order.

Found a good key controlled fused link on the fuse block. Tested it on the new gauge, works great.
(take a break)
Moving on to the gas gauge. (remember I'm a SR20DE swap, honda EFI pump installed in trunk)
Plugged in gauge, key on... nothing. Ugh. Need to pop the access hole in the trunk and check the sending unit. I do believe it's just reading ohms.
(Taking a break)

Money saved to date 8 hours x $70 an hour = $560.00

Kendall124 wrote:***Update***
I have given up on removing the clock.

Um..no.
Pull the heater knobs to the up position. Remove the 3 retaining screws. Slide the lever panel down about an inch. This should give you room to remove and reinstall the clock. Nuts on clock look like 10-11mm.
What... another $45 bucks?

Ok, I'll give that a try. Going to take the rest of Saturday off. My current issue is the fuel gauge. Investigating the fuel / temp voltage regulator under the dash. Cleaned up the ground and still nothing. Probed around with the multi-meter. Something's not adding up. Rallye has them for $170.00!!! I also saw how to make your own for $10.00 but I'm not good with that kinda stuff. Might need to recruit a local Datsun expert to come show me what I'm doing wrong.
More tomorrow.

Is the gauge getting a good ground?

See this post for Nissan one, about $50.

http://www.311s.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.ph ... ge#p209131

Um... No. It was just kind of hanging there during diagnosing / testing. Uh oh, let me guess... Case needs to be grounded to the dash?

Oh this is gonna be tough. It's Saturday night... Date Night!!! So whether it's sitting across from my girl at dinner or next to her during the movie my mind is going to be wondering, "If I could just get out in the shop to see if that works." or "I wonder how I can trouble shoot that regulator?" or "that f-ing clock, I WILL get that sucker out!" or "Let me just jump on-line to see what they're saying at 331s.org."

Kendall124 wrote:Case needs to be grounded to the dash?

'I BELIEVE' a.k.a. this might be bad advice, but then again it might not be...

I believe that the case acts as the ground for the gauges.. So try grounding the case when testing, and see?

RCMike wrote:

Kendall124 wrote:Case needs to be grounded to the dash?

'I BELIEVE' a.k.a. this might be bad advice, but then again it might not be...

I believe that the case acts as the ground for the gauges.. So try grounding the case when testing, and see?

The temperature and gas gauge do not need to be grounded to work. They are inline in the circuit and the grounding occurs at the sending units. They do however have to be grounded if you want your dash lights to work.

As far as I have read on here and know the gauge voltage regulator does need to be grounded. The newer one I found has three wires coming out of it and one is ground.

Kendall124 wrote:Ok, I'll give that a try. Going to take the rest of Saturday off. My current issue is the fuel gauge. Investigating the fuel / temp voltage regulator under the dash. Cleaned up the ground and still nothing. Probed around with the multi-meter. Something's not adding up. Rallye has them for $170.00!!! I also saw how to make your own for $10.00 but I'm not good with that kinda stuff. Might need to recruit a local Datsun expert to come show me what I'm doing wrong.
More tomorrow.

Could the wires have gotten switched? Mine did - must have been garage gremlins..... Anyway, since the gauges are slow to react, nothing happened when I switched the wires back, but I'm not the patient type & didn't wait long enough.

How would one diagnose whether the regulator was bad?
After the engine swap, I did have fuel / temp gauge for a brief moment. Dash lights too but they went away. I shined up the mount location for the regulator and tried it again. Nothing. Followed the lines from the sending unit up front through the firewall. Everything appears ok.

The search function here at 311s has been helpful.

Coffee then back to the garage.

Don't the regulators vibrate when they're on?