Only for the Smart Guys - A Real Puzzle
Created by: 6464s
Orig. Posting Date | User Name | Edit Date |
Nov 15, 2021 08:50AM | 6464s | |
Nov 15, 2021 06:21AM | onetim | |
Nov 14, 2021 04:11AM | ve9aa | Edited: Nov 14, 2021 04:16AM |
Nov 13, 2021 07:12PM | 6464s | |
Nov 13, 2021 02:01PM | ve9aa | |
Nov 12, 2021 07:15PM | 6464s | Edited: Nov 13, 2021 04:51AM |
Mar 15, 2021 05:17AM | 6464s | Edited: Mar 15, 2021 05:17AM |
Mar 14, 2021 06:11PM | minibitz | |
Mar 14, 2021 07:56AM | Dan Moffet | |
Mar 14, 2021 07:39AM | 6464s | Edited: Mar 14, 2021 01:03PM |
Mar 13, 2021 06:52PM | 62 Cooper S | |
Mar 13, 2021 06:27PM | 6464s | |
Mar 13, 2021 03:18PM | Craig | |
Mar 13, 2021 01:31PM | ve9aa | |
Mar 13, 2021 10:52AM | 6464s |
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I've been using the plastic covered spades. I think that is part of the problem, you really can't see the actual crimp. OneTim, That is a great solution of positive connection.
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Beyond tinning, I like to solder wire connections after crimping, then shrink wrap.
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I once got a smokin' deal on a (used) small Kubota diesel tractor/mower. The mechanics (@ the dealer) I asked about it told me not to buy it. They could not say too much (legally I guess?)...just a lot of head shakin', mumbling and 'don't do it man'''' stuff.
The salesman charged me likely 1/3 or 1/4 of the going rate and gave me double what my trade in POS mower was worth.
I mowed with it once or twice (I forget exactly) then one time I got called away mid-mow and came back later on and the dang thing wouldn't start. Dead ! Didn't like leaving it out on the front lawn all night, but there it sat.
Aha! I said. This is why I got such a smokin' deal.
Long story short, it ended up being the crimp inside the "signal wire" spade connector on top of the starter solenoid. With a cup of coffee next morning and a little troubleshooting, after I figured it out, Ten minutes later, I was mowing. That was about 15yrs and 500 mower hours ago.
The salesman charged me likely 1/3 or 1/4 of the going rate and gave me double what my trade in POS mower was worth.
I mowed with it once or twice (I forget exactly) then one time I got called away mid-mow and came back later on and the dang thing wouldn't start. Dead ! Didn't like leaving it out on the front lawn all night, but there it sat.
Aha! I said. This is why I got such a smokin' deal.
Long story short, it ended up being the crimp inside the "signal wire" spade connector on top of the starter solenoid. With a cup of coffee next morning and a little troubleshooting, after I figured it out, Ten minutes later, I was mowing. That was about 15yrs and 500 mower hours ago.
~ 30 minutes in a Mini is more therapeutic than 3 sessions @ the shrink. ~
Mike NB, Canada
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You nailed it. 1st try. I struggled with this since March.
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YAY!
Have seen this a little bit in my job (Electronics Engineering TEchnologist) but more often on my old cars, bikes & tractors actually.
Glad you got it resolved.
Have seen this a little bit in my job (Electronics Engineering TEchnologist) but more often on my old cars, bikes & tractors actually.
Glad you got it resolved.
~ 30 minutes in a Mini is more therapeutic than 3 sessions @ the shrink. ~
Mike NB, Canada
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HooRay, I finally solved the problem. Because all of a sudden the same stalling thing started again. This time I only had 2 wires to deal with. To make a long story short, it turned out to be the crimping of the spade connectors. One of wires was not crimped tight enough. It turns out it was just tight enough to make an electrical connection but not a solid connection. With a new spade, tinning the wire end again and a new tight crimp, my mini is running fabulous and feels great in acceleration once again.
I guess I'm a candidate for "Lucas, the Prince of Darkness's Apprentice".
Like I said, you are the smart guys, especially the ones insisting that the spade connectors were the culprits. Nick, I did solder the fuse block rivets and terminals which solved the intermittent turn signal glitch.
I guess I'm a candidate for "Lucas, the Prince of Darkness's Apprentice".
Like I said, you are the smart guys, especially the ones insisting that the spade connectors were the culprits. Nick, I did solder the fuse block rivets and terminals which solved the intermittent turn signal glitch.
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Dan, By isolating the one wire, the mini has not stalled. If it does again, I would suspect the relay.
Minibitz, I took all the individual buss fuse cases and put them on an aftermarket fuse block. It is not the main 4 fuse block.
Thank you guys, I do appreciate the feedback. Just a real puzzle to me. The main seems to be running fine again. If it does stall again, I will know that my fix did not work. So far so good. You guys are the smartest out there.
Minibitz, I took all the individual buss fuse cases and put them on an aftermarket fuse block. It is not the main 4 fuse block.
Thank you guys, I do appreciate the feedback. Just a real puzzle to me. The main seems to be running fine again. If it does stall again, I will know that my fix did not work. So far so good. You guys are the smartest out there.
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Corrosion inside the fusebox assembly perhaps?
I know on MK4 cars with the four blade fuse box the fuse holders are riveted to the spade that wires attach to. Over time corrosion builds up behind the rivet and causes intermittent power issues. It's a very common problem I see in my workshop. Perhaps the fusebox you have used has a similar construction?
I know on MK4 cars with the four blade fuse box the fuse holders are riveted to the spade that wires attach to. Over time corrosion builds up behind the rivet and causes intermittent power issues. It's a very common problem I see in my workshop. Perhaps the fusebox you have used has a similar construction?
