Earth faults

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Chris_C
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Earth faults

Post by Chris_C » 18 Jul 2009 08:34 pm

I've just come across something that I havn't seen before, but seems I'm not the only one.

My dashboard and electrics have been doing weird things of late, which has been down to the multiplug connectors on the bulkhead and the fact I've found a leak at the bottom of the screen. However, the new part to this is that I've been getting a weak earth for a lot of things inside the car (my choke light has been weak, along with a few other things). I didn't take a huge amount of notice tbh, until Thursday night, at 1:30am when I had a severe wibbling of the rev counter, and then the ambient temp gauge. A bit later the RHS indicator indicator (i.e. the dash light only) came on, along with the main beam indicator, and a magic smell of burning plastic filled the car.

It turns out that I've had such a weak earth point (there is a 4 pin earth under the multiplugs) that all the interior of the car had been earthing through the dash cluster. Firstly by the rev counter, then, when that burnt through, through the ambient temp gauge tracks. I've replaced the blue plastic pcb, and though no more of it, until I went through my stock of dashboards. Out of the 4 I found, there was another that had been burnt in exactly the same places (didn't have the amb temp gauge fitted either). I know the screens leaking here is vaguely common, so it seems this problem is too. Well worth the 5 mins it takes to abuse that earth plug with a load of contact cleaner.
'89(G) 340 GLE B172k
'03 S60 D5 SE, '91 (J) MX5, 1954 Cyclemaster
Ex:
'89(F) 340 GL F7R (ex B172k) - Fake -> SBKV 300 Runner Up 08, 12; '91(H) 340 GL B14.4E - Kar; '88(F) 360 GLT B200E - Jet -> BKV 300 Runner Up 09; '89(G) 360 GLT B200E - Beast

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Speedy88
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Location: Bristol

Re: Earth faults

Post by Speedy88 » 18 Jul 2009 11:13 pm

I noticed the bulkhead earth was all corroded, cleaned it up and now all my dash lights work correctly. One to keep noted :)
'88 340 Williams (Sold)
'85 360 GLS - Drift project (Sold)
'77 Colt Sigma
'96 940 Drift project

volvosneverdie
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Re: Earth faults

Post by volvosneverdie » 19 Jul 2009 12:24 am

Chris_C wrote:I've just come across something that I havn't seen before, but seems I'm not the only one.

My dashboard and electrics have been doing weird things of late, which has been down to the multiplug connectors on the bulkhead and the fact I've found a leak at the bottom of the screen. However, the new part to this is that I've been getting a weak earth for a lot of things inside the car (my choke light has been weak, along with a few other things). I didn't take a huge amount of notice tbh, until Thursday night, at 1:30am when I had a severe wibbling of the rev counter, and then the ambient temp gauge. A bit later the RHS indicator indicator (i.e. the dash light only) came on, along with the main beam indicator, and a magic smell of burning plastic filled the car.

It turns out that I've had such a weak earth point (there is a 4 pin earth under the multiplugs) that all the interior of the car had been earthing through the dash cluster. Firstly by the rev counter, then, when that burnt through, through the ambient temp gauge tracks. I've replaced the blue plastic pcb, and though no more of it, until I went through my stock of dashboards. Out of the 4 I found, there was another that had been burnt in exactly the same places (didn't have the amb temp gauge fitted either). I know the screens leaking here is vaguely common, so it seems this problem is too. Well worth the 5 mins it takes to abuse that earth plug with a load of contact cleaner.
:shock:
which car was that now?
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Chris_C
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Re: Earth faults

Post by Chris_C » 20 Jul 2009 03:24 pm

Not Jet ;)
'89(G) 340 GLE B172k
'03 S60 D5 SE, '91 (J) MX5, 1954 Cyclemaster
Ex:
'89(F) 340 GL F7R (ex B172k) - Fake -> SBKV 300 Runner Up 08, 12; '91(H) 340 GL B14.4E - Kar; '88(F) 360 GLT B200E - Jet -> BKV 300 Runner Up 09; '89(G) 360 GLT B200E - Beast

volvosneverdie
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Re: Earth faults

Post by volvosneverdie » 20 Jul 2009 03:46 pm

Deep sigh of relief.
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MJ
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Re: Earth faults

Post by MJ » 21 Jul 2009 12:11 pm

Hmm, interesting. Another thing to check up on...
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AJD
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Location: Swansea / Swindon

Re: Earth faults

Post by AJD » 10 Aug 2009 12:16 am

Where about is the earth point?
I've had my instrument cluster out to repair the indicator mount so now is probably a good time for me to check!
This is probably unrelated but I've found that the illumination for the head lights switch has got a very poor voltage (~0.4v), despite the rest of the switches being fine. Any ideas what might cause this? Could I just tap into one of the feeds for the other switches?

Alex

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