Hey, thanks for all the suggestions, much appreciated.
Had to stay away with work for the few days so didn't get chance to continue until this afternoon.
Anyway, problem SOLVED, everything I checked was good, however once I started getting into it I found the following:
-Fuse for indicators / hazards & interior light had blown out but still produced continuity and appeared fine until you switched part of the circuit on.
-Damaged connection on ignition / starter relay, the block connector was hiding the damage / poor connection.
Repaired the above, removed the additional earth strap I put on ( to put back to standard) and verified the fix. All good now, cranks and fires up like new.
Electrical Issue Causing Me Some Headache
Started by
Paulb53
, Oct 21 2016 10:14 PM
31 replies to this topic
#32
tiger99
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Crazy About Mini's
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Posted 01 November 2016 - 08:35 AM
Why not keep your extra earth strap? Good engine earthing is very beneficial as there are other return paths which will try to share the current, and having a much lower resistance in the intended paths will ensure that the stray currents where they really are not wanted are reduced and do less harm.
Specifically there is a well-known path via the choke and throttle cables, which frequently get very hot and are ruined if the main earth fails. But there is a much more insidious path via the diff, driveshafts, wheel bearings, top arm, subframe, and on rubber mounted subframes the main brake pipe. Rolling element bearings really do not like even small amounts of current passing through them. It initially causes micro - pitting, which becomes worse quite quickly.
You will always get some current going that way unless you interpose insulation. Polycarbonate sheet between subframe mounts and shell and a rubber (not braided!) hose inserted in the brake line is one way of tackling it, but giving it multiple parallel paths of very low resistance by adding extra earth straps is a more practicable thing to do.
And even expensive genuine Timken bearings, which should be used, are vulnerable to stray current...
Multiple lighting earths, one to each corner, are also a good idea to improve reliability. Likewise your radio will work best with its own very short, direct and thick earth.
Specifically there is a well-known path via the choke and throttle cables, which frequently get very hot and are ruined if the main earth fails. But there is a much more insidious path via the diff, driveshafts, wheel bearings, top arm, subframe, and on rubber mounted subframes the main brake pipe. Rolling element bearings really do not like even small amounts of current passing through them. It initially causes micro - pitting, which becomes worse quite quickly.
You will always get some current going that way unless you interpose insulation. Polycarbonate sheet between subframe mounts and shell and a rubber (not braided!) hose inserted in the brake line is one way of tackling it, but giving it multiple parallel paths of very low resistance by adding extra earth straps is a more practicable thing to do.
And even expensive genuine Timken bearings, which should be used, are vulnerable to stray current...
Multiple lighting earths, one to each corner, are also a good idea to improve reliability. Likewise your radio will work best with its own very short, direct and thick earth.
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