Electrical Fire
- D366Y
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- Car(s): 1986 Laser 1.6, daily runaround project
1981 GL Auto 2.0, Barn-Find-Resto, now also a runaround project
1980 3.0S, crash damage resto
1993 Fiesta 1.1
Currently full up and no more space but I still want a 2.8... - Location: Buckinghamshire
Electrical Fire
Ok so today's newest issue!
I dropped the dash in the GL over the weekend to repair the speaker in the dash that had stopped working. Turns out it was the speaker wires so I ran new wires to the radio in the glovebox and problem solved. The mounts I'd expoy-ed on there had come off and I couldn't be bothered to try doing anything else to stick them back on so just put it back in place, and used the very powerful magnet on the bottom to hold it in place by sticking it on top of the original radio underneath
Put it all back together and radio working as should, very happy with myself.
Went to start the car and as soon as I turned the key smoke started to pour forth from the dash and the washer bottle pump was going nuts.
In panic I turned the key off, removed all the fuses and disconnected the battery
Have just dropped the dash again to have a look and for some unknown reason the wire for the washer bottle pump appears to have fired itself - anyone got any idea why it may have elected to go full kamikaze?
Or what I should generally be looking for to make sure I can actually drive the bloody thing?
I dropped the dash in the GL over the weekend to repair the speaker in the dash that had stopped working. Turns out it was the speaker wires so I ran new wires to the radio in the glovebox and problem solved. The mounts I'd expoy-ed on there had come off and I couldn't be bothered to try doing anything else to stick them back on so just put it back in place, and used the very powerful magnet on the bottom to hold it in place by sticking it on top of the original radio underneath
Put it all back together and radio working as should, very happy with myself.
Went to start the car and as soon as I turned the key smoke started to pour forth from the dash and the washer bottle pump was going nuts.
In panic I turned the key off, removed all the fuses and disconnected the battery
Have just dropped the dash again to have a look and for some unknown reason the wire for the washer bottle pump appears to have fired itself - anyone got any idea why it may have elected to go full kamikaze?
Or what I should generally be looking for to make sure I can actually drive the bloody thing?
A wise man once said... "you can never have too many capris - buy another"
It's me, I'm the wise man.
It's me, I'm the wise man.
Re: Electrical Fire
Blimey, glad it wasnt worse. Can't help with the fault though as electrics to me are an alien world of dark magic.
I'm the one who leaves all those shoes in the carriageway.
- Peter-S
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1983 Capri 2.8i - Location: Kent
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Re: Electrical Fire
Hi DanD366Y wrote: ↑Mon Jul 25, 2022 9:58 am Ok so today's newest issue!
I dropped the dash in the GL over the weekend to repair the speaker in the dash that had stopped working. Turns out it was the speaker wires so I ran new wires to the radio in the glovebox and problem solved. The mounts I'd expoy-ed on there had come off and I couldn't be bothered to try doing anything else to stick them back on so just put it back in place, and used the very powerful magnet on the bottom to hold it in place by sticking it on top of the original radio underneath
Put it all back together and radio working as should, very happy with myself.
Went to start the car and as soon as I turned the key smoke started to pour forth from the dash and the washer bottle pump was going nuts.
In panic I turned the key off, removed all the fuses and disconnected the battery
Have just dropped the dash again to have a look and for some unknown reason the wire for the washer bottle pump appears to have fired itself - anyone got any idea why it may have elected to go full kamikaze?
Or what I should generally be looking for to make sure I can actually drive the bloody thing?
Old cars eh!
In my experience wires that fry themselves are usually a positive that has earthed somewhere so looked for a trapped wire on the feed circuit.
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Re: Electrical Fire
Electrics are alien to me as well, should it have not blown a fuse before it got to the stage of fire/burning?
Wayne
If an honest man is wrong and after demonstrating that he is wrong he either stops being wrong or stops being honest
- D366Y
- Donator
- Posts: 2579
- Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2012 2:26 pm
- Car(s): 1986 Laser 1.6, daily runaround project
1981 GL Auto 2.0, Barn-Find-Resto, now also a runaround project
1980 3.0S, crash damage resto
1993 Fiesta 1.1
Currently full up and no more space but I still want a 2.8... - Location: Buckinghamshire
Re: Electrical Fire
That's exactly what I thought fuses were for as well! Bloody random though, I took the connector off the stalk earlier and it's only that wire that has melted, and it runs straight into the loom so no idea what has gone wrong there - will have a butchers later on
Thanks for this Peter, will have a look and see what I can see!
A wise man once said... "you can never have too many capris - buy another"
It's me, I'm the wise man.
It's me, I'm the wise man.
- Jasonmarie
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Mercedes Vito tourer 2.1 Big Bus Daily Driver - Location: Kent
Re: Electrical Fire
Have not got a clue Dan but glad you acted quick , hope it’s a simple fix fella .
Ford Capri 2.0 Laser 1987 Mercury Grey .......
