Good old Cossies - maybe one of you 'wired up guys' can help on my latest fault that started yesterday.

Fuel and temp gauage are dead. Fire up car fine and abs lights come on for a couple of moments as it should. Everything else in the dash appears to work too.

Rev the engine and the main red charging light comes on, and stays on until restart.

Tested at the battery and still charging at just over 13. Not great for a 9 month old alternator.

Main wire to battery checked - no rubs or worries found.

Alternator just been checked over by local specialist and told its fine, they revved it to 7K in their test apparently.

Now about to test another alternator that I've borrowed, just in case.

Only other thing done recently was to take out and replace (i.e. same ones back in) all relays and fuses in the fuse box to make sure connections were good.

Anyone had this kind of problem before? After checking the alternator with a spare I'll look around the dash area and pull that out I guess.

Ta folks

Andy

 

OK, so changed the alternator for a spare. Fired up and no gauges in the middle still. Then noticed the rev counter was dead too... that's a new one as it was working before!

Revved her up expecting the red light to jump on again like before... but no, that's staying off now!!!

Dash out next I reckon lads!!!

 

You must have a loose wire some were mate

 

Oh did you get the email Andy

 

Just did Barry and yeah - gotta find that darn conection.

Chat at the weekend if OK by you?

In between pulling bits apart of course!!

 

Yeah thats cool mate
find that dodgy plug
Gonna email you something mate

 

On the 4x4s there is a plug in behind the battery that connects all the gauges wires as well as the ECU power and earth. Have you tried cleaning that? Wouldn't explaing the fuel gauge though, but its a start.

 

Dont think the 3dr has a plug behind the battery .Check all the relays and make sure that when you pushed in the new relays and fuses that it hasnt pushed the spade connectors through into the fuse box .

 

Not that I could see mate - will pull them all out again 2moro - just wondering if it is possible to put a relay in wrong way around???

 

Just a thought andy how is the loom by the turbo any wires melted

 

One of the first things I checked mate - I have a special alloy Grp A shield thing too. Mind you I haven't pulled all the tape off... yet!!!

email in ur inbox Barry mate

 

7000 rpm is nothing on a test rig, as this is at the alternator, whose pulley is around half the size of the crank pulley, so will be roughly double what the engine is doing anyway.
Sounds like a dicky rec/reg in the alternator, odd but does happen.
For the gauges I would have a bloody good wiggle test, hopefully find a broken connection, also look on the rear of the instruments as the tracks sometimes break, I've soldered joins in a few before now, check your supply at the plug to the gauges, make sure all that is correct.
tabetha

 

Yep I second that. My temp gauge dropped off and I changed the obvious things. The temp sensor check wiring and it turned out to be the gauge itself. I bought a set of second hand clocks and took them to bits and swapped the whole unit over (temp & fuel).

Works a treat now with no issues,

 

Thanks both, things just got worse!!!

I am using a borrowed alternator as mentioned. Charge light staying off. Disconnected battery and pulled clocks out and refitted them - just to test the connections. Restarted car and now she wont rev above as guessed 3-4 K and 'doesn't quite sound right', a little lumpy. Might just be my paranoia though as rarely run her in a confined space like the run I am working in.

Off to get some spare clocks now... will check the back too tabs.

Thanks guys,

Andy

 

Spare clocks on - same problem and now noticed central lights like engine management and fuel not working. Checked fuse 8 - its fine.

Anyone any idea if a relay could affect this? Anyone got a diagram of what relay is what?

 

Could be a relay. Proccess of ilimination I guess. Best of luck bud!!

 

Car is put away now... not sorted the electrics but at least she is running OK... I even have proof...

https://passionford.com/forum/ford-s...arned-now.html

 

Had a look at your post since you replied to my thread
Same issues as me,

Fuel light
Low washer level
Fuel guage
Coolant
RPM
Batt
Door/light warning panel etc, are all powered off of fuse 22 (10 AMP)

I lifted up my fusebox and found the following, everything above is powered by a black and yellow wire that goes to fuse 22 and also connects into the BIG tall yellow relay in the fuse box. The other side of the fuse (closest to the front of the car connects to fuse 21, whcih I am led to believe does the other stuff that doesn't work-oil/handbrake etc, thats my project to look at that when i get home from work).

If you have a voltmeter or can even borrow one, take out the fuse and measure the voltage accross where the fuse would plug in. I did this before and it was 12v so it threw me, but turned out the contact underneath were fucked so i loooked elsewhere for a while only to find out that the fusebox was the issue.
Do this and see what you get, or better still, open the bonnet and "wiggle" the fuse when the ignition is on and you should see it light up if there is a bad connection.

Don't try and look under the dash as there are about 10 black and yellow wires and you won't know which one is which without tracing them, i did that and it took friggin' ages!

 

Thanks for the tips Rog, brill, am working away this week but know what I'll be up to next weekend now... flippin cossies - lol!

Andy

 

Hi,
As follows a very old Ford TSB (1988) (Technical Service Bulletin) that said :
If some electric trouble on Cosworth, check the "fuse wire" and check connextion, and replace.
These fuse wire are little black wire (10 cm. long)(4 inchs)
These fuse wire exist in all Sierra.
Hope can help you.

Claude.

 

Thanks Claude, I finally handed it over to a specialist firm today as it is obviously just a loose connection somewhere. When I left this morning it was all working fine though!!!

Just hope it goes wrong or shows a low voltage tomorrow!!!

 

Can't believe this... took it to the local specialists who did all the kind of things we've discussed on here - then they removed the fuse and checked it connections through a meter etc. When they left that in place everything worked and the problem was solved - the darned fuse has corrosive crud on it!!

IT WAS JUST THE FUSE!!!!!

 

At least all your worries are solved now andy , its always the little simple things that fook up .