Mazda Rotary Club

General => General Technical => Topic started by: peterwolds on February 26, 2010, 11:45:10 AM

Title: loss of gauges
Post by: peterwolds on February 26, 2010, 11:45:10 AM
all fine 1st thing this morning then went out later on realised water temp/oil/boost/revs/fuel gauges not working - needles staying at bottom (speedo ok).
wondering if flooded & will dry out  down to a lorry going opposite direction through a large puddle absolutely waterfalled the car  ?
Title: loss of gauges
Post by: Prof on February 26, 2010, 12:00:05 PM
could be - gauges are susceptible to earthing issues big time, and speedo is mechanically driven ;)
 
Hope a dry out fixes it
Title: loss of gauges
Post by: grinder on February 26, 2010, 12:48:12 PM
are they mechanical or electric ?
Title: loss of gauges
Post by: Prof on February 26, 2010, 01:09:20 PM
If it\'s the stock gauges - all are electric except the speedo
Title: loss of gauges
Post by: peterwolds on February 26, 2010, 01:13:43 PM
Stu as Dave says stock gauges - car is standard apart from fox rs alloys
Title: loss of gauges
Post by: grinder on February 26, 2010, 02:05:14 PM
ah right sorry - thought you meant you had extra gagues fitted

have you dont the obvious and checked all the fuses ?
Title: loss of gauges
Post by: peterwolds on February 26, 2010, 03:44:30 PM
not looked at fuses as persistently raining (polite version),hoping dries out on way home otherwise bonnet up in garage tomorrow
Title: loss of gauges
Post by: grinder on February 26, 2010, 03:46:02 PM
fuses are inside the car ( under the steering wheel ) - so cant see them getting wet to be honest ... im just clutching at ideas to be honest
Title: loss of gauges
Post by: peterwolds on February 26, 2010, 06:31:20 PM
Quote from: grinder;675346fuses are inside the car ( under the steering wheel ) - so cant see them getting wet to be honest ... im just clutching at ideas to be honest

Stu so not under bonnet & some in drivers side footwell like my fd3s was then ?
33 mile trip home from work still out of order plus was cold as heater blower not working as well - at least i know soft top is waterproof.
now all i need to do is find trusty fc3s haynes manual which i havent seen since moved november - groan i hate that lorry driver
Title: loss of gauges
Post by: grinder on February 27, 2010, 10:17:17 AM
there are a few by the battery EGI , HEADLIGHT etc.. - but i think they would effect the running of the car not just stop the gauges working
Title: loss of gauges
Post by: peterwolds on February 27, 2010, 10:24:56 AM
Quote from: grinder;675498there are a few by the battery EGI , HEADLIGHT etc.. - but i think they would effect the running of the car not just stop the gauges working

just checked those seem ok wires intact 30/60 amps.batch of spade fuses all 10 amps nearby also appear ok the plastic box was firmly on & dry.
havent found fuses in car yet presume i need to take a panel off ?
lack of heater appears from the manual to be a circuit breaker button to press to reset which looks like its on the fuse box inside the car when i find it.
Title: loss of gauges
Post by: peterwolds on February 27, 2010, 10:44:50 AM
found it same awkward inaccesible place as fd near accelerator,looking at description on lid cant see any relating to gauges,couple are vague - room (guess interior light),meter 10amp ?,engine 15amp ?
beggining to think daves right earthing problem
Title: loss of gauges
Post by: grinder on February 27, 2010, 11:01:16 AM
It could be an earth problem - thing is - where do they all earth ??
Title: loss of gauges
Post by: peterwolds on March 01, 2010, 10:03:45 AM
bought a box of fuses yesterday will do 1 by 1 next weekend.the fuse marked meter is a possibility as the gauges are often referred to as meters ?
tried the relay reset button for the heater no good.
came across this in searching on here dont know if same on an FC as an FD - There is a white plug which connects the clock loom, from the loom in the engine bay, which if you stick your head under the glove box at the back in the passenger side you\'ll see, is this connected?
Title: loss of gauges
Post by: grinder on March 01, 2010, 01:05:13 PM
errrrrrrrrr no idea to be honest :(
Title: loss of gauges
Post by: Prof on March 01, 2010, 01:40:24 PM
Is your\'s a UK car Pete ?
 
If so I will have a looksie in the wiring manual tonight - see if I can figure out which fuse it is.
Title: loss of gauges
Post by: peterwolds on March 01, 2010, 01:50:09 PM
Quote from: Prof;675928Is your\'s a UK car Pete ?
 
If so I will have a looksie in the wiring manual tonight - see if I can figure out which fuse it is.

Thanks Dave ,daft as it may seem not 100% sure think was 1st registered here 1991,presume says either on door pillar drivers side or engine bay plate ?
Will look tonight when home.The fuse box in the bay has 4x10A but no description as to what they are for unlike the footwell,haynes manual no help - have enough to change the whole car now.went to 4 places none had a fuse puller so its fingers & hope dont drop any !
Why do they put fuses in such a ridiculously hard place to get at nearly breaks your back/neck & i am only small :rollin
Title: loss of gauges
Post by: grinder on March 01, 2010, 02:06:40 PM
the 4 in the engine bay have nothing to do with the gauges - so dont worry about them :D

and the inside of the car ones :

http://www.mazdarotaryclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30007#Q5

and this : http://www.mazdarotaryclub.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=32910&d=1186055187"]http://www.mazdarotaryclub.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=32910&d=1186055187
Title: loss of gauges
Post by: Prof on March 01, 2010, 02:10:56 PM
Quote from: peterwolds;675930Thanks Dave ,daft as it may seem not 100% sure think was 1st registered here 1991,presume says either on door pillar drivers side or engine bay plate ?
Will look tonight when home.The fuse box in the bay has 4x10A but no description as to what they are for unlike the footwell,haynes manual no help - have enough to change the whole car now.went to 4 places none had a fuse puller so its fingers & hope dont drop any !
Why do they put fuses in such a ridiculously hard place to get at nearly breaks your back/neck & i am only small :rollin

Agreed - they are a sod to get to!
 
