Forget Ebola, I've got the POD disease !!

[RCK974X]

Did a check for WOF (=MOT) yesterday, car has been stored for a few months. Engine (2.8) started first time after priming pump (by pulling connector off the metering head), but on testing the lights....the driver's side pod goes up, but won't go down. Passenger side works fine.

So... wiring issue is most likely - first suspect is one of those bloody multiway connectors behind driver's side pod.

Take headlamp out.

OK - check with multimeter, and BOTH the motor AND the 'drop' signal appear dodgy - drop signal at 1.7 volts instead of 12, and motor switch wire (for retracted position) is open cicuit even when motor is up. Even THIS took a little while to sort, as I have one of the 'all black' wired wedges.... Damnstbugger

Ok, take motor out and take cover off, clean up contacts with strip of wet'n'dry. OK - THAT works now.

Struggle to the 4 multiway connectors apart, Lots of nice green gunge, despite the fact I cleaned them all not all that long ago (4 years or so). Clean them up as much as poss.

Reconnect motor - Hooray !! It works for both up and down.

Reassemble everything. Test. Guess what.......

Pod goes up and down 5 times and then sticks in the up position again. AArrrghhhhhh!!!

Briefly consider the absolute joy in smashing all that grp bodywork into little bits with my sledgehammer....
Pause...deep breath.....go for a long coffee break instead.

Take pod out again, and now, I'm considering junking those connectors, and joining the wires properly with solder and heatshrink....after all, I don't really need joins there, and I curse whoever designed the wiring loom that way, I hope he (or she) dies a slow lingering death by corrosion too, and lots of electric shocks.

Anybody done this ?? Alternate solutions (yeah, I know, I could use new connector blocks, but wires are a bit tight anyway, not sure if enough spare to retermine all the wires....

I'm wondering if I should do the full rewire NOW....but Summer is coming.

Comments, ideas, anyone ??

[marcus1875]

Leave them in the up position for the WOF. Rewire them in the summer in your leisure.
marcus

[wild rover]

After you clean them coat them in petroleum jelly, no problems in the past few years.

[marcus1875]

wild rover said:

After you clean them coat them in petroleum jelly, no problems in the past few years.

As Sandy says, mine are covered too. No problems for last two years (other than the actual motors failing and the supports rusting through).
Marcus

[Wedg1e]

Sounds like the switch contacts inside the gearbox are intermittent.

[RCK974X]

Wedg1e said:

Sounds like the switch contacts inside the gearbox are intermittent.

Thanks - rechecked motor but it was fine (as far as I can tell).

Went back into loom and the 'down' signal wire broke off at the connector - could have been broken already and just being held by insulation ? Probably. It was green back along the wire for at least 2 cm, so moisture has got in.

So have taken opportunity to clean up, tidy, and redo some of the connectors.... will test tommorow...

Has anyone changed those connectors ? I am interested to know.....the V8 had a different loom as far as I remember, fuse box under dash instead of on drivers wheelarch.

[RCK974X]

UPDATE - Everything now works perfectly, after cutting and splicing a new wire in.
Cut off about 50 mm before getting to reasonably clean copper.

So beware everyone,

The wire had broken just in front of the connector pin, inside insulation, and was therefore not obvious.
When joggled enough, the inner wire fell out. Could see this after examining it with magnifier.
Plus the green crud had migrated way up inside the wire's insulation. Nasty.

32 years old - perhaps I'll do that rewire a bit sooner than I planned...

I took opportunity to clean and regrease the other connectors with Vaselene too...

[adam quantrill]

If you have any old bike inner tube handy, cut up lengths of 6 inches or so and slip them over the joints, stuff some grease in, then tie-wrap the ends over the wires.

Also works well for the UJ's on the steering column, that are subjected to spray from the front wheel.

[Wedg1e]

There's a fix for the green crusty crud (also works when the copper is blackened): strip enough insulation to allow a crimp or solder terminsl, dip the stripped end in plumber's flux and give it a play-over with a blowtorch flame. The crud burns off and you can crimp or solder the resultant clean copper

[Wedg1e]

RCK974X said:

Has anyone changed those connectors ?

Yep, they're available from Vehicle Wiring Products.

[RCK974X]

Thanks Guys...

Adam - good idea about bike innertube - will try that out....

Wedg1e - thanks for link for connectors.
Yep, I'm sure plumber's flux would work with blowtorch, but I think what's left of the insulation afterwards might be a tiny problem