Gotta love these cars....

[roccit_53 at scirocco.cs.uoguelph.ca (C Boyko)]

On 2:04 pm 11/09/06 "Dan Bubb" <jdbubb@verizon.net> wrote:
> The speedo cable isn't the ground for the instrument cluster.
> I imagine you have two separate problems.
>
> From: <julie@menloparkrandd.com>
> Sent: Thursday, November 09, 2006 12:14 PM
> Subject: Gotta love these cars....
>
>
> Last night on the way home, the speedo cable broke on the black 85.
> The needle dropped to 0 at 55. Humm.. The odo stopped so it must be
> the cable I thought.
>
> At home I checked out a replacement part, but it was dark by then and
> I reasoned that I could make it to the weekend. Go out this morning,
> and the car wouldnt start. Dead battery. Set up the charger and waited
> a few minutes. Still a really slow crank.
>
> The Red 16v is nestled under its car cover in the garage. I could see
> it through the glass, as the car cranked.
>
> Sent Jill for the key, lifted the cover and jumped in. Turned the key
> and ... Vrooom!
>
> Thank god for nice weather today, because red got me here.
>
> But... If the alt didn't charge the battery, then the blue wire
> didn't excite the field. If the speedo cable formed the ground frm the
> disp to the ground, but was interupted, will that cause the exciter
> wire to not have enough current to excite the alt and not charge the
> battery?
>

Klaus was the same, just started him for the first time in a few weeks, and
it was Vroom. He has a few "dates" in the next few days. :)

Your guages will go wonky if your alternator isn't working/connected
properly, but not the speedo/odo. Just the electrical ones.  And give the
wire connector on the alternator consideration, the wires can get really
shabby under that plug style connector, Klaus' was hanging by about two
strands of wire, but it looked okay at quick inspection. Voltage regulator?
Bad battery? All that stuff...go through the bentley and you'll narrow it
down. Oh, and get a new speedo cable, that won't help the flat battery, but
it'll help keep Johhny Law off your butt. Mind you, oh, never mind....
cathy