Oh fcuk, my Exige is on fire!!!!!!!!?????

The Oily Bits S1 Specific Topics
81

Ive traced it to a connector which houses four wires that sits just in front of the brake fluid resevoir, it looks like the earth has burnt itself out, I cant find out where these wires end up or what they are for…could it be the cooling system?

Just re-read this - no mention of blowing any fuses or have I missed a post?

Doesnt seem to be any blown fuses as every function of the car currently works perfectly!

82

Yes it could happen that way. As Steve says there needs to be a complete circuit for the car to crank, but say if the main earth from the battery to the chassis is not connected at the chassis end, but there are other smaller earth wires going to the negative terminal of the battery, then yes if it can find a way it will. I have seen cars that do not have enough engine earths and they earth through things like braided hose and the throttle cable. Obviously there is a HUGE current draw when the engine is cranking, hence why this could be the reason the thin wire over heated.

Okay so if that was the poroblem and i have now checked all of the main earthing points and they look good, should everything be ok now and is there likely to be any lasting damage caused?

You initially mentioned a connector in the front panel which is fused together and the black sheath had melted. Clearly there must be damage inside this connector and it should be replaced or at least disconnected before you drive or even re-connect the battery. Whilst it may not have been the cause of the initial problem, you don’t want it to be the cause of a 2nd one!

83

Yes it could happen that way. As Steve says there needs to be a complete circuit for the car to crank, but say if the main earth from the battery to the chassis is not connected at the chassis end, but there are other smaller earth wires going to the negative terminal of the battery, then yes if it can find a way it will. I have seen cars that do not have enough engine earths and they earth through things like braided hose and the throttle cable. Obviously there is a HUGE current draw when the engine is cranking, hence why this could be the reason the thin wire over heated.

Okay so if that was the poroblem and i have now checked all of the main earthing points and they look good, should everything be ok now and is there likely to be any lasting damage caused?

You initially mentioned a connector in the front panel which is fused together and the black sheath had melted. Clearly there must be damage inside this connector and it should be replaced or at least disconnected before you drive or even re-connect the battery. Whilst it may not have been the cause of the initial problem, you don’t want it to be the cause of a 2nd one!

Im worried that Lotus will tell me i have to buy and replace the whole harness instead of just the connector…��������������

84

Im worried that Lotus will tell me i have to buy and replace the whole harness instead of just the connector…��������������

Cant you just snip the wire & redo a new spade connection on it?.

85

Im worried that Lotus will tell me i have to buy and replace the whole harness instead of just the connector…��������������

Because I cant get the connector loose im not sure if it houses a resistor or similar, but yes that would be the ideal answer!



Cant you just snip the wire & redo a new spade connection on it?.

86

better still use one of these terminal extraction tools:

[image]http://www.vehicle-wiring-products.co.uk/VWPweb2000/terms-non3/photo/70399.jpg[/image] and replace the connector with one of these:

[image]http://www.vehicle-wiring-products.co.uk/VWPweb2000/multicon/photo/lc210.jpg[/image]

87

I am with Steve on replacing the melted connector. It isn’t supposed to be melted, so I would definitely replace it. You can buy them from here:

http://www.vehicle-wiring-products.co.uk/

And replacing it is a quick and easy soldering job.

Steve, I was not dissing what you said (if I am the Mr B in question), I totally agree with you. The point I was trying to make was if the big earth wire that runs from the battery to the chassis is disconnected at the chassis end, but we have several other smaller earths running from where ever (say instrumentation or rad fans, or whatever) directly back to the battery then as you say electricity will find a way. However if the “way” it finds isn’t up to the job it will still try and use it, but will over heat the lesser wire. Would you not agree?

Sean…

88

if I am the Mr B in question

Sean I was referring to Bertone

if the big earth wire that runs from the battery to the chassis is disconnected at the chassis end, but we have several other smaller earths running from where ever (say instrumentation or rad fans, or whatever) directly back to the battery then as you say electricity will find a way. However if the “way” it finds isn’t up to the job it will still try and use it, but will over heat the lesser wire. Would you not agree?

totally agree but I didn’t think there are any earth returns directly back to the battery - my mistake if there are

89

Sean I was referring to Bertone

Oops, sorry mate!! lol


totally agree but I didn’t think there are any earth returns directly back to the battery - my mistake if there are

Yeah, I can’t remember 100% either. Like you say, if there isn’t then it deffo was not the problem.

90

Spoke to my local dealer yesterday about this and seemingly the wires in question feed the radiator fan.

The reason I cant get into the connector is because they are a b@stard to get undone!

