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Odd electrical gremlin

Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2022 8:40 am
by Peter-S
I took the 2.8 to Duxford yesterday and all was well getting there. Coming home, waiting in the queue to get out I realised the fuel and temp guages were not working although both gradually crept up to the bottom of each gauge. The dash charge light was also glowing and got brighter when I touched the brakes. I was thinking voltage regulator at that point. As I headed off down the road and got on to the M11 I realised that the indicators weren't working either! I was now wondering if I had any brake lights which worried me a bit so I pulled off at the first services. At the roundabout both dead guages suddenly went to the top so I tried the indicators and they worked. By the time I was parked the guages dropped to sensible readings. I did a quick check of fuses and connections, all seemed well, all lights worked so I headed home and didn't have another problem.
As everything works I don't know what to look at to save it happening another time. Any thoughts any one?

Re: Odd electrical gremlin

Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2022 11:34 am
by Mr B
I hate electrical issues like this but as our cars are so old now anything is possible, my knowledge on auto electrics is limited but as you have checked everything that is visible then perhaps it's something you can't see:

Printed circuit on the rear of the cluster damaged in some way?
Multi-plug that goes into the cluster making a bad contact?
Corrossion on those 2 plugs that go from the engine bay into the car?

This is where I would start my search mate, good luck ๐Ÿ‘

Wayne

Re: Odd electrical gremlin

Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2022 1:05 pm
by Taff50ish
Hey Peter,

Just looking through our good friend, Clockwork Orange' wiring diagrams and I wonder if you gave fuse 7 a wiggle??? Could have been this looking at the diagram!!!??? We do know our fuses are a bit, erm.... erm.... yep, like that!!! :xd: :xd: :xd:

Best of luck, cheers,

John....
ImageScreenshot 2022-07-24 at 14.01.04 by jon taylor, on Flickr

Re: Odd electrical gremlin

Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2022 7:40 am
by D366Y
I've had the issue of the fuel and temp gauges reading full before, I gave the fuse board a clean up and haven't had it since

I also remember taking the car to an auto electrician many moons ago for a different problem that I couldn't solve, took him ten minutes and said I had done everything by checking the earth's and the fuses, but that the connections on the bottom of the fuse board were quite often a problem as well. He cleaned it up, dabbed an extra bit of solder on the offending fuse and voila

Re: Odd electrical gremlin

Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2022 11:54 am
by Peter-S
Thanks for the input chaps.

I shall clean stuff and hope all is well as indeed it was for 100 miles home after the problem elected to fix itself!
Using the car today and all seems fine, so long as it stays that way until the Mot that I must arrange soon.

Re: Odd electrical gremlin

Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2022 7:17 pm
by Bug
Peter-S wrote: โ†‘Sun Jul 24, 2022 8:40 am got on to the M11 I realised that the indicators weren't working either! I was now wondering if I had any brake lights which worried me a bit so I pulled off at the first services.
Did you know that the run from the Jct below Duxford to the Stansted Jct, where the services are, is the longest section of motorway between Jcts in the UK. Bit ironic for you I guess.

Re: Odd electrical gremlin

Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2022 11:02 am
by Jasonmarie
Bug wrote: โ†‘Mon Jul 25, 2022 7:17 pm
Peter-S wrote: โ†‘Sun Jul 24, 2022 8:40 am got on to the M11 I realised that the indicators weren't working either! I was now wondering if I had any brake lights which worried me a bit so I pulled off at the first services.
Did you know that the run from the Jct below Duxford to the Stansted Jct, where the services are, is the longest section of motorway between Jcts in the UK. Bit ironic for you I guess.
Its the M26 is in kent at 18 miles between junctions . As itโ€™s our party piece here in Kent :lol:

Re: Odd electrical gremlin

Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2022 7:43 pm
by Major_Tom
Bug wrote: โ†‘Mon Jul 25, 2022 7:17 pm Did you know that the run from the Jct below Duxford to the Stansted Jct, where the services are, is the longest section of motorway between Jcts in the UK. Bit ironic for you I guess.
Jasonmarie wrote: โ†‘Tue Jul 26, 2022 11:02 am Its the M26 is in kent at 18 miles between junctions . As itโ€™s our party piece here in Kent :lol:
It's WAR!

