Higher idle RPm & temp gauge

[Quack]

My idle has always been 1000rpm, however it’s now sitting 300-500 higher and my temp gauge is nearly halfway! Engine also starting to sound a bit more sluggish to start, the motor takes a bit more whirring before it kicks in. Not sure if related but any ideas about the temp gauge and rpm??

[Iain T]

Could it be a throttle issue? Something not returning or stuck? I remember when I first bought my car the tickover was high and I tried to reduce it at the carb but discovered the cable wasn't snagging! The first of many many problems............. 

Iain 

[Quack]

Is this likely to be causing the temp gauge issues as well? It’s bad. Was fine yesterday but now I can’t even get up to 30mph in 3rd gear before it goes above 2000rpm, needing to change up to 4th 

[Iain T]

37 minutes ago, Quack said:

Was fine yesterday but now I can’t even get up to 30mph in 3rd gear before it goes above 2000rpm, needing to change up to 4th 

I'm a bit confused, does the engine run OK when driven normally? Check, oil, water for levels discolouration. Does the temp gauge rise to halfway straight after starting from cold? 

[Quack]

I’ll check temp gauge tomorrow morning again from cold. And the engine runs but like I say the revs driving are higher too. Yesterday I could get to 30mph at 2000rpm but now can’t reach 30mph before 2000rpm

[NonMember]

16 minutes ago, Quack said:

I’ll check temp gauge tomorrow morning again from cold. And the engine runs but like I say the revs driving are higher too. Yesterday I could get to 30mph at 2000rpm but now can’t reach 30mph before 2000rpm

Unless somebody has snuck in and replaced your diff, the engine speed to road speed ratio has not changed. So what exactly do you mean by the above? Do you, perhaps, mean that the tacho is now overreading?

[Quack]

Ignore the temp gauge stuff for now, i'll check it out tomorrow. It's the revs im concerned about.

And what i mean is what im saying, i always idled at 1000rpm, now it's started idling higher, and when i drive it's also 400ish higher than it normally would be at each speed i go. This changed in the course of a day...surely that can't be normal? And as i mentioned at the start, the engine struggles more than it normally does to turn on, sometimes clicks out and need trying again, whereas before it would always start on the first turn, even if it took a while. Again im not sure if this is related but still thought i should mention.

[Iain T]

Mmmm, as I said check oil/water. From what you say about the engine struggling I may be serious. The higher rev counter reading may be wrong? Does it sound as though its revving higher than yesterday? The varying reading could suggest the counter is having a mental breakdown! They don't call them worry gauges for nothing! 

[dougbgt6]

Yeh,

My thoughts too, what do your ears tell you?

Doug

[Quack]

I’d say it definitely sounds like it’s straining more but I could of course be biased by what I’ve seen on the rpm counter. The fact that the arm is stable though tells me it’s not the counter, it sits very still at 1400 every time I started the engine today, there’s no jumping about.

[Pete Lewis]

looking this is a 13/60 ???  so this is obviously an aftermarket add on electronic  tachometer 

question   where does this electronic unit get its impulse from ??? 

the HT  coil or the alternator/dynamo 

i would think this is just mis reading giving you the wobbles as Rob says you cant change the driveline ratios

being  south      how close are you to some who can help 

 

just seen you have on another post fitted an alternator.  and are having other electrical problems 

 

Pete

 

 

[Wagger]

Disconnect the rev counter and drive it by ear. This definitely appears to be a fault with pulses to the Tacho. It is fooling you into driving at too few RPM making your car appear gutless.

Edited April 21, 2022 by Wagger
Typo

[Quack]

1 hour ago, Pete Lewis said:

looking this is a 13/60 ???  so this is obviously an aftermarket add on electronic  tachometer 

question   where does this electronic unit get its impulse from ??? 

the HT  coil or the alternator/dynamo 

i would think this is just mis reading giving you the wobbles as Rob says you cant change the driveline ratios

being  south      how close are you to some who can help 

 

just seen you have on another post fitted an alternator.  and are having other electrical problems 

 

Pete

 

 

Hi pete, yes since i fitted the alternator (3 months ago or so) it's been making my indicators flash very fast as well. Good to know that it's likely just a misreading though...the tacho must be messing me around, i'll have to take a look at it and let you know where it gets it's impulses from today/tomorrow. It was just strange that it has always been fine up until now.

