Instrument Cluster Voltage Regulator

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williaml

williaml

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Where can I find the Instrument Cluster Voltage Regulator on the car. Is it under the dash or on the firewall....

Thanks as always.
 
the light over my speedometer works sometimes and sometimes not I think it might be the regulator....The bulb seems tight...
 
The regulator does NOT have anything to do with your dashlights. The voltage regulator is only for the fuel and temp gauges.

Probable culprits are bad bulb, dirty contacts, bad bulb holder, bad trace on circuit board. I don't remember how much harder it is to pull the instrument cluster on a dart than a valiant, but 65 valiants are easy to pull. I would pull the cluster out clean copper where the bulb holder makes contact, clean the terminal pins where the harness plugs in, and clean the copper where the circuit board bolts to the dashface. The little nuts that the factory used are stamped steel with a very small contact area I like to change them to normal style nuts with small copper washer and some dielectric grease. And while you have the dash out replace every bulb so you don't have to go back as they fail one by one.
 
Your voltage limiter may be housed in gas gage. Not all were external, and pluged into circuit board.
 
mcnoople said:
The regulator does NOT have anything to do with your dashlights. The voltage regulator is only for the fuel and temp gauges.

Probable culprits are bad bulb, dirty contacts, bad bulb holder, bad trace on circuit board. I don't remember how much harder it is to pull the instrument cluster on a dart than a valiant, but 65 valiants are easy to pull. I would pull the cluster out clean copper where the bulb holder makes contact, clean the terminal pins where the harness plugs in, and clean the copper where the circuit board bolts to the dashface. The little nuts that the factory used are stamped steel with a very small contact area I like to change them to normal style nuts with small copper washer and some dielectric grease. And while you have the dash out replace every bulb so you don't have to go back as they fail one by one.
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x2

nothing to do with dash lights....just cuts 12V down to about 5.5V for gauges
 
That panel doesn't have a lot of light in it to begin with. The later model bulb sockets and Sylvania #2825 bulbs will fit ( see pic ).
The bulb sockets get their ground through the screws beside them creating a path from copper trace on the board to the gauge housing. Then the housing is grounded through the screws in the dash. All of these hardware links can become loss of conatct points. Cleaning every little piece would help but.. actual copper wire is a much better conductor.
 

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wjajr said:
Your voltage limiter may be housed in gas gage. Not all were external, and pluped into circuit board.
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On a 69 Barracuda /6, would it be plugged into the dash or the gas gauge? I've been having a heck of a time trying to find it.
 
It’s not plugged into gas gage, but built into gas gage. I have not had one of these gas gages in my hands, so a better description as to what to look for escapes me. It is safe to say though if there is no external voltage limiter plugged into the circuit board easily seen, than look inside gas gage for the limiter; it will look like a set of points.

These internal limiters can be bypassed if defective and replace with an external device; preferably an up dated electronic unit producing a constant 5v output. Search this site and slantsix.org for methods used by others to accomplish this task if you find that your voltage limiter is bad.

I’m not at my computer with its’ vast book marked stash of A Body tid-bits, or I would hot link several sites for you to this topic; sorry.
 
wjajr said:
It’s not plugged into gas gage, but built into gas gage. I have not had one of these gas gages in my hands, so a better description as to what to look for escapes me. It is safe to say though if there is no external voltage limiter plugged into the circuit board easily seen, than look inside gas gage for the limiter; it will look like a set of points.

These internal limiters can be bypassed if defective and replace with an external device; preferably an up dated electronic unit producing a constant 5v output. Search this site and slantsix.org for methods used by others to accomplish this task if you find that your voltage limiter is bad.

I’m not at my computer with its’ vast book marked stash of A Body tid-bits, or I would hot link several sites for you to this topic; sorry.
Click to expand...

Thanks, if I'm not mistaken, I believe RedFish sells one.
 
Fuel gauges with 3 contact/mounting posts have the voltage liniter built inside. All other typical gauges have only 2 posts. Early a-body panels and the rallye panel found in 67 through 71 second generation A-body have 3 post gauges.
 
RedFish said:
Fuel gauges with 3 contact/mounting posts have the voltage liniter built inside. All other typical gauges have only 2 posts. Early a-body panels and the rallye panel found in 67 through 71 second generation A-body have 3 post gauges.
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Hey Benny,

I'm guessing since I don't have a rallye gauge on my 69 that I have a separate regulator. I've been able to poke my head under the dash and noticed a wire attached to the gas gauge going to a cylinder that I'm assuming is the regulator. However, the regulator I purchased is rectangular. Could this just be the new shape of the regulator?
 
