TVR CHIMAERA ELECTRICS FAILURE

[mgman50]

Hi Chim fanatics I need some urgent help,driving home recently in my 1993 pre serpentine chim all my dashboard instruments failed, also gone are my indicators,radio,engine fans,horn,main beam, car will still start and runs ok and side lights work but not main beam, alarm is ok and door solonoids open on command and hazards still work. I changed every relay in the fuse board with new items and have checked all the fuses are ok. tried to find the main fuse but it appears that pre-sepentine cars did not have a main fuse. Checked ebverything i can think of, all the wiring and connections in the footwell and checked the battery is ok. Now I'm completely lost. please help. ([e-mail])

[_Dan_]

If I remember correctly there is a big earth cable that bolts onto the chassis, located somewhere underneath where the stereo is. Might be worth checking that out.

Good luck.

Dan

edit: just read that your fans also aren't working, so may not be that. Depends where the relays for the fan and headlights are fed from and where the earth connects to. Does stink of an earthing issue though.

Edited by _Dan_ on Thursday 1st October 17:51

[spend]

Try replacing the big ignition relay (there is only one 70A relay with 4 bigger pins & thats it).

.. but the ecu should really be dependent upon that relay??? side lights not, beam yes IIRC (I've changed mine a fair bit?)

[Jasandjules]

I got my first one completely re-wired by an auto electrician in the end. He said it looked like it had been wired up by a colour blind twelve year old. Might be cheaper and frankly easier to just get a true auto electrician to sort it out?

[andy-w]

mgman50 said:

Hi Chim fanatics I need some urgent help,driving home recently in my 1993 pre serpentine chim all my dashboard instruments failed, also gone are my indicators,radio,engine fans,horn,main beam, car will still start and runs ok and side lights work but not main beam, alarm is ok and door solonoids open on command and hazards still work. I changed every relay in the fuse board with new items and have checked all the fuses are ok. tried to find the main fuse but it appears that pre-sepentine cars did not have a main fuse. Checked ebverything i can think of, all the wiring and connections in the footwell and checked the battery is ok. Now I'm completely lost. please help. ([e-mail])

Have you checked the main earth points...front of chassis offside at the bottom near the rad appears to be lights, horn ect and then there are anothe two at just below the stereo under the carpet and the rear behind the petrol tank...but i have never had any issues with that one.

[Jonywishbone]

Hi there What was the final solution for this, I have no instruments, indicators, brake lights, wipers and fans for engine not switching on but I do have hazards, engine works fine, horn and side, main and full beam lights. I lost headlight flash 1st,then wipers now the rest. Have checked earths at radiator in the centre column and theres one for the engine all appear fine, have checked fuse box all ok

Thanks in advance

[QBee]

If it were a later Chimaera I would say it was the 80 amp fuse blown. It is in the spaghetti that sits on top of the battery, and it is in a fuse holder in the middle of a thick brown cable

[QBee]

PS, if it is so totally random that nothing makes sense, and you live out in the country, suspect mice and start looking behind the radio, under the centre console etc.
Last autumn the little buggers got into my car via the heater air intake and the gear lever gaiter and chewed their way through the ribbon cables behind the radio that serve the headlamp switch, hazards, fog lights, most of the wiring that runs down the centre console including alarm stuff, the speedo cable etc etc. Pulled it all apart and Alex and I got soldering (and vacuuming).
Worth a thought if nothing else makes logical sense.
Did all these things go while you were driving?
Or between drives?

[Jonywishbone]

The mouse solution is not so daft since I live in country and I did have a mouse in the car several years back but I dont think its this I just got back from long trip in Italy 2 weeks ago - if it is a mouse he's probably freezing right now.

I am surprised the rear lights work but not brake light since they are on the same bulb so must have same earth surely?
Is it worth looking in under the dashboard at the relays there what do these operate?
Since the car is a March 1993 model would it have the big 70-100 amp fuse if so where would that be?

Am taking all the earth leads off to clean but they all look ok

Thanks for the replies any other ideas welcome

[QBee]

All my damage happened in one night.

Try listing what works in one column and what doesn't in another.

It might be ignition switch related, for example.
I think the brake lights only work with the ignition on, but the side lights work 24/7, for example.

I have already told you where the big 80 amp fuse is. It is in a black plastic covered fuse holder in the middle of a thicker cable in the birds nest that sits on top of your battery

The 100 amp fuse is irrelevant. It is between alternator and battery and if it blows it stops the alternator from charging the battery. You then run on battery for 50+ miles with 99 % of things apparently normal, and then the engine dies because the battery can no longer power the coil.

[Jonywishbone]

Still struggling with this, its related to the ignition switch since everything driven off the ignition switch is not working except for the ECU and fuel pump so I can still start the car. I have taken the ignition switch apart theres two switch poles can switch engine relay with wire across terminals on one but doing same for other which I assume switches instruments does nothing is there another fuse/relay somewhere cannot find the large fuse in the spaghetti on top of battery on my 1993 model car. There are two smaller fuses around 10A there and they are fine, running out of ideas

[QBee]

PM Chilliman. He may be able to help and passes regularly through Aberdeen....and owns a Chim 500