I'm currently based in salisbury, wiltshire.

I'll report back on here with pictures & videos of the where the tacho is linked up to, and my alternator wiring too. Cheers

[NonMember]

7 minutes ago, Quack said:

since i fitted the alternator (3 months ago or so) it's been making my indicators flash very fast as well

Get a voltmeter and check what the alternator is putting out. Just measure the voltage across the battery as you rev it up.

I've had more than one where the regulator pack failed and it would throw up too high a voltage - extremely bright lights, fast indicators, etc. In my case, not enough to boil the battery and blow the lights, but they can if you're unlucky.

[Quack]

4 minutes ago, NonMember said:

Get a voltmeter and check what the alternator is putting out. Just measure the voltage across the battery as you rev it up.

I've had more than one where the regulator pack failed and it would throw up too high a voltage - extremely bright lights, fast indicators, etc. In my case, not enough to boil the battery and blow the lights, but they can if you're unlucky.

Will do this asap, thanks

[Pete Lewis]

aha  Salisbury  bit too far to dash out and have a look 

let us know what you unfold as the culprit 

with high voltages the fuel gauge will also read high as does the temp gauge 

it might wreck the gaugr voltage stabiliser  they do get hot bot dont like to be cooked

and if the alternator is absorbing more power than is needed that will affect performance by sapping engine output 

Pete

[dougbgt6]

Q,

The two nearest Area's to Salisbury are Andover and Wessex, about 20 miles to either. Andover meet 2nd Thursday, Wessex last Thursday.

Worth a trip for advice, maybe even get a home visit. You don't have to be a member.

Details here:

The Triumph Sports Six Club - Areas (tssc.org.uk)

Doug

[paul fosh]

check the choke is not stuck on a tad , had it with mine enough to make it run faster hotter bit less go worth a look paul

[Pete Lewis]

and get some free play in the throttle cable as heat expands the outer sheath and this can speed up the idle 

but the culprit is looking more towards the alternator and its voltage 

Pete

[Iain T]

On 20/04/2022 at 21:27, Quack said:

sits very still at 1400 every time I started the engine today

As Doug said your ears can tell if it's actually ticking over at high revs (must be no choke). If it sounds high can you lower the idle with the throttle stop screw? 

[Quack]

Voltmeter on way in post, meanwhile the tacho gets its pulse from the coil, the temp gauge seems to be back to normal today at start from cold. I’m going to get some coolant and refill the rad just incase.

tacho revs still sitting a bit higher than normal but not as much as yesterday, will have to check again after a drive 

[Pete Lewis]

there have from a vague memory been problems with electronic add on tachometers interfering with the coil ign feed impulse 

if the power is misbehaving  just disconnect the tacho for a simple test 

Pete

 

[Iain T]

2 hours ago, Quack said:

the temp gauge seems to be back to normal today at start from cold.

Airlocks can cause wild temperature gauge readings. I don't know if the 13/60 sufferers the same problem as the 6 pots. I refill my rad from empty with the front end on ramps to try and stop airlocks. 

 

[Iain T]

Sounds like the speedo needs a service? 

My original temperature gauge read high but when checked with a temp gun it was fine. 

[Jeffds1360]

Just read the original post and the high revs reminded me that when I got my car I had the same problem.

After checking choke and throttle cables and idle screw I had no idea why it would not come below 1200rpm. Weeks later when changing air filter, I spotted that one of the two screws that hold the butterfly on the spindle was missing !!!. (Where it is ??? Who knows )

same size as meccano screws of which I have hundreds so, once replaced the revs are now down to 800 😀