Help, Electrics

[vodkakid]

Help my rev counters needle has started bouncing up and down and the last time this happened to me (mk2 golf) it turned out to be the alternator, is it likely to be the same thing on my mini or should i look at other things first??? Cheers Andy p.s. the car seems to run fine

[miniman]

My first guess would be either the coil or possibly just the wiring around the coil. Check all the connectors and make sure that they are still clamped onto the wires OK.

[vodkakid]

Will do cheers

[miniman]

If it's a later model car (with the 3-dial dash) then I have a spare set of dials if you want to try a different rev counter to see if it's the counter itself.

[mrs vodkakid]

Cheers but its got center clocks, i've looked at the wires and they seem fine....(opps mr vodkakid)

Edited by mrs vodkakid on Wednesday 13th September 21:40

[miniman]

Hmmm, not sure then. Could be that the gauge itself is faulty. Could be that the voltage regulator / stabiliser is not working properly. Can't see personally how the alternator could be causing it... I would try another rev counter on it to see if it does the same thing.

[vodkakid]

If it was the coil would it still run ok??

[miniman]

Probably not. Reason I suggested it was that my brother's car had a very slight misfire caused by dodgy wiring around the coil - it was barely noticable in terms of the running of the car, but caused the rev counter to jump as it misfired. The wiring looked fine but replacing all the crimp-on connectors solved the problem.

[vodkakid]

Doh just remembered that i sprayed some water repellent around the coil, dizzy and plugs do you think that could cause it.