Re: Odd electrical gremlin

Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2022 11:21 pm
by Peter-S
Major_Tom wrote: โ†‘Tue Jul 26, 2022 7:43 pm
Bug wrote: โ†‘Mon Jul 25, 2022 7:17 pm Did you know that the run from the Jct below Duxford to the Stansted Jct, where the services are, is the longest section of motorway between Jcts in the UK. Bit ironic for you I guess.
Jasonmarie wrote: โ†‘Tue Jul 26, 2022 11:02 am Its the M26 is in kent at 18 miles between junctions . As itโ€™s our party piece here in Kent :lol:
It's WAR!
:lol: :lol:

Re: Odd electrical gremlin

Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2022 11:29 pm
by Peter-S
Taff50ish wrote: โ†‘Sun Jul 24, 2022 1:05 pm Hey Peter,

Just looking through our good friend, Clockwork Orange' wiring diagrams and I wonder if you gave fuse 7 a wiggle??? Could have been this looking at the diagram!!!??? We do know our fuses are a bit, erm.... erm.... yep, like that!!! :xd: :xd: :xd:

Best of luck, cheers,

John....
ImageScreenshot 2022-07-24 at 14.01.04 by jon taylor, on Flickr
Looks like Uncle Taff has bragging rights on this one.

Checking a couple of things this evening prior to booking an MOT I realised that the electric fan wasn't working unless the engine was running and even then it seemed a tad slow. It should run with the ignition on but wouldn't so I checked the fuses. Taking the fuse cover off the fan started running then stopped. The feed for the fan comes from fuse 7! Wiggling the fuse and the fan worked OK. I remember putting the fan on at Duxford in case I was in a queue for a long time and I guess the poor connection was drawing too much current to allow the rest of the circuit to work properly. I turned it off at some point once I was moving which is probably why everything started working again soon after.
Hopefully that is mystery solved!

Re: Odd electrical gremlin

Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2022 11:46 am
by Bug
Major_Tom wrote: โ†‘Tue Jul 26, 2022 7:43 pm
Bug wrote: โ†‘Mon Jul 25, 2022 7:17 pm Did you know that the run from the Jct below Duxford to the Stansted Jct, where the services are, is the longest section of motorway between Jcts in the UK. Bit ironic for you I guess.
Jasonmarie wrote: โ†‘Tue Jul 26, 2022 11:02 am Its the M26 is in kent at 18 miles between junctions . As itโ€™s our party piece here in Kent :lol:
It's WAR!
It's confusing that's what it is.
According to the map the M26 is only 10 miles long in total? Joins the M25 to the M20?
However, I have found a section of the M20 that is 14 miles equalling the M11, ironically between Jct 8 & 9, same numbers as the M11.

I have discovered that distance between Junctions 1B and 2 on the M25 wins! It is well over 100 miles, travelling anticlockwise. :D

Re: Odd electrical gremlin

Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2022 2:43 pm
by Major_Tom
I'll pop out and have a look with my tape measure.

Re: Odd electrical gremlin

Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2022 8:03 pm
by Jasonmarie
Bug wrote: โ†‘Wed Jul 27, 2022 11:46 am
Major_Tom wrote: โ†‘Tue Jul 26, 2022 7:43 pm
Bug wrote: โ†‘Mon Jul 25, 2022 7:17 pm Did you know that the run from the Jct below Duxford to the Stansted Jct, where the services are, is the longest section of motorway between Jcts in the UK. Bit ironic for you I guess.
Jasonmarie wrote: โ†‘Tue Jul 26, 2022 11:02 am Its the M26 is in kent at 18 miles between junctions . As itโ€™s our party piece here in Kent :lol:
It's WAR!
It's confusing that's what it is.
According to the map the M26 is only 10 miles long in total? Joins the M25 to the M20?
However, I have found a section of the M20 that is 14 miles equalling the M11, ironically between Jct 8 & 9, same numbers as the M11.

I have discovered that distance between Junctions 1B and 2 on the M25 wins! It is well over 100 miles, travelling anticlockwise. :D
:lol: :lol:
What about the M6 with the toll :lol:
Itโ€™s like Cornwall not having a motorway :lol:
Or Scotland not having any lakes :roll:
And wales is full of sheep :roll:

Re: Odd electrical gremlin

Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2022 10:16 pm
by galuk1
Hi Peter, itโ€™s highly likely that you have corrosion on your fuse holders and when damp gets on them itโ€™ll give you the issues you had. Like the others have said it should be a simple case of a clean with fine sandpaper or if itโ€™s a dry joint (a crack on the solder) then a soldering iron will sort that out in a flash. Just make sure there isnโ€™t any petrol leaks about ;)

Re: Odd electrical gremlin

Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2022 1:40 am
by Mc Tool
Major_Tom wrote: โ†‘Wed Jul 27, 2022 2:43 pm I'll pop out and have a look with my tape measure.
Set your valve clearance 1st ๐Ÿ˜