Please Help. Battery Jumped Wrong Way.
Best Answer Spider , 07 June 2018 - 09:03 AM
Glad you seem to have it sorted for now.
Is it worth fitting a new fuse with a little dielectric grease just to fully illiminate this?
I found this to be an on going issue. The 2 fuse type fuse holders are not brilliant, even if you got a new one.
I gave up many years ago on them and now fit these;-
https://www.jaycar.c...blades/p/SZ2002
Apart from being 100% reliable for me it also allows some splitting up of the circuits.
They have a few stores throughout NZ if you are not familiar with Jaycar;-
https://www.jaycar.co.nz/store-finder
Go to the full post#1
Posted 07 June 2018 - 01:04 AM
The car starts and drives perfectly. However the wipers, indicators, coolant gauge, fuel gauges are all now not working.
I have checked both fuses and neither are "popped" the battery is on its last legs so this will be getting replaced very shortly regardless of this.
My question is, is there an "easy" couple of checks I can do before getting multi meters and magnifying glasses out. Are there some hidden fuses I don't know about (I've been around minis along time and don't know of any, but some of you wizards will have a trick or 2 up your sleeve)
Is this something to do with the centre speedo? All things apart from the wipers seem to run, one way or another, through this "dial"
Thanks so much for any replies, hoping you lords can help me out.
#2
Posted 07 June 2018 - 03:39 AM
I'd say while the fuses maybe OK, it;s highly likely that the fuse holder needs a clean and a bend to hold the fuses a bit tighter.
The one that you'll be having issues with in particular is the one that has all the green wires connected to it.
#3
Posted 07 June 2018 - 03:43 AM
The sidelights and main lights are working. (3 position rocker switch in the switch panel, off, sidelights, main)
The other rocker switch is for the wipers, this is inoperative. (2 position rocker switch, on and off)
The indicators are not working at all, not on the exterior of the vehicle, or the little green light flashing on the instrument cluster.
As previously stated the fuel gauge and (smiths, 2 wire) temperature gauge are also not working.
#4
Posted 07 June 2018 - 03:46 AM
Thanks for the reply.
I have visually checked the fuse (looks ok) and cleaned (scratched a bit) the terminals that the fuse connects in to.
You are correct, it has a lot of green wires connected to it.
Is it worth fitting a new fuse with a little dielectric grease just to fully illiminate this?
#5
Posted 07 June 2018 - 07:52 AM
Hi,
Remove and refit all the green wires, one may have a bad connection. Failing that get a test light out and start testing every green wire you can see.
Does the heater motor work?
Cheers
#6
Posted 07 June 2018 - 08:37 AM
A girlfriend had a "Super Delux Hydrolastic" , on which the indicators failed.
I found an "In-line" fuse among the wires in the steering column binnacle.
#7
Posted 07 June 2018 - 09:03 AM Best Answer
Glad you seem to have it sorted for now.
Is it worth fitting a new fuse with a little dielectric grease just to fully illiminate this?
I found this to be an on going issue. The 2 fuse type fuse holders are not brilliant, even if you got a new one.
I gave up many years ago on them and now fit these;-
https://www.jaycar.c...blades/p/SZ2002
Apart from being 100% reliable for me it also allows some splitting up of the circuits.
They have a few stores throughout NZ if you are not familiar with Jaycar;-
https://www.jaycar.co.nz/store-finder
#8
Posted 07 June 2018 - 09:47 AM
It an easy mistake, I did it on my R53 cooper s and it blew the alternator, it was charging but it's output was unregulated and topping 18v at idle causing lots of electrical havoc lol
Think most of the electrical gubbins in the alternator went pop.
#9
Posted 07 June 2018 - 11:59 AM
Suggest you get the alternator checked, they don't take kindly to being treated to reverse power. Neither does the battery but you say it on last legs anyway.
It an easy mistake, I did it on my R53 cooper s and it blew the alternator, it was charging but it's output was unregulated and topping 18v at idle causing lots of electrical havoc lol
Think most of the electrical gubbins in the alternator went pop.
My first thought would be damage to the alternator, too.
I think the other problems may just be a low voltage from an elderly battery. I don't know how "cold" cold is in NZ I guess if you are on SI, you could be getting a chill from the Antarctic, which the battery will not appreciate.
#10
Posted 07 June 2018 - 11:29 PM
I will give it the old unplug it and plug it all in again with the green wires.
As I said. The car starts and runs and the lights work, so does the stereo,... But that's it electronically. It doesn't die when the lights are on so I was assume the alternator is ok, but I will get a multimeter and give it a poke later to see if it's putting anything out voltage wise.
It's a tiny little battery but before the mishap everything worked fine. I will get a new one but am trying to eliminate the obvious things before throwing money at it.
I will in the near future upgrade to a 4 or 5 blade fuse box but S I said for the time being I'm hoping to rectify my fault first.
Thanks loads for your replies.
Anything else that comes to mind, throw the advice my way.
Always appreciated
Thanks legends.
#11
Posted 08 June 2018 - 06:51 AM
Tightened (bent the tabs in) the fuse holder as spider moke said. Also removed then replaced all the green wires as recommended. And we're back in action!!
If a little sporadically, ie when I put the indicators on everything will stop working again. Remove the fuse and refit it again and it all works again....
New battery and fuse box will be the next step.... Always going to be the next things addressed but now it's essential, Wired by Wilson here I come.
Thanks for all your help guys. YI'm re the best.
#12
Posted 08 June 2018 - 10:07 AM
#13
Posted 09 June 2018 - 03:50 PM
my dad did the same thing to my car a few months back. knackered the coil, the radio and the alarm system, and all positive wires leading up to the starter solenoid melted together, but everything else worked.
Glad to know that you got yours up and running again. Its usually electronics that aren't tolerant of reverse polarity voltage
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