MR2 Championship

I really hate having to admit to such a c*ck up but I've been rushing round like a mad thing and silly errors creep in.

I appear to have killed the electrics on Car #17. It happened just before it went to Gareth, it's new owner. We had to shoved the car on the trailer and it has now gone up to its new Manchester home but is still "dead". If you have any ideas, I'd be grateful for any postings. If you have any suggestions on what it might be or what you would check next, please post here or you could PM Gareth directly - his Forum name is "Hybrids".

I have laid out a sequence of events below and if anyone can offer any diagnostic help, I would be sincerely grateful:

Cheers JOHN

Sequence of events:

Battery was initially charged up last Sat night.
Sunday afternoon I started it up again and drove it off the trailer, moved the trailer back on the drive and reversed the car into the drive.
I killed the engine on the ignition switch on the dashboard but then forgot to switch off the master switch - the battery has always tended to run down if this is done.

A data logger had been fitted at the end of the season for Dave to "play" with. The power for this was supplied by a cigarette lighter plug which had gone directly into the side of the "battery pack". This plug had been removed but the 2 wires to the coil were still connected.
Dave came over Monday lunchtime to remove the datalogging gear and noticed the switch was on. He switched it off and then removed the 2 data logging wires - one ran to each of the posts on the coil. These 2 wires passed into the cabin through the large grommet on the passenger side of the car.

When Dave had finished, I then hurriedly put the battery on charge as I asssumed the wrong charging had simply flattenned it.
The croc clips were connected to earth and to the battery side of the Master Switch (BUT THE WRONG WAY AROUND).
The Master Switch was OFF when I put it on to charge.
Unfortunately the charger did not blow a fuse or appear to fail.

On Tuesday, I turned on the Master Switch and found no electrics came up. I assumed I'd made a bad connection when charging and then realised my error.
I then switched the Master Switch OFF again and put battery on to charge in the normal, correct way.
24 hours later I tried it again and still got no power.
Dave brought over another battery and we tried connecting that but no joy - as you know.
No power means no power to anything!

Just to add where I'm up to:

Battery is showing 12.8v correct polarity.
All fusible links appear intact.

Changed battery master switch incase diode popped
Changed ECU with good spre one supplied with car (same part number)

Looking on a wiring diagram, there appears to be a fusible link after the battery, but before the 40 & 60amp fuses.
I'm not sure if this was a fuse that was part of the original battery terminal before the battery was relocated.

I won't get chance to investigate any further until Sunday, any input appreciated.

regards
Gareth

Hi Gareth,

We've had a similar situation on a mk2 and there is indeed a fusible link immediately after the battery terminal. I'll look up the part number on the EPC tomorrow but if I remember correctly it's less than a tenner from Toyota.

Patrick

Found the problem

Not got time to fix it yet

On the main (+) leads, one goes to the Starter, the other thinner gauge lead goes off and powers pretty much everything else (It looks like the first fusible link is missing).
About 2" down this lead is broken and the preceding and following insulation is melted, I'll need to trace back further and piece a new lead in.
Anyway, I temporarily connected the wire and insulated it and the cars started and everything appeared to work.
I did not leave it to run too long as I was aware of the temporary nature of the insulation.

But it looks like a quite straight forward fix

regards
Gareth

Hi Gareth,

Hybrids wrote:About 2" down this lead is broken and the preceding and following insulation is melted, I'll need to trace back further and piece a new lead in.

The piece of wire that's failed is the fusibile link! Like I said, you can get a repair section from Toyota. Your local dealer will probably be able to sort one out for you but if you struggle I can supply you with the part number. I'll be in the office later on tomorrow afternoon if you want to call and jog my memory!

Best regards,

Patrick Mortell
Rogue Motorsport Ltd
01676 530222

Part Number: 82991-32020 Wire, Fusible Link Repair. £6.55+vat

... and it wasn't me that b***d it up!

Dave.

Enjoy no 17, Gareth, it's given us a lot of fun.

Thanks Patrick

I'll give you a call in the morning.


Thanks Dave , I hope to

DaveC wrote:... and it wasn't me that b***d it up!

Dave.

Enjoy no 17, Gareth, it's given us a lot of fun.

Dave: You just couldn't let it lie , could you?

Gareth: Another bit of advice I forgot to give you: try to take along a good mate when you go racing. Someone supportive, with immense tolerance for when you start "behaving" like a racing driver, someone with unlimited patience, who is prepared to scratch around the grassy paddock at Cadwell like a demented cockerell, looking for the keys to the race car you dropped the night before. If you can't manage that, try to find another grumpy b*st*rd like Dave! (you may struggle)

But seriously, we had a riot in the Blue Meanie - it will be great to see it out again with the benefit of more TLC than we were able to give.

Cheers JOHN

WillJohnson wrote: with the benefit of more TLC than we were able to give.

"You nod your 'ead, and I'll hit it..."

Jules suggested: "I'm a little teapot, short and stout..."

Thanks Mart - just as well I showed Gareth the barely perceptible join where the rear corner was replaced!

WillJohnson wrote:Thanks Mart - just as well I showed Gareth the barely perceptible join where the rear corner was replaced!

Imagine my shock if I had found this picture without prior knowledge

Hybrids wrote:Imagine my shock if I had found this picture without prior knowledge

Lol! I'm trying to find the picture I've got of it on it's roof...

Did John tell you about the plastic exhaust?



Patrick

WillJohnson wrote:... try to find another grumpy b*st*rd like Dave!

if you can't, just keep mumbling 'Bonnet pins, bonnet pins...'.


Dave.