Re: Electrical Fire
Surely if it was the washer bottle pump it would have put itself out eventually?
- D366Y
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- Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2012 2:26 pm
- Car(s): 1986 Laser 1.6, daily runaround project
1981 GL Auto 2.0, Barn-Find-Resto, now also a runaround project
1980 3.0S, crash damage resto
1993 Fiesta 1.1
Currently full up and no more space but I still want a 2.8... - Location: Buckinghamshire
Re: Electrical Fire
Not when the wash bottle was empty!
A wise man once said... "you can never have too many capris - buy another"
It's me, I'm the wise man.
It's me, I'm the wise man.
- D366Y
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- Posts: 2579
- Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2012 2:26 pm
- Car(s): 1986 Laser 1.6, daily runaround project
1981 GL Auto 2.0, Barn-Find-Resto, now also a runaround project
1980 3.0S, crash damage resto
1993 Fiesta 1.1
Currently full up and no more space but I still want a 2.8... - Location: Buckinghamshire
Re: Electrical Fire
After completing my investigations I believe that the pump was the problem... The wiring at both ends rus straight into the loom, which is totally undamaged
However, a very rusty and 40+year old part shorting within itself seems to have been the issue.
I have put it back together and started the car without the pump on and no issues...
However, a very rusty and 40+year old part shorting within itself seems to have been the issue.
I have put it back together and started the car without the pump on and no issues...
A wise man once said... "you can never have too many capris - buy another"
It's me, I'm the wise man.
It's me, I'm the wise man.
- D366Y
- Donator
- Posts: 2579
- Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2012 2:26 pm
- Car(s): 1986 Laser 1.6, daily runaround project
1981 GL Auto 2.0, Barn-Find-Resto, now also a runaround project
1980 3.0S, crash damage resto
1993 Fiesta 1.1
Currently full up and no more space but I still want a 2.8... - Location: Buckinghamshire
Re: Electrical Fire
Ok well turns out that wasn't the problem then!?!?!
Went to start the car again today and it started hissing pretty quickly
Had to rush out to just changed cars at the time, but have just been out again to have a look and have discovered that the clock had stopped, put the key in and turned to position 2 and everything kicked in (including the clock) all sounding like it was ready to go and no issues. I then opened the car door and the clock stopped!
Something must be going seriously funny with fuse 1, no fucking clue what has started this though
Went to start the car again today and it started hissing pretty quickly
Had to rush out to just changed cars at the time, but have just been out again to have a look and have discovered that the clock had stopped, put the key in and turned to position 2 and everything kicked in (including the clock) all sounding like it was ready to go and no issues. I then opened the car door and the clock stopped!
Something must be going seriously funny with fuse 1, no fucking clue what has started this though
A wise man once said... "you can never have too many capris - buy another"
It's me, I'm the wise man.
It's me, I'm the wise man.
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Re: Electrical Fire
Does your car have speaker's in the door panels mate?D366Y wrote: ↑Wed Jul 27, 2022 5:02 pm Ok well turns out that wasn't the problem then!?!?!
Went to start the car again today and it started hissing pretty quickly
Had to rush out to just changed cars at the time, but have just been out again to have a look and have discovered that the clock had stopped, put the key in and turned to position 2 and everything kicked in (including the clock) all sounding like it was ready to go and no issues. I then opened the car door and the clock stopped!
Something must be going seriously funny with fuse 1, no fucking clue what has started this though
Wayne
If an honest man is wrong and after demonstrating that he is wrong he either stops being wrong or stops being honest
- D366Y
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- Posts: 2579
- Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2012 2:26 pm
- Car(s): 1986 Laser 1.6, daily runaround project
1981 GL Auto 2.0, Barn-Find-Resto, now also a runaround project
1980 3.0S, crash damage resto
1993 Fiesta 1.1
Currently full up and no more space but I still want a 2.8... - Location: Buckinghamshire
Re: Electrical Fire
It does not, it has two speakers jammed between the back seats and window (GL model didn't originally have rear speakers so need to get the fittings to but them in the shelves) and it has a central speaker in the top of the dashMr B wrote: ↑Wed Jul 27, 2022 6:56 pmDoes your car have speaker's in the door panels mate?D366Y wrote: ↑Wed Jul 27, 2022 5:02 pm Ok well turns out that wasn't the problem then!?!?!
Went to start the car again today and it started hissing pretty quickly
Had to rush out to just changed cars at the time, but have just been out again to have a look and have discovered that the clock had stopped, put the key in and turned to position 2 and everything kicked in (including the clock) all sounding like it was ready to go and no issues. I then opened the car door and the clock stopped!
Something must be going seriously funny with fuse 1, no fucking clue what has started this though
Wayne
A wise man once said... "you can never have too many capris - buy another"
It's me, I'm the wise man.
It's me, I'm the wise man.
