electrics not working

[V8-ESPRITS3]

My Esprit has been unused for nearly 2 years, been a massive project and hope to have it on the road by the end of the month! I have loads of issues with electrics, they all used to work but now every thing is playing up! indicators, only one head light works, etc,etc...I know it must be bad earths/connections. Does any one have any tips on fixing the problem? any common earth points that always cause problems?

[iainskea]

My tip would be to use or get a hold of a simple multimeter. You can check voltage at the lights etc, as well as check earth continuity back to the battery.

Iain

[slewthy]

Hi Rob, 

 

I had a similar stack of issues when I first got my car.

My advice would be to spend a good amount of time tracing through the wiring diagram, identifying each and every fuse and relay and labelling them on the car and the diagram as you go - you will thank yourself in the future.

You can then start swapping over equivalent relays to see if that helps - if it does, you have relay issues.

Also, check all the multi-connectors - steering column, at the headlight motors.

There are also several relays, modules attached to the back of the glove box which are vulnerable to passenger feet that can get damaged/dislodged

Re earthing points, check the main front compartment one - likely to be on the left side, attached through the floor to the chassis

 

Lastly, unless you have them already, you really need the parts diagrams - shows positions of relays etc. To get these, you need to become a full forum member - best few quid you can spend in my opinion.

 

Si

[V8-ESPRITS3]

Hi Rob, 

 

I had a similar stack of issues when I first got my car.

My advice would be to spend a good amount of time tracing through the wiring diagram, identifying each and every fuse and relay and labelling them on the car and the diagram as you go - you will thank yourself in the future.

You can then start swapping over equivalent relays to see if that helps - if it does, you have relay issues.

Also, check all the multi-connectors - steering column, at the headlight motors.

There are also several relays, modules attached to the back of the glove box which are vulnerable to passenger feet that can get damaged/dislodged

Re earthing points, check the main front compartment one - likely to be on the left side, attached through the floor to the chassis

 

Lastly, unless you have them already, you really need the parts diagrams - shows positions of relays etc. To get these, you need to become a full forum member - best few quid you can spend in my opinion.

 

Si

Thanks Si some good tips, I have the workshop manual, I had near nothing working, to start with I found the main earth to chassis was loose! so fixed that and also fitted another for good measure to another point on the chassis.

Do they only come with one earth lead from the battery?

been starting to checkl the relays, fuses and connections and getting some things back to life.

wiper is slow

drivers side headlamp wont go up

electric windows are very slow and sad

wanted to MOT next week but its not looking good..........

Rob

My tip would be to use or get a hold of a simple multimeter. You can check voltage at the lights etc, as well as check earth continuity back to the battery.

Iain

Thanks Iain, already found the main earth from battery was bad

Rob

[slewthy]

Slow windows are normal!!

However, you can improve them with a little time and effort!

[skiing]

lots of things are slow without engine running - not sure whether you have fired yours up yet. I find if I don't drive it for a couple of weeks things can start to act up. If you haven't done so, clean up all earth points with fine sand paper / electrical contact cleaner  (the door ones, the seat rail to chassis ones (under the car) front boot ones - this tends to sort quite a lot of things out for me... 

[marcbria]

For sure test electrics with the engine running I notice a huge difference on my windows, wipers and the pods lifting when its running.

[V8-ESPRITS3]

yes had it running today, got some things groaning back into life.....will keep at it, but have so many other jobs to fix as well feels like its never going to end!