Wassup??

[Arbman Al]

Evening All,

Driving back from Taunton today up the A303 and noticed at one stage the Tacho going from 3000rpm to nought and back to 3000 again, bouncing up and down. Then also noticed the power to the radio going on and off in time with Tacho. After a few minutes the Tacho stopped altogether, the radio stayed off, and then the fuel gauge and temp gauge went off as well

Stopped at a garage for a tiddle, got back in and everything was ok for the rest of the journey.

Is this the voltage stabiliser messing around, or just a wiring problem?

Cheers....Al (don't like electrics!)

[V Mad]

A bad connection somewhere Al.

[KOY 23]

Hi Al.

I would have a look at the second fuse and connections, try replacing the fuse, cleaning contacts and make sure rivets are tight. The common factor is the ignition controlled green wires.

John.

[Arbman Al]

Thanks!

I've had problems with the fuse box and rivets before

I've also got another fuse box I can put in, is there anything I can do to the rivets in it, before I install it?

[SGN]

I remember in the dim and distant past, when I was young and foolish, I tried to clean fuse box terminals using wire wool, I didn't half jump when it went up in flames.

Steve

[Arbman Al]

I remember in the dim and distant past, when I was young and foolish, I tried to clean fuse box terminals using wire wool, I didn't half jump when it went up in flames.

Steve

Lol - I won't try that one then!

[Andy Rundell]

Lol - I won't try that one then!

If i see a plume of smoke from your direction i'll know it all went horribly wrong !

[MellowYellow2500]

Hi

Got similar probs so bought another fuse box and the advice regards cleaning it is to submerge it in vinegar and I have tried this you would not belive how clean the rivits come up.A good way of doing this is cut the top part off an old cola bottle and fill up with some cheapo vinegar then dunk in the fuse box for a good soak.

Cheers

M Y S

[Rincewind]

Is there anything you can do to tighten up the rivets, I have a wobbly one on my nearside dip beam?

Keith

[Duncan Skye]

Is there anything you can do to tighten up the rivets, I have a wobbly one on my nearside dip beam?

Keith

Hi Keith,

Rivets can normally be tightened up by clinching them again. That is likely to be nigh-on impossible with the fuzeboard in position as it involves placing one side of the rivet on an anvil and giving the other end a blow from a small (half-pound) hammer, sufficient to re-set it tight without causing damage to the plastic moulding. As the proximity of the spade terminals and fuze holder clips will interfere with that process, you'll need to use a narrow punch inverted in your vice (the anvil), get an assistant to place the offending fuze over it and whilst he/she holds the fuzeboard steady, strike the other end of the rivet from above by using the hammer and another punch.

These rivets had hollow tails and were curled over using a special punch. If you don't have one, you could expand the tail slightly by using a pointed punch, followed by a flat one to re-set the clinch.

Once you've got the fuzeboard out, it would probably be worth giving it a clean like M Y S has done, then rinsing and drying the joint before clinching it up.

If you wanted to try chenching it in situ - note that it would be awkward and should only be tackled if you're fairly confident of success. You'd need to disconnect the battery (which you'd be doing anyway) and get help from a tough buddy. With the parcel shelf (and probably the glovebox) removed he would need to be able to hold a thin punch firmly behind the offending rivet, with a heavy mass such as a lump hammer behind it as the anvil. Then from the engine bay side, use the other punch and hammer to re-set the rivet. You'd need to watch you didn't break the plastic fuzeboard when using the hammer because the fuzeboard and the panel its mounted to will be springy, and once the rivet has set, don't go on giving it 'one for luck'.

There may be other more specialised methods out there, but I'm afriaid I don't know of them. I wouldn't be keen to suggest soldering unless your soldering iron could apply a whack of heat in an instant. You'd have to have a clean joint and get the solder to run and form the joint before the heat had time to spread and damage the plastic moulding underneath. Copper in particular, and brass are good conductors of heat.

I hope that sheds some light on the problem,

Duncan, Skye.

[new to this]

Is there anything you can do to tighten up the rivets, I have a wobbly one on my nearside dip beam?

Keith

you could try dissconnect battery and then run a small bit of plumbers solder over the rivets

dave

[Rincewind]

Thanks for your advice Duncan, I was hoping it could be done from one side as I don't fancy taking the fuse box out. I thought they might be rivets and need re clinching but it is not easy to see from either side. I don't fancy soldering as that is a bit one way if something melts Dave, and looking at the usual suppliers no one can replace to original spec. just near copies.

I have managed to move the fuse to a position were the light stays on fairly reliably so hopefully that will get me through the MOT and I can take the fuse box out when the weather is warmer!

Are the rivets hollow all the way through? If so I could get a small BA nut a bolt through and tighten up that way.

Cheers Keith

[V Mad]

Careful when soldering the rivets, the fuse box is made of thermoplastic, not the best material for this application.

Its a vicious circle when a fault occurs: 1. An overload causes the rivet joints to get hot. 2. The heat melts the plastic and loosens the rivet, which increases the contact resistance. 3. The increased resistance cause more heat and melts the plastic. And so on.

I dont think they are hollow Keith, but I suppose you could drill them out and replace with a brass screw and nut. Never tried it though.

I suspect new ones are even worse quality than the original (go on, surpise me) so its probably worth refurbing the old ones if you can manage it.

[Duncan Skye]

Thanks for your advice Duncan, I was hoping it could be done from one side as I don't fancy taking the fuse box out. I thought they might be rivets and need re clinching but it is not easy to see from either side. I don't fancy soldering as that is a bit one way if something melts Dave, and looking at the usual suppliers no one can replace to original spec. just near copies.

I have managed to move the fuse to a position were the light stays on fairly reliably so hopefully that will get me through the MOT and I can take the fuse box out when the weather is warmer!

Are the rivets hollow all the way through? If so I could get a small BA nut a bolt through and tighten up that way.

Cheers Keith

Hi Keith,

Sorry I didn't spot this earlier, but the server didn't tell me that anybody had replied.

The rivets are solid all the way through, just hollow for the part that has to be peened over. If you know which clip part of the fuzeholder is loose, you could try jamming a very small wedge of plastic (wire insulation with the wires removed?) between the clip and the plastic body of the fuzeboard. Leave a tail on it so that you can pull it out again. The aim is to apply a force that will take up any slack and prevent the situation occurring that V Mad describes. He is right in what he says about the heating effect and you want to avoid that, even for the MOT.

Good luck with it!

Duncan