As for the 4 10A\'s in the engine bay = they aren\'t stock - so as Grinder says - ignore them (prob alarm or something)
 
When you next lift the bonnet - take a gander at the long number stamped into the bulkhead/firewall - it it\'s 17 chars long - tis a UK car.
Title: loss of gauges
Post by: grinder on March 01, 2010, 02:12:03 PM
looks like you might need the METER 10A one - as that does the meter what ever that is and the cooling fan ??
Title: loss of gauges
Post by: grinder on March 01, 2010, 02:13:17 PM
or even the CIGAR 10A - as that does the heating controls ?
Title: loss of gauges
Post by: peterwolds on March 01, 2010, 02:21:16 PM
cheers Stu & Dave the meter 1 is the most likely suspect, wouldnt have sussed cigar as being heater but will do as well.
assume the 4x10A are for the clifford alarm.will look at number tonight.
wouldnt like to drive any car without gauges working but a rotary:eek:
Title: loss of gauges
Post by: grinder on March 01, 2010, 02:42:10 PM
the 4 in the engine bay i think were used for a stock alarm system

might be worth looking at what isnt working - and then sus the fuse from there

but you are only checking 2 - so should take you about 30 seconds

open door , kneel on the floor and its easier than trying to do it in the car

or as i did , sit on the seat upside down with your feet on the roof and your head by the pedals .. looks very silly though :D :D
Title: loss of gauges
Post by: peterwolds on March 01, 2010, 03:07:51 PM
Quoteor as i did , sit on the seat upside down with your feet on the roof and your head by the pedals .. looks very silly though :D :D
trying to picture you Stu :Giggle
i did the floor kneeling saturday with a torch resting on a pedal
Title: loss of gauges
Post by: grinder on March 01, 2010, 05:12:52 PM
as you say - they are not in the easiest of positions !! :D
Title: loss of gauges
Post by: peterwolds on March 01, 2010, 06:35:25 PM
shes a japanese import JMZFC183200202054
Title: loss of gauges
Post by: Prof on March 01, 2010, 07:24:59 PM
Well the fuse is a 10A one, fed via the ignition key and the main 100A fuse.  Stupid manual doesn\'t say what it\'s called - but looks to be labelled X07 - probably \'meters\'.  It will be one of the fuses in the box by the drivers feet.  From the US PDF for body electrical - the fuse is in the centre, 2nd row down from the 2 circuit breakers.
 
The ground for the instrument cluster, for the convertible, appears to come from the left hand side of the cluster - behind the centre console or on the right hand side of it.
Title: loss of gauges
Post by: grinder on March 02, 2010, 12:30:44 PM
Quote from: peterwolds;676003shes a japanese import JMZFC183200202054

humm looks like a UK chassis number ???????

my JDM one is only about 7 chars long
Title: loss of gauges
Post by: grinder on March 02, 2010, 12:35:58 PM
me again .. just checked my parts cat and its a recognised UK car

its a RX-7 :D

Exterior Colour : SQ
Interior Colour : FD8
Year : 1989

Its a turbo convertable , manual , 5 speed , normal suspension , no ABS ( i think ) , no auto suspension

AND ... it had a production date of 1990 / 08 / 01 - no idea what that means ( it is a 01 Aug or a 8th Jan )
Title: loss of gauges
Post by: peterwolds on March 02, 2010, 12:37:13 PM
Quote from: grinder;676180humm looks like a UK chassis number ???????

my JDM one is only about 7 chars long

Stu think you are right i was expecting the 17 to mean numbers rather than include letters - which including letters comes to 17 - rarer ?
Title: loss of gauges
Post by: peterwolds on March 02, 2010, 12:39:00 PM
Quote from: Prof;676018Well the fuse is a 10A one, fed via the ignition key and the main 100A fuse.  Stupid manual doesn\'t say what it\'s called - but looks to be labelled X07 - probably \'meters\'.  It will be one of the fuses in the box by the drivers feet.  From the US PDF for body electrical - the fuse is in the centre, 2nd row down from the 2 circuit breakers.
 
The ground for the instrument cluster, for the convertible, appears to come from the left hand side of the cluster - behind the centre console or on the right hand side of it.
cheers Dave
Title: loss of gauges
Post by: peterwolds on March 06, 2010, 11:14:56 AM
replaced 10A cigar/10A meter/30A heater fuses - bingo everything working.
:Thumbsup!:Thumbsup! for help
Title: loss of gauges
Post by: grinder on March 08, 2010, 09:55:12 AM
nice one .. i love a cheap fix !
Title: loss of gauges
Post by: peterwolds on March 08, 2010, 09:59:01 AM
Quote from: grinder;677562nice one .. i love a cheap fix !

thats a surprise :Giggle
Title: loss of gauges
Post by: peterwolds on April 30, 2010, 06:34:40 PM
the old girl kept blowing fuses so took to an auto electrician to sort turned out was the reverse light switch caused it - daft or what
Title: loss of gauges
Post by: grinder on April 30, 2010, 11:51:45 PM
very daft but i suppose you found a fix ;)