Just bought car, switched headlights, car cut out -Not Fixed

[PaddyD]

I spoke too soon!
Just started the car and let it warm up, flicked the headlights on which came on, put in gear and started to set off when poop, dead, again.
No electrics other than horn and interior light, engine cut out, no dash lights, nothing.

Can't be the control box again, can it?

[PaddyD]

And it is, blown through the new control box...


So we have a symptom but what's the cause?

[amgrave]

It seems that something is drawing too much power. Perhaps as it happens when the headlights are in use there might be a partial short in that circuit but not necessarily so. It's going to be hard to find I think. Perhaps disconnecting parts of the circuits and re-connecting them one at a time will give the answer?

[biomed32uk]

You have a short somewhere as has been said, are there any bit of loom that have been wound over with black tape ?, always a clue that someones been there and may have been bodging.

Check where the wires com through the bodywork, at the front there should be grommets on the inner wings where the wires go through to the headlights, in the boot where they go through to the rear lights and in the boot floor RH side by the back seat where they come into the boot from under the car. They guy who put my car back together didn't bother with any of them either so that was a job to do.

The loom is held to the car via bendable metal tabs, check these have not work through it, along the underside and under the radiator where the lighting wire run accross to the near side. I think these should have a bit of plastic tube pushed over them to protect the wiring, mine have now.

The loom also gets close to the clutch linkage assembly, where it goes from the engine compartment and down under the car, worth a check.

That's kind of the obvious places to start checking and that are not too difficult to get at. If someone has done work before somewhere don't assume its good, I have seen some right bodges with vehicle wiring, take everything at face value. I'm an electrical/electronics engineer by trade so its my thing. If I was nearer I'd happily come and give you a hand, I like chasing electrical problems.

[bmcecosse]

So the seller KNEW this was happening - and had bodged up the control box with that poorly soldered link...And just 'happened' to have a spare control box which he fitted... Back to the seller I think!

[PaddyD]

All sorted. Got an auto electrician to have a look and sorted the short. Been driving around since yesterday and at night with headlights on with no problems.
Love it!

[biomed32uk]

Thats good news, and where was it, always nice to know......

[PaddyD]

Thats good news, and where was it, always nice to know......

In the dip beam switch, apparently there was some resistance and a couple of loose wires, sorted that and it's worked ever since.
As an aside, the heating is blooming fab.