gsi clocks

[coombsey]

where should the needle be for the battery volts when started as a mate has a redtop in and it only goes up to a quarter and when you put heater lights on it goes down also after about 2 minutes the fuel guage goes down too any ideas or things to check was thinking its an earth problem??

[Adam]

Battery gauge should be around half with the engine running.

[coombsey]

its on a quarter and when any thing is switched on it goes down even lower not sure about oil one tho

[Adam]

Your alternators not charging if it sits on the first mark on the battery gauge.

The fuel gauge goes up and down? Or do you mean oil?

[coombsey]

thr fuel gauge works then after about 2 mins it goes downto about a quarter then goes back up to full and the car hasnt moved, dunno what oil does where should that be and the (!) stays on until its started the car started off as a gsi before the engine was put in

[Adam]

The (!) is brake fluid and does come on with the ignition, goes off when engine is started.

Check the fuel sender wires/plugs.
Perhaps the sender or the gauge is fooked.

[coombsey]

there is no handbrake light tho

[Adam]

Check obvious things, like you have the handbrake on lol
And the pin switch under the lever, clock bulb.

[coombsey]

just had a quick look at the car and the battery guage is on a quarter not half and goes down to the red when lights or windows are opened, its a brand new battery on it and it is on 12.6 voltsish when started

[craig green]

When the engine is running a tip top charging system should run at 14.4 volts(ish). It will drop under load.

In my experience the GSi dash usually looks low on most of the dials.

My 1st SR clocks used to show higher volts but when I had my GSi & same as my mates GSi the dial does sit lower all the time. I beleive they are calibrated differently or something like that.

Sounds normal to me.

[coombsey]

even tho i had it running for fiftheen minutes it stayed at 12.6ish and when i cut it off it went down to 11.4ish??

[craig green]

does it say the voltage? I thought it was a red area & then dashed lines.

[bump]

Get the engine running and put a multi meter avross the battery, if this reads upwards of 13.8V then all is fine with the charging system and thus the clocks are not reading correctly. If your under 13.8V then the regulator is most likely cooked on the alt.

[Adam]

The gsi gauge has no voltage markings, but comparing it to my multi meter readings, id say the first white mark is 12v, and the middle mark is 14v.
It should be about on the middle mark. Mine always sits there with the engine running, has done on all engines/alt's ive had.

If its on the first mark your alternator isn't charging.
Does the alternator battery light work on the dash?

[craig green]

Even when my alternator was re-conned it still read the same. Something I watched out for.

[coombsey]

them readings were off a multimeter and the battery light does go off its on a quarter then when you put any thing on it goes down to top of the red

[Adam]

For the third time, your alternator isn't charging lol

Check the connections to it, and that you have a earth strap betweeen it and the inlet.

[stevie78]

try tightening the fan belt brought my gauge up a bit too just over half

[coombsey]

For the third time, your alternator isn't charging lol

Check the connections to it, and that you have a earth strap betweeen it and the inlet.
if it isnt charging why does the light go out thought it stayed on