Rotary Dash Switches (S2) Removal

[Bobhon]

I need to take out my 3 rotary switches (Heater Fan, Dash Lights & Fog Lights) as they are not working properly.

Heater fan only has a v.Fast setting and then only occasionally.
Rear fogs don't work.

The questions are.
1. How do you get them out? Is it just a case of squeezing in some tangs on the back or do I have to remove the switch heads and take off a locknut?

2. Does anyone know where I might get some replacement switches?

I am hoping that my problems are either the switches or the 20 year old Lucar connectors that need replacing. I figure that if I get the switches out of the dash with the wires attached then I can do a simple fault find on them.

Bob

[phillpot]

Read somewhere they may be ex-Marina ( if so probably lot of other BL stuff too)
Vehicle Wiring Products have something looks similar (65603)?

HTH Mike.

ETA or Car Builder Solutions, 3 speed rotary fan switch ?

Maybe just try linking few wires together first to check if switch ok/duff ?
You probably know more about electrics than me but sometimes if connection inside switch is poor a meter will show continuity but won't take enough current to run fan/light the lights etc.

Edited by phillpot on Tuesday 15th December 16:36

[orange_dodo]

The switches just have a couple of plastic tongy clip things that hold them in. 2 of mine come out without having to squeeze the clips at all and have electrical tape around them to provide a little friction.

I haven't managed to find replacements but I am in the process of buying the bits to replace them with more purpose built switches.

All of them are 3 position switches even though none of them really should be.

The fog lights should be 2 position, the heater should really be 4 position as it is a 3 speed fan, and the dash lights would be much better with a potentiometer so it is infinitely variable. I'm trying to come up with an attachment method at the moment.

[Bobhon]

Thanks all.

Mike, you're too modest about your abilities. I was going to first replace all of the Lucar connectors. Then as you suggest direct connect them to make sure that the circuits flow properly. Then put the switches back into the circuits to check them out.
Thanks for the switches link. Hopefully I will know more about the OEM manufacturer when I get them out.

Tom, thanks for the removal method. It looks as if you have been giving this some thought. Do you know what the heater is originally out of? Are the wires in the loom to support a 3 speed switch, if I can find one.

A modern Ford 4 position rotary switch is used on the lights for Off/Sides/Heads/Auto which might be worth looking at? Usually in the same switch pack is the instrument cluster dimmer switch and the front and rear fog lamp switches. Same thing in a Land Rover Freelander.
Probably wouldn't package very well where the 3 current rotary switches are, but might go low down to the right of the steering column?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Ford-Focus-Light-Control-Pan...

Bob

[TVR653X]

I'm watching this with interest, as my fan has packed up too.

[orange_dodo]

Bobhon said:

Thanks all.

Tom, thanks for the removal method. It looks as if you have been giving this some thought. Do you know what the heater is originally out of? Are the wires in the loom to support a 3 speed switch, if I can find one.

A modern Ford 4 position rotary switch is used on the lights for Off/Sides/Heads/Auto which might be worth looking at? Usually in the same switch pack is the instrument cluster dimmer switch and the front and rear fog lamp switches. Same thing in a Land Rover Freelander.
Probably wouldn't package very well where the 3 current rotary switches are, but might go low down to the right of the steering column?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Ford-Focus-Light-Control-Pan...

Bob

hi Bob, sorry I have no idea what the heater is from but I haven't investigated that. I just noticed the wiring diagram showed that there was an unused conection to a third winding on the motor and TVR obviously just decided 2 was enough. I haven't looked at how easy it would be to wire up the extra winding but I am trying not to take off the dash to do it.

I'm currently trying to find a garage to rent for the car over winter so have currently put the switches on hold. I was intending on getting some correctly rated switches then putting ally knobs on them to replace the cheap plastic ones. I found a switch that could replace the fan switch from CBS. The rubber bit comes off and can be replaced with any 1/4" knob you can find.

http://www.cbsonline.co.uk/3-speed-heater-fan-swit...

I don't know how much current that Ford switch could take as the lights will be on a relay vs the fan which is direct. The fan switch has to take a couple of amps but the other 2 need to take about 3-400mA I think so almost any rotary switch will fit would be fine as most are rated to that. You would then have to decide on what switch to place in the hole if you moved the heater fan switch....How about an engine start button

I bought a cheap pot' from Maplins and a 2 position rotary switch from RS so just need to figure out an attachment method now as they are some big old holes in the dash. I have some BZP penny washers which would look fine under the knob for the front face but how to hold them in is my current problem.

Tom

Edited by orange_dodo on Wednesday 16th December 07:51

[Bobhon]

Okay so I managed to get the fan switch out of the dash with a little brute force and some minor squeezing in of the tabs. The switch actually came unclipped exposing its innards during the removal process, but it was easily put back together.

But having checked out the switch and wiring connections......they are all good.

I've got power to the switch and it's sending it out to the correct connections on the back. The connections on the wires to the heater look good but even when I connect the 12v feed directly to either of the heater wires it doesn't make the heater run.


So I'm guessing that it's either.
- A dodgy connection at the heater end?
- A burnt out heater fan speed resistor in the heater?
- A bad earth from the heater?

Has anyone got any photo's of the exposed heater so that I can see where the connections are at the heater end. A look in through the footwell cover trims didn't help much.

Similarly does anyone know where the heater earths out to?

The hope is that it isn't a complete dash strip out, but deep down I'm expecting to have to do it. If so does anyone have any experience/tips/photo's of the removal process? I'm fine with getting the gauges and switches out and would take lots of photo's and label up all of eth wires on removal, but I'm not sure about how the dash fixes to the shell.

Bob