I do have wiring diagrams in the Explorer book and, they are in color. I also have the wiring diagrams in the back of the service manual.
I will do the checks that you mention tomorrow. I have someone from our British car club, who is a Lucas wiring expert, coming over tomorrow to help with this problem. I am now optimistic that by the end of the day tomorrow, things will be back to normal.
Then I will want to know what caused this problem and do something to ensure that it does not happen again.
We spent 2 hours yesterday, diagnosing the problem and, found it to be the ammeter. When we unhooked the wires from the ammeter and hooked them together, then we connected a wire from the cigar lighter, to get 12 V to the wires and, everything worked. We then hooked a regular old ammeter from NAPA up and everything still works fine. Exactly how did you fix your ammeter? It turns out that there is only one place in the country, in New York, that fixes them. They want $125 just to look at it and, then some more to fix it. A friend has one for a 150. Do you know if that is the same one used on a 140 OTS?
We spent 2 hours yesterday, diagnosing the problem and found it to be the ammeter. We hooked the ammeter wires together, and hooked power to them from the cigar lighter and everything then worked. We put in a normal 30 amp ammeter from NAPA and things are working fine. I now need to find a replacement. A friend has one for a 150. Do you know if that is the same as is used for the 140? It turns out that there is now only one place in the country, in New York, that fixes them. They want $125 just to look at it, then more to fix it. So, I am looking around
We spent 2 hours yesterday, diagnosing the problem and, found it to be the ammeter. When we unhooked the wires from the ammeter and hooked them together, then we connected a wire from the cigar lighter, to get 12 V to the wires and, everything worked. We then hooked a regular old ammeter from NAPA up and everything still works fine. Exactly how did you fix your ammeter? It turns out that there is only one place in the country, in New York, that fixes them. They want $125 just to look at it and, then some more to fix it. A friend has one for a 150. Do you know if that is the same one used on a 140 OTS?
Yes, as I previously posted, they can be repaired or replaced at a price. I was quoted $190US for a new one. If you know how to solder you should be able to repair it. What’s to lose?
Remove the ammeter. Carefully bend back the prongs hold the case and slide the case off. You will see two terminals with a heavy (14ga) copper wire connecting them formed into a loop. Mine was burned in two which is why it wasn’t passing current. Form a new wire duplicating the loop as closely as possible. I put shrink insulation over the wire where the loop crosses. Unsolder the old loop and solder the new one in it’s place.
think this was mentioned at the beginning but something must have caused this failure. Its possible its just a bad joint which you will find out when you get the cover off. However if the wire shunt is burnt thru something caused it. At the very least you should install a battery isolator switch that you can reach fm the drivers seat. And I would recommend you leave the battery isolated when you leave the car.
I installed another voltage regulator and, it was putting out 16 volts and 30 amps. So, I turned the car off, since the output was too high, then the ammeter went to 30 amps discharge. To stop that, I turned the key on/off a couple of times but, by then the ammeter was dead and everything else was dead. Hopefully, I will try taking the ammeter apart and looking for a burned wire or bad solder joint. There is a place in NY that repairs them. They want $125 just to look at it, then more to fix it. So, I have nothing to lose by opening mine up and see what is wrong with it.
The 30 amps came from the other voltage regulator that I installed. Once I took that out and reinstalled the old VR, and put a temporary ammeter in place, everything works like it always has worked.
I just pulled the original ammeter out and can see the 4 tabs that need to be bent to take the back off, When I bend them and take the back off, how do a I disconnect the needle, without bending or breaking it?
Well, those tabs were very hard to get loose but, I managed. And, nothing, the wire is in one piece and the solder joints are fine. When I test continuity between the solder joints, it is fine. I actually could have done that test at the 2 screws on the back, before I bothered taking this apart. When I now do a continuity test at the 2 screws, I get it. I just assumed that the meter was bad inside. Any ideas? Or, do I just put this back together and try it on the car to see if by some miracle it is now working?
Al’
Been following the discussion. I would check for a continuity issue with the wires going to the ammeter. You might try testing while you manipulate the wires to see if there is a break in the wires themselves. What I mean is when you hook the up directly or use the new ammeter the wires are not aligned the same way as the natural way the old ammeter positions the wires. Just a thought.
Well that is good news. Now, just think about it. That heavy wire inside is a direct short between the terminals (a pass-through if you will. If you have a wiring diagram you will see that there is a wire from the battery (via the fuse block) to the ammeter. First, with a volt meter, check that you have 12v to BOTH sides of the ammeter. If you do, next check the wire from the ammeter to the headlamp switch. That should read 12v as well. If not, you either have a bad connection at the ammeter or bad wire. Do the headlamps work? That will tell you if you’re getting voltage. The ignition circuit runs from that connection on the headlamp switch. Check to see if you have 12v there. Just like Sherlock Holmes.
I wish that I had some good news to report but, it did it again. Last month, I took the ammeter apart and tested it and, it had continuity across the heavy wire and the solder joints. So, I put it back together and hooked up the wires and, it was working fine with 12.5 volts on both sides of the ammeter and on one of the ignition wires. I tested the voltage regulator and all the numbers were what they were before all this problem started. I sta rted it a couple of times during the month of April and it ran fine but, I did not move the car. So, a couple of days ago my wife started bugging me about getting it driving again. So, again I stared it and tested the VR readings and they were fine. I drove it back and forth in the driveway a couple of times and it was fine so, I pulled it in the garage, went in the house for a few minutes, then came out to do some testing in the neighborhood. I started it, tested it again and got part way out of the garage and it died, just like it did originally. I checked the ammeter and, it had continuity and, it had 12.5 volts on both screws and one of the ignition wires. But, the car was dead again, no cranking and no lights. But, an hour later it was only reading 7 volts at the ammeter and ignition but, the battery was still reading 12.5 volts.
So, my wife got upset and wanted her car towed to the guy who did all the original work restoring it a couple of years ago. He planned on first putting it on a lift an checking out the wiring under the car, near the starter and the ground wires. Now, we are just waiting for news.
Thanks for all your help and advice last month. I will keep you posted on what the solution turns out to be.
All the best Captain, I still think its the repop regulator.
If thefeed wire is not sound,it will cut a car out at anytime. My 120 and ASTON MARTIN DB2 shared the same one.
Good luck…
gtjoey1314
Also justto refresh, the OLD voltage regulator that a judge said was incorrect.
Did it work fine with it?
If so, screw the judging and drive the car!!!
Having fun but would like to know if the old original works.
