URGENT!! need help asap with Electrical isseus

Post by **mnafl** » Fri 20 Nov, 2015 9:40 am

I have a '86 300e and recent having some people's with the electricals.
First my fog lights blew a fuse, once replaced was fine, but alternator light has come up and all interior lights are now pulsing when they are on and head lights and tail lights are intermittent, when they work
The car has HID head lights installed but they were in the car when I brought it a year ago and have not caused an issue yet.

Any help is muchly appreciated

Cheers guys

Post by **ChristoC** » Fri 20 Nov, 2015 4:26 pm

Fuses are the first place to look - the bullet fuses are notorious for corrosion on their ends causing weird behaviour and intermittent volts, especially if they are the aluminium variety - sometimes they must be removed and inspected carefully.... Replace with brass variety if available. Clean any corrosion on receptacles first.
Pulsating lights could also be caused by bad connection somewhere, or bad ground (chassis) connection.
Alternator light could be many reasons - loose wire or bad regulator brushes are first places to check.

Post by **mnafl** » Fri 20 Nov, 2015 6:16 pm

All the fuses are all good, still have aluminium ones but they are corrosion free same as terminala and earth is all good, car faeces down today and started electrical Fire in bay near fuse box looks like it was an issues behind box

But unfortunately the car is now ruined

Was driving it to the auto electric shop when it happened

Thank you for your help

Post by **CraigB** » Fri 20 Nov, 2015 9:18 pm

I'm sorry i didn't see this earlier. Only commenting in case it helps someone with a similar problem and also in case others want to comment and i will learn from it. Were they aftermarket fog lights or just the standard ones? Was the fuse replaced with the right size? Lights draw a reasonable amount of current so if wrong fuse etc and if aftermarket lights not run through relays it can melt wires, and once one wire starts melting in the loom,then other wires will connect and weird stuff starts happening. Sometimes just feeling different wires/fuses as you turn things on might help. Stating the obvious, but things like that just shouldn't happen. Was there any dodginess visible with wiring? Aftermarket stereos, alarms, lights are all potential things to look at first if having problems. Anyway sorry to hear what happened.

Post by **Tony From West Oz** » Fri 20 Nov, 2015 9:23 pm

mnafl wrote:I have a '86 300e and recent having some people's with the electricals.
First my fog lights blew a fuse, once replaced was fine, but alternator light has come up and all interior lights are now pulsing when they are on and head lights and tail lights are intermittent, when they work
The car has HID head lights installed but they were in the car when I brought it a year ago and have not caused an issue yet.

Any help is muchly appreciated

Cheers guys

Biodegradable wiring loom?

How bad is the damage to the car?
Insured?

Regards,
Tony

Post by **ChristoC** » Sat 21 Nov, 2015 9:04 am

What a shame!

Tony, it was '86 model; afaik the biodegradable looms were "invented" much later....

Post by **mnafl** » Sat 21 Nov, 2015 3:39 pm

Thanks Graig I appreciate it, the fog lights were stock, the god were proffesional installed each light has an individual fuse and all the wiring is good, ballast and wiring is all hidden and in conduit but iys a really profession job, told to me by my mechanic, car has an after market stero but installed by a shop who only retro for older cars. The factory alarm system was replaced by an aftermarket one which I had removed and disconnected by the same shop.

For tony, the damage isn't to bad new brake cylinder and some plastics were damaged just up that little area, worse damage was caused by the matting on the hood lighting up and ruining the bonnet and come plastics on the engine.
And some mild damage to plastic behind the dash just near the fuse box, all was covered by insurance and is being repaired soon. And as for the bio degradable loom I have no idea sorry.

Thanks guys

Post by **Tony From West Oz** » Sun 22 Nov, 2015 12:00 am

Well, at least you have insurance cover. I hope your excess is not too much.

Regards,
Tony

Post by **mnafl** » Mon 23 Nov, 2015 6:39 pm

Just to let some people following this, car has been repaired from all damage, wiring will be assed later in the week, and to quote my auto electrician "you're going to owe me" close freind knowing it's going to be a pain in the ass haha