I have a 1991 H reg 8V GTI. Since I got it, about 2 months ago now, the battery light has always stayed on. Due to what I think was a broken regulator, the MFA packed up and the rev counter was dead. I replaced both the alternator regulator plus the dashboard voltage regulator. It seemed fine again, only to do it all over again when I tryed to start the car on an old battery. Would there be any connections or do any of you has had the same problem. I must say that all the time the batteyr light stays on, even when the MFA worked again. Any idea? I'm going to disconnect the battery for 10 mins to see if it does change anything at all. Would there be a current loss somewhere in the ignition circuit to have it packing up when started? Would a new battery change that at all? I just have an immobilizer on it and no ICE to drain the battery at all. Thanks for sharing your experiences.
Where are the two regulators you mention? Are they easy to replace as I have had a similar problem with the MFA and rev counter?
The regulator on the alternator is held by two screws and is accessible in situ. When you open the bonnet, it's on the side of the alternator, on the face near the centre of the engine. In order to replace the other one, you need to remove the dashboard face and take the instrument pod out. It is held by the mileometer cable (just unclip it at the back, it's very strong!), a vaccum rubber pipe about in the middle at the back of it as well and the socket at the bottom right at the front. The tiny voltage regulator transforming 12 V into 5 is at the back of the pod and held by a small screw. It is hidden under the blue printed circuit but once the screw is removed, it comes out very easily, there are three connectors (about 5 mm long each coming out of it, on the other side of the hole. It is branded "ITT" in very small letters. Got mine from a VW breaker and paid 50 p for it. My car is sorted now, eventually I replaced both the battery AND the alternator, now the light disapears and the battery is charged fine. The problems I think were caused by a tension drop that caused the MFA LC display to show four "8" and all the arrows at once plus stopped the rev counter working. Just a few more gremlins to keep me busy for the next few weeks, tailgate defroster and wiper motor not working plus the radio to sort out as well, nothing that serious and the car will be on the road again, onto many more miles! It's already done 165,000 so far. Hope this is helping you to sort out the problems. By the way, if you disconnect the battery for about 10 minutes or take the relevant fuse out this will reset your dashboard, perhaps that's all that is needed. Don't do as I did, go out and buy another instrument pod! Now I have one, I'm keeping it as late Motometer pods are few and far between but had I known all that, I wouldn't have bought it!
Too late I already bought a set of clocks. These did not work either but I will try what you said. Thanks.
