Electrical problem
Electrical problem
Author
Discussion

TVR OWL

Original Poster:

83 posts

159 months

Wednesday 17th July 2019
quotequote all
Hi,
I have a 1997 Griff and having a problem.
The car was overheating due to the fans not cutting in. Checked the fuses and ok.
Started the car again to re-check the fans and noticed all the lights and indicators had come on !
Bad earth ? Where do I start the search ?
Cheers

Penelope Stopit

11,209 posts

126 months

Wednesday 17th July 2019
quotequote all
TVR OWL said:
Hi,
I have a 1997 Griff and having a problem.
The car was overheating due to the fans not cutting in. Checked the fuses and ok.
Started the car again to re-check the fans and noticed all the lights and indicators had come on !
Bad earth ? Where do I start the search ?
Cheers
Yes you've got it in one, check the earths. The main battery to body earth could be the problem

Hedgehopper

1,541 posts

261 months

Wednesday 17th July 2019
quotequote all
The nearest earth point to the fans and also the most vulnerable from a corrosion point of view is the one in the very front of the lower longitudinal offside chassis rail. Quite a few earth cables are fixed here via a bolt into a threaded hole in the rail.
The earth fixing bolt is visible through the wire grille which is in front of the radiator....accessing it might not be so easy but a very long extension might just get there.
It might be worth running a temporary earth cable to the fans first to see if this is the cause.

Edited by Hedgehopper on Wednesday 17th July 18:16



Edited by Hedgehopper on Wednesday 17th July 18:42

TVR OWL

Original Poster:

83 posts

159 months

Thursday 18th July 2019
quotequote all
Thanks to both of you for your help.
I'll have a look this evening
Graham

indigochim

1,988 posts

147 months

Thursday 18th July 2019
quotequote all
It could also be the fan switch (Otter Switch) in the rad or maybe a relay. You can check if it's the switch by removing the 2 wires from it which should have spade connectors on and touching them together.

QBee

21,814 posts

161 months

Sunday 28th July 2019
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The most common fault with cooling fans on the Chimaera is the connectors in the wiring just before the wires get to the fans. The connectors get full of water and corrosion. A good clean will solve the problem.

You can test whether this is the problem by taking the two wires off the otter switch and joining them together with a paper clip or whatever. Or if you pull them only half off, you can bridge by holding a small screwdriver blade across the exposed terminals.
Fans should then come on with the ignition regardless of the temperature of the water.
If you need to know where the otter switch is, just ask.
On a Chimaera it is under the swirl pot (early cars) or on the back top left of the radiator (about 1997 onwards).
My Griff knowledge only extends as far as chest wigs and medallions, sorry.