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Total Disaster


Thrashed

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So, progress so far....

 

I have left all the wiring in place, so i can reference when i replace but removed as much of the sheathing and convoluted tubing as possible. The damage looks like the main feed from the alternator to the starter has destroyed its self. As a result were ever this wire runs or touched something else it has destroyed that too. The good new if the rest of the loom looks ok with no signs of damage.

 

I have pulled off the starter, alternator, ignition box (stealth blackbox), battery & Coil..

 

Blackbox - plugged it into computer and everything boots up and works fine. all settings are saved and the wires and plug are undamaged.

 

Battery - checked voltage and is still reading 12.65v the plastic terminal surrounds are very slightly melted but all seems good.

 

 

Big question is how do i test the starter, alternator and coil?

 

For the coil do i just measure resistance of the terminals? if i get the right Ohms then assume all good?

 

For the starter, can i connect a set of jump leads up? earth to the body of the starter and the negative on the battery and then the live to the positive on the battery and then do i hit it to the small (solanoid) post or the bigger post?

 

Alternator, no idea how to test, any ideas?

 

Thanks all in advance.

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Steve,

Looking at pictures it does't look to bad, should be able to make goood. You'll need to check if any issues extend from the area of the "thermal event", if its just local to the area then just replace the burnt wires. I doubt you'll have an issue with the starter or alternator as the current would have ran from battery to chassis through the cooked cable.

 

Jez

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Suggestion - is it worth incorporating an FIA cutout switch to the battery during the re-wire?

I know on one hand its an extra thing to go wrong, on the other if the kits normal state is FIA Key removed, and the key is in the cockpit (rather than under bonnet area) unless driving it might save a re-occurence of this sort of one off event.

 

Plenty of opinion on best way to do it - I run a switch on the +ve line from the battery meaning the only thing live when the car is not running is about 1' of thick high current cable to the switch + a light fusible circuit to the immobiliser.

 

I guess the wire to/from the cutoff could cause a similar short - i.e. nothings perfect.

Thanks Richard, funny enough i had thought about this and your not the first to voice it either. I am definitely going to add on in.after this experience. Also good as a bit of extra left security

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Steve,

Looking at pictures it does't look to bad, should be able to make goood. You'll need to check if any issues extend from the area of the "thermal event", if its just local to the area then just replace the burnt wires. I doubt you'll have an issue with the starter or alternator as the current would have ran from battery to chassis through the cooked cable.

 

Jez

Thanks Jez

 

Looks like i am going to have to replace most of the front end items wiring (light, fan, horn etc) but the damage does seem to be local.

 

Any ideas how to test the starter or alternator?

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As you say test the starter off the car with a battery and a couple of jump leads. Don't know about the alternator but I would leave the coil until I had done everything else and see if it produces sparks. I am pleased to hear that it probably isn't as bad as you thought though.

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Starter should be ok. If it's wired like mine the alternator charge cable goes to the starter solenoid terminal and only uses that as a connection to the battery and to my fuse/relay box

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So, have pulled all the sheathing and tubing off to trace the problem and i am feeling luck as it is only in the engine bay. There is enough of the wiring loom to cut this out and replace with new and then rerun the wires and terminate.

 

Again, luckily, this is only 21 wires, so shouldnt be a massive job, just a bit boring!

 

Not a single fused popped, which i am still in 2 minds if this is a good or bad sign?

 

I have bench tested starter and it still works but seems a bit sluggish so will take the starter and alternator to Droitwich Auto Electrical tomorrow and get them to test them properly.

 

Need to count my lucky stars as could have been a lot worse. Feeling a bit better after seeing the real damage just need the time to get it fixed.

 

Picture below shows the worse of the loom which was closest to the alternator. https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9bIjPmpA0E5Vk5ieXMtMzJ5RWM/view?usp=sharing

 

Thanks for the support, this is what makes this club so awesome.

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Dont run the starter cable through the FIA switch.

Most of them will not take the load without cooking eventually....

Guess how I know.....I found out while I was camping in France

& as soon as the bonnet was up, I had a crowd of helpful

(but not very knowledgeable) assistants turn up.

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Stu. I am going to need new ones as the current ones are a bit melted. I did have a nut cover on the alternator output but that is missing which is how the short happened. Not sure if it got knocked if when the jack slipped or before but the end result was the same. Going to remake the alternator bracket so if this ever happened again the output could not touch anything

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There are some cheap and nasty FIA master switches out there. The contacts don't stand up to constant abuse but they will take starter current for a modest, low-amp starter... but nothing too monstrous. You'll be ok because you don't have to wire it up to conform to motorsport rules, so you can run the battery live to the starter and just use the switch to isolate the feed to the alternator/main loom if you wish...

 

Make sure you wire it up properly though, using a soak resistor or the switched circuit to isolate the ignition, otherwise your car will just carry on running when you pull the switch in an emergency.

 

I won't google and link for you, you can do that yourself I'm sure ;)

 

If you want something more reliable longer-term, I would recommend one of these instead... the conventional Autolec type switch has cost me a finish on 2 rallies in the past, but the ETA has not let me down since. Well worth the money, but for road use probably overkill.... as with all these things, you makes you choice/etc ;)

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