Thrashed

Well, think I might go buy a lottery ticket as I am the luckiest person around at the moment. Just had the starter and alternator back from the electricians and they are both in perfect working order! Would never have thought they would have survived but they have. Just waiting for the new wires and connectors to turn up and then I can start the chopping! Thanks for all the help and support.

Dan. I still have a pintosaurus, so nothing fancy like ECU's for me to worry about. I just have a box of tricks that does ignition timing.

Dan, found this diagram. Is this how you're suggesting fitting the switch?

Dan, really it is about option 2. 1 I have enough security, secret starting process and removable steering wheel, option 3 isn't a problem the car had. Can they be wired so that off is on and on is off, so that I don't have to leave the key in? If I am every doing anything major I always undo the battery, so just for emergencies really.

Hi Stephen This is one area I am very paranoid about. I jack the car up and then chock the rear wheels and I have a set of ramps that I then fit under the front wheels. I learned the lesson from my uncle who got trapped for 3 hours under a lotus elan when he was younger after a jack slipped. Stupid thing about this incident is that it took me longer to jack the car up than it did to check the sump bolts!

Thanks Dan. Probably going to stick with a 'normal' FIA switch. It's only a road car but now thinking where is the best place to put it? Under the bonnet or on the outside so I can get at it easy without having to take the bonnet of. Not knowing anything about these is guess the key is removed when it is on allowing power through or does the key have to stay in at the time?

Thanks Bob. That's what I am hoping but getting them tested for free just to be sure. Defineatly a lot of thermal damage and everything seems to be ok. Just want some piece of mind

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

Looks good.

Thanks Bob. Going to have a bit of a read up on the correct way to fit it. How did you end up fitting yours

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.

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?

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

Few pictures of the burnt area https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9bIjPmpA0E5c1Zxa2x1M2l2U0E/view?usp=sharing https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9bIjPmpA0E5OTJ6ZTZyaGhWTk0/view?usp=sharing https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9bIjPmpA0E5RzdWaWdHX2REOW8/view?usp=sharing

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.

Thanks for the support guys. Not sure I feel any more positive about it today but going to make a start pulling it apart and seeing what's what. Will post up some pics later The loom is a premier wiring loom

Thanks Stu. Already had Gaz and Graham offers of help which are all much appreciated. See what the damage is and then let everyone know.

Thanks for the hug Just gonna pull it all apart tomorrow and see what the damage is. Will work from there once I know how bad it is. The short looks like it has gone from the alternator to the starter. The down side is that every engine bay wire was bundled together so its melted the lot! Will keep you posted.

Just had a total disaster!! Jacked the car up to check the sump bolts after replacing the gasket and to adjust the clutch to remove a bit of play. On lowering the car down the jack slipped and the block of wood pushed the engine up! As a result the B+ of the alternator hit the cross chassis rail and a massive electric fire starts! Had small ones in old minis but this was serious. pulled the leads to the battery but I now have an engine bay full of charred remains of what use to be a wiring loom. Looks like every wire has melted together and all the sheathing has melted off. Nothing looks salvageable so will have to start the process of stripping the car and seeing how far the damage goes. Guess I will have to check each component, but guess the alternator, battery, stealth blackbox, starter will all be knackered? If anyone has any good methods to work too, I am all ears. Failing that might just push it back on the drive and let it carry on burning! I hate this car right now! Good news is I sorted all my oil leaks!

Making good progress https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B9bIjPmpA0E5dTFITDJvQXU4d3M Just few things to get sorted so Stoneleigh is look ok but haven't driven it yet!

It's going to be a close call if I can get it running. Going to have a play this evening

Not fuel pressure. This is set at 1 psi. I did suspect a faulty pressure reg, but turns out not to be.

Hi Peter Think you are right. Where the float valve seats the bush is removable. Pulled this out and the o rings look a bit iffy. Still flexible but covered in a whitish haze and the end of the float valve is a rubber type material. Cleaned them both off in some petrol and have refitted. Good news is that they have now stopped flooding, yiippee. Just need to see if it will start and run now! Wish me luck.

So.... been messing on all day without success. Fuel is still pouring out. I have had them apart 3 times today and tried the needle value in both positions and this makes no difference. I then started to look as what could cause the issue and starts experimenting! I placed the floats and needle values in place and with my finger rest on the top of the valve very gently blew air through the fuel feed pipe and the air could be heard escaping? Took the value and flow out and put my finger over the end of the hole where the needle value fits to shut of the fuel supply and air was escaping still. It appears to be from the sides on the needle value housing. Now, in my cleaning process, could i have got a bit over excited and cleans to well and destroyed the o ring at the bottom of the housing with carb cleaner? I am now at a total lose and have no idea what to even look at next. Any clues?

Update.. So, tapped each float bowl and no difference, so pulled the carbs off and opened up the float bowls. If carb 1 is closest to the throttle cable connector they look like this Carb 1 - https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9bIjPmpA0E5eS1PdEZ6eml6aFE/view?usp=sharing Carb 2 - https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9bIjPmpA0E5Qk5YSUpiOEswTEU/view?usp=sharing Carb 3 - https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9bIjPmpA0E5VkVsOVBoZGczSFU/view?usp=sharing Carb 4 - https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9bIjPmpA0E5bjhwdG5YcUF0dWs/view?usp=sharing Carbs 3 had the float spring half off so guess this caused part of the issue. The second question is for the float needle does it matter which way round the spring sits? Carb Needle - https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9bIjPmpA0E5Q0E2bXMzY0dMdmM/view?usp=sharing