Many people on our site are probably not aware that a lot of older cars have a step down regulator for certain dash components like gauges. Five volts if I remember. It usually was in the cluster area.

Testing those gauges with twelve volts would probably do them in. I do not think leatherman was slamming you. I also found those regulators seldom went bad.

You are right in that in most all cases it would not include the clock. The current carrying ability of that regulator was very small. Actually the physical size of the regulator was also very small. Barry.

On a lighter note. After watching and thinking about the toyota executives speeches on TV. Their refusal to name the fault that most if not all electronic types suspected. Maybe they just need a new company slogan. Something like Toyota the unstoppable market leader would do.

They seem intent on digging a deeper hole for themselves anyways. The japanese are usually pretty smart. Their performance so far appears to be pretty dumb with this issue.