Which temp gauge sender?

Hi. I'm about to order a few bits and bobs online from one of the Mini parts suppliers and just remembered that the temperature gauge on The Yellow One (yellow was never on the options list for Elfs, Hornets and 60s Minis, was it?) only just gets off the stops when the engine is warm. I take this as being a faulty sender, though the shiney one on the block looks nearly new. Having a few weeks ago looked at sender part numbers, I seem to recall that one is for early 'Minis' that are fitted with a voltage stabiliser, and the other one is for later Minis that do not have a stabiliser. My problem is that my Hornet is early (1963) but the engine is a 99H unit with a fully synchromesh gearbox, and I believe is a pre '74 unit that would put it in the realms of no voltage stabiliser. How do I know whether my car is still fitted with a voltage stabiliser or not? I'm not sure where to find it or what it looks like (I know I probably should, but I need a bit of guidance!) I assume that if my '63 car still has this, then I need an early sender unit despite the 1970s engine.

Cheers, Mick

The voltage stabilizer should be on the back of the speedo, at the top. The engine you have installed might have the sensor from a car that did not have a voltage stabilizer, but your car should have had one.

Hi. In my usual 'up to the minute' fashion, I've only just looked under the bonnet of my car at the back of the speedo to see where this voltage stabliser is. I can't identify it, so I've taken some flash photos, which I'll upload much later this evening after I've come back from work, when I've remembered how to upload photos! It is possible that my car doesn't have this voltage stabiliser as it was taken apart and restored around 1997, by a previous owner, and the later engine may have been fitted then. This is why I can't assume it has all the fittings of an original 1963 car. Thanks, Mick

Hi Mick,

Your car should not have a voltage stabiliser, they were not fitted until a few years later. The fuel and temp gauges on the non-stabilised cars give instant readings. If your fuel gauge jumps up to the correct reading instantly you still have the correct one for the car. Your car should also have ring terminals on the fuel tank sender unit not the later spade type of the voltage stabilised cars. There is a good chance your engine has the later type temp sender unit but it appears to be hit or miss if you can find a sender to give an accurate reading as I think there were several of them used. Good luck, I hope this helps. Kev