Hello
Newbie Valiant owner here. Temp gauge is dead and fuel gauge reads but not accurate. I read the article about the gauge cluster voltage regulator and it's relation to the problem. Question? The article suggests retro fitting a 67 regulator, anyone know the part number or what to ask for?
Thanks
JT

Rock Auto has old points type here: instrument cluster voltage regulator.

Other suppliers carry an electronic version made from solid state (sounds so sixties) components. One can make an electronic voltage limiter from parts found at Radio Shack.

Allpar article:

Scrowl down to PHOTOS & CAPTIONS, than see #6 to #14 for home made limiter plans. I made one like shown a few years ago, but have not installed it.

Befor you go fiddling with the voltage limiter, I would check all connections between limiter and fuel tank, and same for temperature gage out to its sensor on head looking for corrosion. Temperature gage circuit passes through bulkhead connector to sensor screwed into front end of cylinder head; if there is a bad ground at sensor gage will not read correctly.

Fuel gage can also have a bad ground as well as corroded connections between gage and where it connects to sending unit. One quick test for fuel gage's voltage drop in ground side of circuit would be to make up a jumper wire that runs from negative battery terminal to the end of gage conductor that attaches to sending unit. Pull off gage circuit conductor from sending unit, and stick the grounding jumper wire into its female connector; have a friend see if the gage swings to full. If gage moves to full using jumper ground path, than the sending unit has a poor or high resistance path back to the battery. Often the problem is caused by a crappy connection between sending unit and metal fuel line by the factory steal jumper that bridges the rubber coupling between fuel line and sending unit. Looks like this. You cam make a jumper out of a short length of 14 or 10 gage wire and affix one end to sending unit's metal tube that rubber fuel line slides on and other end the metal fuel line using small radiator hose clamps; be sure to clean any rust away where clamping jumper.

One other thought on this, is there may also be a bad ground path between gage cluster and negative battery terminal. Gage cluster is grounded via its several attaching screws to dash board. One can also make a jumper wire that bridges the mounting screws by attaching one end to cluster and the other to a good ground point somewhere under the dash. Use screw-eye crimp on connector's and new screws to clean metal; this should eliminate any voltage drop between cluster and battery negative terminal.

_________________
67' Dart GT Convertible; the old Chrysler Corp.
82' LeBaron Convertible; the new Chrysler Corp
07' 300 C AWD; Now by Fiat, the old new Chrysler LLC

Thanks WJA JR.

Some very solid suggestions. I'm not good at trouble shooting electrical problems. Between your suggestions and following the wiring diagram I have a chance at figuring this out. I'll get back with my results.
JT

The fix to solid state really works! I had a friend help me out, and while I was at it I put fresh bulbs in the burned-out ones. Much better at night!

The instrument cluster voltage regulator is not a separate, plug-in part on the '61 Valiant. It's built into the fuel gauge. The fix is to disable the (faulty) built-in regulator and install a carefully-chosen external regulator. The do-it-yourself linear unit appears to work OK for awhile as it gradually slow-cooks your gauges to death; better to use this one installed this way.

Note that your gauges may already be cooked to death; if the original regulator fails with its points stuck closed, the gauges will be quick-fried to a crackling, crunchy crisp and will require replacement.

_________________
一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Thanks Dan
Great info,I will keep this in mind as I probe the electrical mysteries of my Valiant. I just got this car and I'm having fun using it as my daily driver and working on it myself. Glad I joined this forum ,you guys have been helpful.
JT