They think that if all is still working then it was just an over ‘hot’ earth taking the current as the main one wasnt connected properly and no damage has been done BUT I just cant understand why the wires from this connector travel just 6 inches before joining up with another white connector housed under the brake fluid tank…especially when the cables at the either end of this ‘6 inches’ are long enough to meet up and join together without this extra bit!

91

They think that if all is still working then it was just an over ‘hot’ earth taking the current as the main one wasnt connected properly

So can you confirm that you have a second cable directly connected to the earth terminal of your battery?

92

They think that if all is still working then it was just an over ‘hot’ earth taking the current as the main one wasnt connected properly

So can you confirm that you have a second cable directly connected to the earth terminal of your battery?

Yes!

93

so where does it go?

94

so where does it go?

Exactly…thats the question I was hoping you could answer, or the other clever bods on here!

95

well I’ll have a look at the circuit diagrams and my own car tomorrowe and see if I can work it out.

I’m not a qualified electrician but I can’t see a good reason for having a second earth return when its smaller than the original and so has the potential for causing a vehicle fire!

Subject to a fuller understanding, I would consider disconnecting it from the battery and earthing to the chassis.

96

This is the relevant extract from the service manual:

[image]http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d121/stevegreen101/Untitled_Page_1_Image_0001.jpg[/image]

I think I can understand the requirement for the front harness connector as maybe there is no metal out there sufficient to carry a “chassis” earth return. The front harness serves:

*direction indicators
*sidelights
*headlights

whilst the other earth return seems to serve:

*part of the alarm
*cooling fan
*hazard flashers
*some instruments/switches
*windscreen wipers
*interior fan
*radio & cigar lighter

It may be a little more complicated as some of the services served by the front harness connector also are served by the other earth return - I assume as a degree of resilience for key services.

So as the requirement for these separate earth returns exist, they cannot be linked to the main chassis earth return services, eg, the starter motor and alternator, which are earthed through the engine earth strap.

Therefore, the problem can only have started from one of those services wired into the circuit where the fire originated.

I only put this up to be proved wrong, because as I said earlier Im not an auto electrician

97

This is the relevant extract from the service manual:

[image]> http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d121/stevegreen101/Untitled_Page_1_Image_0001.jpg> [/image]

I think I can understand the requirement for the front harness connector as maybe there is no metal out there sufficient to carry a “chassis” earth return. The front harness serves:

*direction indicators
*sidelights
*headlights

whilst the other earth return seems to serve:

*part of the alarm
*cooling fan
*hazard flashers
*some instruments/switches
*windscreen wipers
*interior fan
*radio & cigar lighter

It may be a little more complicated as some of the services served by the front harness connector also are served by the other earth return - I assume as a degree of resilience for key services.

So as the requirement for these separate earth returns exist, they cannot be linked to the main chassis earth return services, eg, the starter motor and alternator, which are earthed through the engine earth strap.

Therefore, the problem can only have started from one of those services wired into the circuit where the fire originated.

I only put this up to be proved wrong, because as I said earlier Im not an auto electrician

Steve,

Whilst im not an auto electrician either I agree with you!

Although one of the eaths got hot and began to smoulder all seems well now.

Ive had an electrician look at it and he sees no problem as I cut the ignition as soon as I realised all was not well!

All of the wires going into the connector are good, the guilty earth ‘works’ and strong electricians tape has replaced the melted plastic wire coating!

I cannot however understand why ive got 2 connectors joined by 6 inches worth of wire when the wires going into the 2 end connectors would reach WITHOUT having this additional length fitted!

98

BERTONE, Re the misterious connector:-

Just a thought here, but as you know the air con was re-built/blue printed at the factory under warranty.

There’s no build sheet or invoice for the work, but the chap who oversaw it all did confirm a thorough overhaul of all moving parts, sensors, switches the lot, in order to get the best result they could. So the additional plug may be (relatively) unique because of that.

‘Mine’ was not the only car to ever have the work done, but it would be a rare addition & unlikely to be recorded by Lotus for posterity. But y’never know.

Tim.

99

BERTONE, Re the misterious connector:-

Just a thought here, but as you know the air con was re-built/blue printed at the factory under warranty.

There’s no build sheet or invoice for the work, but the chap who oversaw it all did confirm a thorough overhaul of all moving parts, sensors, switches the lot, in order to get the best result they could. So the additional plug may be (relatively) unique because of that.

‘Mine’ was not the only car to ever have the work done, but it would be a rare addition & unlikely to be recorded by Lotus for posterity. But y’never know.

Tim.

Yep good thinking Tim, I checked out the Exiges on Sunday and mine was the only one with this ‘extra’ connector!

100

so can you take it out and leave the remaining connectors to make the circuit?