Instrument Constant Voltage Regulator Troubleshooting and Solid State Replacement
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 11 ก.ย. 2024
- DISCLAIMER: These videos show my way of doing things. Don't necessarily follow my advice, I could be wrong. You are responsible for your actions. Not me.
Replacing the Constant Voltage Regulator with a solid-state one on a 66 Mustang, but this applies to all Fords using a CVR.
I don't show the physical installation because there are already plenty of videos that show that. CJ Pony Parts has a good replacement video.
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As an retired electrical instrumentation tech, good video explaining the bi-metal IVR. The fuel, engine temp, and oil pressure gauges are bi-metal operated. Note these bi-metal gauges are not linear, nature of bi-metal systems. Dealt with this on my 1990 Ford E350 motor home chassis. Note the Ford E series uses a bi-metal system where as Ford F and Bronco series use a magnetic gauge system. The catch-22 is when changing a fuel sending unit on the E-series, often the F series sending unit will physically fit and the electric fuel pump will operate. Auto parts stores make this mistake often. However due to the variable resistor on the F series being of a different ohm range. The E series fuel gauge will not longer operate correctly. Something to be mindful of when working on E series of 1990 and earlier.
I just got around to watching this video, thank you for the shout out! I need to do a better job at watching your content. The CVR specifically I haven't covered yet so thanks for sharring!
Thanks man. I'm glad to see your channel is doing well!
@@mechtrician1 thank you! Looks like you're still growing as well. Almost 1000 subs!
@@AlfsMustangGarage never imagined that would happen. Wasn’t even trying lol. Just wanted to document things.
@@mechtrician1 yup same here. If you build it, they will come right?
60’s and early 70’s Chrysler products use these voltage regulators too. When the fuel and temperature gauge quits working you know they’ve gone bad
Like others this regulator has been the bane of my existence. I have replaced it a couple of times with no luck. I have another new one to try I hope to install soon.
Hmmm...this part goes by 2 different names..voltage limiter versus voltage regulator. Id identify this as the limiter. The regulator part refers to your alternator circuit. The pulsing 12 volts when connected limits the voltage to the gauge to average out above 5 volts. Remember regardless of what circuit we talk about there is always resistance encountered which will cause a certain voltage drop. The 5 volts entering the gauges is the sweet spot so you don't fry your thermoresistor type gauges which as you correctly identified as the fuel oil pressure and temperature gauges. I also agree that your voltage limiter was working properly and either the sending units..wires or a bad ground were the more probable cause for your gauges reading incorrectly. Always check for good grounds and the voltage limiter must also be grounded well I suspect that could have been the real issue since it affected all 3 of your gauges. Don't throw that part away.
Your replacement reg is supposed to bounce to 12v. It was likely ok . 12v on 50% of the time =6v ish . To work properly it needs to be hooked to a load . Too bad you didn't try it out it likely was fine . Thanks for posting.
Exactly, thats how Mechanical Bi metal Voltage regulators are designed to work. It's a Duty Cycle square wave output. It's effective Voltage is as you say ~ 5 - 6 volts. I agree w/ you , the Voltage regulator was probably NOT the problem. Thanks.
Some good information, thanks. But I’m looking for how to replace it more than why to replace it.
Please tell me where the 'I' regulator wire goes to on a 66 Mustang ? I have no harness, just loose wires. I think I figured out where the S, F and A wires go but not the 'I' wire. Thank you.
Very helpful! I watched Alf's as well and that gas tank was a mess! Can you tell me the connections you made to the CVR on the bench? Thanks
So I’m guessing you could gut the original and stick in a 6v linear regulator and a pot and accomplish the same thing? Just got a ‘63 Falcon home and I’m sure it uses the same regulator.
Pretty much, yes you can. There are some things I have found though that just aren’t worth my time anymore. It was more cost and time effective to just buy it.
Yes your falcon should use the same unit. From what I have seen, this unit was used on multiple ford and mercury vehicles throughout the 60s and I believe into the early 70s at least.
You measured voltage with the scott drake solid state CVR and said you have to regulate it down, what voltage did it read? How far off from 5 volts? It is hard to read the meter on the video but it almost looked like 9 volts?,,,
Hello I got a question is 3 connector regulator and how you connect because I have different connections my looks like 9 v small battery
What is the part number for the solid state reg?
I have a 66 Thunderbird. For the life of me I can not find the reason I have no dash lights. Does this CVR have anything to do with that or is this lil bugger strictly for the gauges?
This is strictly for the gauges.
I have an 08 Grand Marquis and the odometer was just repaired. Was completely dark. Now it is working but it dims and brightens. Was 💭 if it could be the cluster voltage regulator. Any help. Thanks
It wont have a CVR like this, however what you are describing sounds like the alternator or voltage regulator which is part of the alternator.
What a rink-dink way of regulating voltage… any chance this component can be replaced with a modern buck/boost converter?
Literally cover that in this video.
@@mechtrician1 yessir, I saw that. Thank you!
I've been playing with the cvr on my '66 Falcon for years trying to chase down why it does what it does. I've swapped it out three times with both mechanical and solid state. My fuel gauge reads high and my temp gauge reads low. When I turn the lights on, the fuel gauge gains about a quarter tank and the temp gauge moves higher by about a quarter sweep. Same happens when the heater fan is turned on.
My limited electrical knowledge tells me that for some reason I'm losing resistance to the gauges when the lights and fan are turned on - more current flow.
Where would you go looking to solve this issue? Thanks
Well a few things here. Sounds like separate issues but they may be related. For the first issue with fuel reading high and temp reading low, it could be a multitude of things, but probably not the CVR. Temp reading low could be the sending unit as could also be your issue with the fuel sending unit. Could be the gauges themselves as well since they are mechanical as well. It's difficult to say without some troubleshooting, but if they are not having a common problem, it probably isn't a common issue. The second issue may be related to the first though. Besides a bad ground which can cause current flows to bypass through the instrument circuit when things like headlights are on, it could be that the overall voltage goes up from the system voltage regulator on the car when the demand goes up. That would explain the gauges reading higher when load is higher. A test you can run is to check the system voltage (with the car running) with the headlights off, then check it with them on. If the voltage goes up quite a bit when they are on, then you know its related. Now the CVR is supposed to regulate this, but it only will to a point. If you still have the mechanical system voltage regulator, it can cause this. I found mine to be putting out almost 16V sometimes. I replaced it with a solid state one which is much more reliable (until I replaced the alternator with an internally regulated one, which is even more stable).
I have a solid state one on it now. Nothing changed. I replaced my original alternator with a Ford 3G. Nothing changed.
I tested the temp lead where it connects to the engine. It showed 5 volts without the lights on and 9 volts with the lights on. So there's definitely more voltage coming out of the cvr with the lights on.
As I'm sure you know, each gauge grounds its self through the sending unit and the cvr has its own separate ground. So there's no common ground that would effect all of them.
It's a mystery.
I think I'll run a new, separate ground to the cvr and see what that does. Right now it disappears into the harness and converges with other ground wires, and they all connect to ground somewhere that I'm unable to locate.
That's interesting, the voltage bump says it though, that would be the issue. I would love to troubleshoot it. Probably try isolating its power source by interrupting its normal feed at the CVR, and substituting directly from the battery, and see if it goes away or not. Also, I'd trace the power feed and see what can influence it in the circuit. I have the schematic and will take a look.
Thanks. I've never thought of feeding it straight from the battery. I'm going to give that a shot.
Would this cause the fuel gauge to read full
It could but your temperature and oil pressure gauges would also read high too if you have them. If it’s just the fuel gauge it’s likely the sending unit or gauge itself.