Any Advice, Part 2!

[Chris152]

I went back out to have another fiddle, and before I could get much done, noticed this - it's the No 6 fuse, buckled and the plastic melted. That's the 'Fuel pump relay (main pump)' fuse. I replaced it yesterday, tho the old one didn't look to be blown. Does that cast any light? Certainly explains the slight burning smell I thught I sensed.
Edit - Haynes says if the fuse has blown, we need to trace the fuel pump circuit for a short. Does that include faulty earth?

[Bob Meadows]

Chris:~
Look behind the facia left & right side approximately halfway down the cassette box and you will see a screw either side- these hold the box in place.
The side trims are better removed or pushed over.
Bob.

[Chris152]

Originally Posted by Bob Meadows

Chris:~
Look behind the facia left & right side approximately halfway down the cassette box and you will see a screw either side- these hold the box in place.
The side trims are better removed or pushed over.
Bob.

Bob - I can now see the pointed end of a screw coming in to the side of the casette holder case, but can't get inside the console to get to the screw head. The console has some flex but not that much and I'm afraid of cracking the plastic. I'm not clear what the side trims are, the console is a single molded unit? Thanks.

ps Dave - ther's no access from the ashtray recess.

[Bob Meadows]

Chris:~
The screw heads are behind the lower facia panel- no need to force the cassette box in anyway.
Side panels- the left and right pieces either side of the lower facia ie they cover the heater and access to the wires/solenoids.

Once you get the above removed the screw heads will be a little way back but behind the facia- they pass through the metal frame into the cassette box sides. Once removed the box will pull straight out allowing the facia panel to be removed.
Regards Bob.

Picture adapted:~ Yellow- screws are accessed from the sides but behind the facia. Blue indicates the side panels that should be removed to gain access etc.

[Chris152]

Thanks Bob, got it!
Do the blown fuse reinforce the idea that it may be a poor connection to ground, or does it suggest something different?

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Chris152

I went back out to have another fiddle, and before I could get much done, noticed this - it's the No 6 fuse, buckled and the plastic melted. That's the 'Fuel pump relay (main pump)' fuse. I replaced it yesterday, tho the old one didn't look to be blown. Does that cast any light? Certainly explains the slight burning smell I thught I sensed.
Edit - Haynes says if the fuse has blown, we need to trace the fuel pump circuit for a short. Does that include faulty earth?

The fuse isn't blown Chris but wasn't fitted so that it wouldn't fail - possibly the link wasn't correctly in place before you fitted it which would have made matters worse.

If you get another fuse, look closely at it, on the side without the link there should be a dimple each end to hold the ends of the link. Ensure the ends are located in those dimples, pushing them in with an empty biro or simlar bluntish instrument.

When fitting the fuse into the fuse box, locate one end on the fixed contact (one is usually fixed and the other is sprung normally) with the link side going in first. Holding the first end in place, push the other end into the sprung contact.
Obviously you can't see the link now so between finger and thumb, rotate the fuse in the contacts - this serves more than one purpose, not only does it turn the fuse so you can see the link but it cleans the contacts as it rotates allowing better contact.

Before fitting, make sure the contact points on the fusebox contacts are clean and bright - if not, find a 1/4" or 6mm drill bit or a similar size and between the thumb and index finger, offer it into each contact and rotate it back and forth a few times to clean the contacts. This may have been the original solution to the problem but as it's something i would automatically do i forgot to mention it - it's always good practice to do this with Continental (as those fuses were known at one point) fuses/fuseboxes whenever changing a fuse and/or fault-finding.

Try that before chasing the earths, it may reveal the problem quicker and easier!

[Bob Meadows]

Chris:~
quite common for these fuses to breakdown as pictured- worth taking a look at other forum mail relating to the same, many change over to ceramic bodied as this seems to be a better product (ebay have them but do check the price range-they are not expensive)

To date I don't seem to have the problem but I give then a thin coating of copper grease or GT85 with a small artists brush & rotate etc.

The ground connections are worth checking- linked?
The fuse box area is susceptible to damp and even water if the screen has leaked- if it all looks quite dry then clean each fuse & contact points and you should be ok
Good Luck
Regards Bob.

These fuse pullers/holder are worth having.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/373441321...MAAOSwXAlgETYe

[Chris152]

Quite embarrassed, if I'm honest! I didn't have another fuse, so recovered the rather old-looking one I'd taken out yesterday, cleaned the contacts on the fuse with 180 grade abrasive and used a drill bit as you suggested on the connectors in the box. Fitted as you said, turned it over and it started up fine. Tried it 3 times, opened and closed the window, all fine. No smells detected by my over-sensitive nose.

So, the old one (which I just refitted) could have jiggled out of position or just got corroded? And the new fuse I fitted wasn't blown because the wire was still fine, and the melted body means it wasn't fitted correctly.

Embarrassed for all the effort you fellas have put in to help us, and it was all about a fuse. [Hopefully!]

Bob - we'll definitely look at a new set of ceramic body fuses - when I find some, I'll post here to check we're getting the right thing, if that's ok.

Thank you all!
[as I type, I can hear the lad starting and stopping the engine outside :-) ]

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Bob Meadows

These fuse pullers/holder are worth having.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/373441321...MAAOSwXAlgETYe

Nice idea on the fuse puller Bob but the link you provided was for mine blade fuses (the link was confusing as it suggested glass fuses) but this one is for the "ceramic" or plastic fuses aka Continental type :

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/283885503576

To be honest, i've never had to resort to tools for removing/refitting this type of fuse, grab with thumb and forefinger, push against the spring contact, lift away from the fixed then out - easy-peasy!

As for using GT85 or copper grease on electrical stuff, not good. Both are carbon based so if they get warm, the grease carbonises causing increased resistance.

A much better option is silicone grease or dielectric grease.

[Chris152]

Should the fuses be copper? Just reading other threads, not sure what's best.