Club 80-90 Forums

Was planning to go to Scotland for rest of week tomorrow but now have a problem.

Temp gauge was not working so decided to check out a few things. Temp was working but not reading a normal temp following engine rebuild in Feb. It then stopped working altogether last week.

Checked cables on sensors and all okay. Then went to wiki and found this:-

"There is an easier test of the gauge as follows (see picture below)...
You can test the gauge and its calibration by removing the module marked 43 from the fusebox. Using male spade connectors with a short link of wire (pic shows a 100 ohm resistor for testing calibration but wire is fine for a simple yes/no test) place them in the socket locations as shown. This will connect your gauge to earth and you won't have to crawl under the van to check the dash/gauge is OK. "
NOTE picture did not copy and paste but shows a cable between terminals 4 & 6 after relay 43 removed.

Fitted cable as shown and turned on ignition (this might be my mistake?) and the temporary cable melted? Ignition only on for seconds when I noticed so turned of straight away.
Checked cables around fuse box for damage to other cables and all looks okay. Refitted relay and placed key in ignition when a clicking noise could be heard and the key would not turn?

Ignition barrell seems to have frozen/seized and key will not turn?

Does anyone know what has happened?

Looking at wiring diagrams it looks like you may have connected the 12v supply on the #43 relay directly to ground - and that 12v supply is not protected by a fuse (I don't think) and goes through the ignition switch.



If your jumper went from the terminal marked with a '5' to the terminal marked with the big '3' then you would have connected 12v directly to ground ...... (probably quite easy to do if you are trying to do this upsidedown in the footwell!!)

So when/if you did that there would have been a very large current through all that cabling - obviously enough to eventually melt your 'jumper' wire.
Not sure what a very high current through the ignition switch would do - is it possible that it has caused something to melt/seize in the ignition switch ..... maybe ....
(just make sure its not the steering lock thats stopping the key turning??)

Had temporary cable in right places as mentioned in Wiki.

Have now managed to free off ignition lock after soaking with WD40 and a bit of brute force. As mentioned possibly something fused together inside when power applied.

All back together now but still need to sort out temp gauge. Anybody any ideas how to check gauge and sender using a meter?

Temp gauge now working after replacing sender.

Still have problems with ignition switch.

At times no power going to starter so you have to hold key in ignition position and wiggle the plug socket at bottom of switch until engine starts turning.

Engine will then turn over but not fire until you release the iginition key when it then fires up?

Think its time for new ignition switch?

Assume something has melted inside ignition switch following me overloading it with power when checking temp sender. It was seized up after that until I managed to free off.