Help! Lost dashboard electrics!

[gamefreaks]

Hi,

Car is a 1995 Chim. Serp engine.

On the way to work today, I lost all of my dashboard electrics.

The rev counter is working slightly. (But under-reading massively!)

No speedo.

Radio and fans still work.

Battery charge light is on.

I am at work but it is chucking it down with rain so the only thing I've checked so far is that the drive belt hasn't snapped.

Any ideas what will cause this?

[FoxTVR430]

Maybe a lose earth wire.

[phazed 11.83]

Check the 100 amp fuse. I vaguely recall mine doing that when mine went.

The instruments were not reading correctly until slowly everything faded away as the battery flattens

[s p a c e m a n]

There's a 15 amp fuse in the fusebox that runs the dashboard dials/lights, if ot blows the battery light comes on too. I think it's the last one on the right in the second cluster of 15 amp fuses on mine, but they're all bloody different aren't they

[gamefreaks]

Thanks guys. Going to look now.

[QBee]

When you want a little 20 minute project, buy a batch of glow when they blow fuses and replace your entire fuse board with them. Costs about a tenner, makes the "which fuse has blown/has a fuse blown?" job so much easier.

[gamefreaks]

s p a c e m a n said:

There's a 15 amp fuse in the fusebox that runs the dashboard dials/lights, if ot blows the battery light comes on too. I think it's the last one on the right in the second cluster of 15 amp fuses on mine, but they're all bloody different aren't they

Yes, it was this fuse. Replaced and all working again.

It's rained for 3 days solid now and so I'm guessing water got where it shouldn't!

Also, the clutch master cylinder has starting leaking too. I had to limp it home wondering whether I would run out of electricity or lose the clutch first!!!

[s p a c e m a n]

Nice easy fix. Mine was doing it because the wires to the little yellow led light inside the heater controls were touching, it doesn't take much to blow the fuse so is good fun tracing the fault.

[l6rth]

If you have a aluminium dash the check that the clamps holding the gauges in aren't rubbing on he metal an shorting it out.

[gamefreaks]

s p a c e m a n said:

Nice easy fix. Mine was doing it because the wires to the little yellow led light inside the heater controls were touching, it doesn't take much to blow the fuse so is good fun tracing the fault.

I've got a new clock on order so if it ever actually arrives, I'll get the dash top off and inspect all of the wiring under there.

I've almost finished changing the clutch master cylinder. Not a particularly difficult job but needs a bit of ingenuity if you are working on your own.

Make sure you have a decent selection of 13mm spanners and sockets with extensions because access to the bottom bolt from the access panel is tricky.

I just need to nip the bolts up, refill the system, reattach the pedal and bleed it if it will only stop raining long enough for me to finish the job.

fk this weather. It's killing my car and stopping me from mending it again.