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Have you checked the connections at the fuel pump relay and at the pump itself? Could be coincidence that poking at it at the fuses occurred at the same time as the intermittent connection elsewhere. (As likely as a chafed wire?)
.
"Hang on a minute lads....I've got a great idea."
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I was wondering about that. I did traced the wires backed to the main harness where it they are wrapped. I did not want to start cutting the wrapping off. I will look again.
I just got back from looking at the wires- no chafing. I doubt that the wires would chafe in the harness. Plus the mini is running fine with the wire isolated and the harness still wrapped.
I just got back from looking at the wires- no chafing. I doubt that the wires would chafe in the harness. Plus the mini is running fine with the wire isolated and the harness still wrapped.
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The wires are chafed at another place on the wires other than the connectors causing the wire to ground out. When you moved the wires the chafed portion of the wires no longer hits or rubs against what ever it was hitting or rubbing.
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Just to let you guys know. In my post I did change the connectors. When I change them, I made sure they were solidly connected. I tinned the tips of the wires. No difference. Still stalled. When I separated the Brown/grey wires out of the fuse block with a new Buss holder, fuse and lead wires, all I did was to add 2 new male connectors to the lead ends and just pushed the existing female connectors into the male spade or the other way round. Both the female and the male have the plastic covers. In doing that, it was a plug and play, with no stalling. I appreciate the replies but I have to say t loose connectors were not the problem. As far as heat is concerned, I would think it would be hotter under the air cleaner by a few degrees, as the original fuses were closer to the exhaust manifold and the cleaner trapping the heat.
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If ve9aa is right about the crimp(s), and the crimps are exposed to the engine bay without a cover, maybe the combination of poor crimp(s) and dirt (non-conductive dirt that is) make it an intermittent fault. Either way my electrical mantra covers all, "Connections, connections, connections....."
'72 Morris Mini - 1310cc, K1100 head conversion
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 6464s
Background- A SPI mini used daily. I got rid of the individual fuses holders under the air cleaner and put an 8 gang fuse block using the flat blade fuses. Instead of having them under the cleaner they live on top of the air cleaner. I've been running this set up for years.
Now the Puzzle- Recently the mini would stall every once in a while. To get it started, I would run my fingers across the 7 wires in a row. It would fire right up. I figured out which wires were problematic. Brown and grey wires were the culprits (fuel pump relay). I changed the spade connectors. Fine for a while but still on occasion would stall. I lived with this for a while, maybe a year. Then last week, it stalled 3 times in about an hour, of course it would stall right in the middle of an intersection. When I got it home it was time to fix this problem.
The fix- I tried moving the wires to another position on the fuse block- problem did not go away. I moved the wires again, this time using a different fuse- problem did not go away. I decided to isolate the wires by taking them off the fuse block and went back to using a buss fuse. Problem solved. It's been a week of driving with no issues.
Can anyone solve this puzzle? Thanks Jim
Now the Puzzle- Recently the mini would stall every once in a while. To get it started, I would run my fingers across the 7 wires in a row. It would fire right up. I figured out which wires were problematic. Brown and grey wires were the culprits (fuel pump relay). I changed the spade connectors. Fine for a while but still on occasion would stall. I lived with this for a while, maybe a year. Then last week, it stalled 3 times in about an hour, of course it would stall right in the middle of an intersection. When I got it home it was time to fix this problem.
The fix- I tried moving the wires to another position on the fuse block- problem did not go away. I moved the wires again, this time using a different fuse- problem did not go away. I decided to isolate the wires by taking them off the fuse block and went back to using a buss fuse. Problem solved. It's been a week of driving with no issues.
Can anyone solve this puzzle? Thanks Jim
Just a guess.
~ 30 minutes in a Mini is more therapeutic than 3 sessions @ the shrink. ~
Mike NB, Canada
Total posts: 501
Last post: Apr 19, 2024 Member since:Jan 25, 2017
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Background- A SPI mini used daily. I got rid of the individual fuses holders under the air cleaner and put an 8 gang fuse block using the flat blade fuses. Instead of having them under the cleaner they live on top of the air cleaner. I've been running this set up for years.
Now the Puzzle- Recently the mini would stall every once in a while. To get it started, I would run my fingers across the 7 wires in a row. It would fire right up. I figured out which wires were problematic. Brown and grey wires were the culprits (fuel pump relay). I changed the spade connectors. Fine for a while but still on occasion would stall. I lived with this for a while, maybe a year. Then last week, it stalled 3 times in about an hour, of course it would stall right in the middle of an intersection. When I got it home it was time to fix this problem.
The fix- I tried moving the wires to another position on the fuse block- problem did not go away. I moved the wires again, this time using a different fuse- problem did not go away. I decided to isolate the wires by taking them off the fuse block and went back to using a buss fuse. Problem solved. It's been a week of driving with no issues.
Can anyone solve this puzzle? Thanks Jim
Now the Puzzle- Recently the mini would stall every once in a while. To get it started, I would run my fingers across the 7 wires in a row. It would fire right up. I figured out which wires were problematic. Brown and grey wires were the culprits (fuel pump relay). I changed the spade connectors. Fine for a while but still on occasion would stall. I lived with this for a while, maybe a year. Then last week, it stalled 3 times in about an hour, of course it would stall right in the middle of an intersection. When I got it home it was time to fix this problem.
The fix- I tried moving the wires to another position on the fuse block- problem did not go away. I moved the wires again, this time using a different fuse- problem did not go away. I decided to isolate the wires by taking them off the fuse block and went back to using a buss fuse. Problem solved. It's been a week of driving with no issues.
Can anyone solve this puzzle? Thanks Jim