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Re: Electrical Fire
Only asked about the speakers as you said you opened the door and it all went crazy, the only thing electrical when you open a door is that switch for the interior light, as you have been working in and around the glove box is it possible you may have caught/trapped a wire in that area? Clutching at straws here I know. If it was me I'd go back over everything I did slowly and meticulously using a multimeter where appropriate and hopefully find the problem or as a last resort a mobile auto spark as driving her anywhere doesn't sound like a good idea.D366Y wrote: ↑Wed Jul 27, 2022 8:19 pmIt does not, it has two speakers jammed between the back seats and window (GL model didn't originally have rear speakers so need to get the fittings to but them in the shelves) and it has a central speaker in the top of the dashMr B wrote: ↑Wed Jul 27, 2022 6:56 pmDoes your car have speaker's in the door panels mate?D366Y wrote: ↑Wed Jul 27, 2022 5:02 pm Ok well turns out that wasn't the problem then!?!?!
Went to start the car again today and it started hissing pretty quickly
Had to rush out to just changed cars at the time, but have just been out again to have a look and have discovered that the clock had stopped, put the key in and turned to position 2 and everything kicked in (including the clock) all sounding like it was ready to go and no issues. I then opened the car door and the clock stopped!
Something must be going seriously funny with fuse 1, no fucking clue what has started this though
Wayne
Good luck mate
Wayne
If an honest man is wrong and after demonstrating that he is wrong he either stops being wrong or stops being honest
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Re: Electrical Fire
Ok electrics are my thing, basically the wire will get friggin hot, the sheath will smoke like a bitch and if there is anything combustible nearby it’ll go up in flames so you did well to notice it. By the sounds of it and like Peter said you have a short between live and neutral and the cars entire body is the neutral. So your short could be anywhere but you should be able to locate it pretty easily with a multimeter. However my money is on you pinching a live wire against the body work of the car when you did the speaker work. You already know which wire is the live (the one that got hot and smoky) so it should be a simple case of following it along till you find the short. If it disappears into the loom then you’ll need your multimeter on continuity to test between the live wire and the body work. The lower the number on your multimeter the closer your getting to the short.
Just a thought - when you switch the ignition on does the radio switch on too? If so try with the radio off just in case you’ve managed to connect a wire to the aerial output of the radio when you were tinkering with the speakers.
Just a thought - when you switch the ignition on does the radio switch on too? If so try with the radio off just in case you’ve managed to connect a wire to the aerial output of the radio when you were tinkering with the speakers.
- D366Y
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- Posts: 2579
- Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2012 2:26 pm
- Car(s): 1986 Laser 1.6, daily runaround project
1981 GL Auto 2.0, Barn-Find-Resto, now also a runaround project
1980 3.0S, crash damage resto
1993 Fiesta 1.1
Currently full up and no more space but I still want a 2.8... - Location: Buckinghamshire
Re: Electrical Fire
Finally!!
After dropping the dash yet again and removing as much as I could -including the dash pods- to investigate the wiring, beyond the melty but I couldn't see anything untoward on any of the other circuits at all.
After realising that the washer bottle was on fuse one, along with the clock, interior light etc of everything else that wasn't working I went to fuse 1, turned it and hey ho everything worked again!
Annoying that I dropped the dash three times to discover it was merely a fuse issue but it's my own fault for not doing the obvious first
Cleaned up the fuse terminals and connections and good as new
Cheers for your help guys
After dropping the dash yet again and removing as much as I could -including the dash pods- to investigate the wiring, beyond the melty but I couldn't see anything untoward on any of the other circuits at all.
After realising that the washer bottle was on fuse one, along with the clock, interior light etc of everything else that wasn't working I went to fuse 1, turned it and hey ho everything worked again!
Annoying that I dropped the dash three times to discover it was merely a fuse issue but it's my own fault for not doing the obvious first
Cleaned up the fuse terminals and connections and good as new
Cheers for your help guys
A wise man once said... "you can never have too many capris - buy another"
It's me, I'm the wise man.
It's me, I'm the wise man.
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W- Mondeo 2.0 Ghia Estate
03 Focus 1.6
Re: Electrical Fire
I'm late to the party as ever, but I strongly suggest everyone replace all their fuses with fresh ones, if they have not done so already. And of course clean up the contacts with a bit of emery. Chances are some are the original ones which are brittle as anything, and a slight knock or judder can cause all sorts of issues. Bags of them are available online or you can buy from your local motorfactor but suggest everyone do this.D366Y wrote: ↑Sun Jul 31, 2022 11:26 am Finally!!
After dropping the dash yet again and removing as much as I could -including the dash pods- to investigate the wiring, beyond the melty but I couldn't see anything untoward on any of the other circuits at all.
After realising that the washer bottle was on fuse one, along with the clock, interior light etc of everything else that wasn't working I went to fuse 1, turned it and hey ho everything worked again!
Annoying that I dropped the dash three times to discover it was merely a fuse issue but it's my own fault for not doing the obvious first
Cleaned up the fuse terminals and connections and good as new
Cheers for your help guys