A single wire from a round object is a noise supression capasitior. It's duty is to prevent a pop noise in your radio speaker that is generated buy thelimiters points, opening and closing. A solid state regulator doesn't generate the noise so the capasitor isn't needed.

But wait... That wire should have been attached to the limiter. Why would it be attached to the fuel gauge unless your limiter is infact inside the fuel gauge ?
If that fuel gauge has 3 posts, you wont find a limiter attached anywhere else.
All this and more is available to read on the DeMonIVR website.
 
RedFish said:
A single wire from a round object is a noise supression capasitior. It's duty is to prevent a pop noise in your radio speaker that is generated buy thelimiters points, opening and closing. A solid state regulator doesn't generate the noise so the capasitor isn't needed.

But wait... That wire should have been attached to the limiter. Why would it be attached to the fuel gauge unless your limiter is infact inside the fuel gauge ?
If that fuel gauge has 3 posts, you wont find a limiter attached anywhere else.
All this and more is available to read on the DeMonIVR website.
Click to expand...

Is it normal for the limiter within the gauge to fail> And if so, would that effect the Temp gauge also?
 
the mechanical limiters fail eventually regardless where they are located. Oil gauge, temp gauge, and fuel gauge get their power supply from the limiter.
 
There is only one limiter. "It" supplies power to ANY guages except speedo, tach, or ammeter.

In other words it powers fuel, temp, and oil if you have it.

When the limiter is built into the fuel gauge, as yours should be, the gauge will have THREE terminals.

1 switched 12V into the gauge to feed the limiter

2 limiter OUTPUT is wired internally to the fuel gauge, and comes OUT to a second terminal, which jumpers limiter output over to the temp and oil gagues

3 the fuel sender terminal.
 
67Dart273 said:
There is only one limiter. "It" supplies power to ANY guages except speedo, tach, or ammeter.

In other words it powers fuel, temp, and oil if you have it.

When the limiter is built into the fuel gauge, as yours should be, the gauge will have THREE terminals.

1 switched 12V into the gauge to feed the limiter

2 limiter OUTPUT is wired internally to the fuel gauge, and comes OUT to a second terminal, which jumpers limiter output over to the temp and oil gagues

3 the fuel sender terminal.
Click to expand...

OK...got it...thanks!
 
Just wanted to add:

Gauges and lights will not work if the fuse is blown.
(simplest fix-secenario)
 
Actually, the gauges are not fused. They (that is the instrument voltage limiter) and the warning light(s) are fed "ignition run" or "ign1" power direct from the ignition switch.
 
I redid the cluster in my 65 Dart. It is fairly easy to remove but the screws go into plastic so be careful. I wrapped the split plastic posts w/ nylon tape and epoxy to fix them. The regulator is in the fuel gage and smart to replace with an external electronic one. A guy on ebay sells them for ~$25 w/ good photos.

While you have the cluster out, sand all the connectors, including bulb contacts, and coat w/ silicone grease. Re-soldering loose pins on the circular connector is a common repair. I used LED dash bulbs which look nice and should last forever (ebay).

I went further and removed the plastic lenses and polished. That isn't easy since you must drill the "welds" and epoxy back. I also had all the plastic dash pieces chrome sprayed (Sacramento Chrome $110.). Might as well go whole hog.
 
BillGrissom said:
I redid the cluster in my 65 Dart. It is fairly easy to remove but the screws go into plastic so be careful. I wrapped the split plastic posts w/ nylon tape and epoxy to fix them. The regulator is in the fuel gage and smart to replace with an external electronic one. A guy on ebay sells them for ~$25 w/ good photos.

While you have the cluster out, sand all the connectors, including bulb contacts, and coat w/ silicone grease. Re-soldering loose pins on the circular connector is a common repair. I used LED dash bulbs which look nice and should last forever (ebay).

I went further and removed the plastic lenses and polished. That isn't easy since you must drill the "welds" and epoxy back. I also had all the plastic dash pieces chrome sprayed (Sacramento Chrome $110.). Might as well go whole hog.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info Bill....appreciate it!
 
Just wanted to add a modern alternative in case anyone is interested...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Upgrade-to-...Parts_Accessories&hash=item415372cf6c&vxp=mtr

printed circuit board...measures 1.5 inches square....attaches with velcro under dash.....I recently put one of these in my street rod for my gauges and works great.....It has a potentiometer on it to adjust what you want the voltage at....simple 3 wires to hookup....input 12V from ignition, ground, and output going to gauges (typically 5 V but can be adjusted)....
 
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