The Infamous Series 2 Fusebox

Very impressive Stan. This is a job I want to undertake as a precaution, so I will use this as a guide :)
 
Mikep said:
Very impressive Stan. This is a job I want to undertake as a precaution, so I will use this as a guide :)

Thanks Mike.

Hope you find it useful, and if I can help in any way when you come to do it, feel free to give me a shout.

Stan
 
Top job, Stan! And very neat solution. I'll also be using this as basis for a replacement.
Could I mount multi-blade connector blocks away from the fusebox to give a little more clearance? Perhaps up on the underside of the dash top above the glove box?

Michael
 
redrover said:
Top job, Stan! And very neat solution. I'll also be using this as basis for a replacement.
Could I mount multi-blade connector blocks away from the fusebox to give a little more clearance? Perhaps up on the underside of the dash top above the glove box?

Michael

Thanks Michael,

Yes, you could mount the connector blocks under the dash if there's enough flat surface there to group them sensibly but the loom as it comes through the cutout is quite rigid and would, I think, make the job more difficult. You need to get the fusebox as high as possible and, if you look at my pics, you'll see that there's no room for anything other than the existing loom above the fusebox

The connector blocks I used are 7mm thick and I've ended up with the base of the fusebox spaced about 17/18mm horizontally from the bulkhead.

If you did decide to use these connectors, I think your best bet would be to spade all the relevant cables to the connectors as per the schematic and then play around with various positioning scenarios before fixing the fusebox and making up the link leads.

One thing I forgot to mention in my earlier post: I couldn't source any female flag terminals that were listed for more than 2.5mm cable, but it is just possible to get 3mm cable in. Crimping them, as has been mentioned, is a bit of a faff (unless you have the posh tool for them) so it's definitely wise to have a bit of a practise before you launch in.
 
vaultsman said:
...but the loom as it comes through the cutout is quite rigid

Didn't think of that, good point. I've unscrewed the fusebox once before to tuck some other wires behind the loom to stop them getting the way of the glove box, and yes they were quite stiff. Would probably end up quite messy if I moved them. Cheers
 
Blimey Stan you are a genius. A while back I asked if it was possible to post a few pictures as I was going to attempt the same and what have you came up with, a step by step guide in words and pictures including the correct blade fuses to use, how much and what materials to buy and where from.
I can now get stuck into this job (which I have been scratching my head over and dreading for ages) with great confidence all due to your excellent tread.
Thank you for your help.
Regards
Alan
 
MUNKSJOE said:
Blimey Stan you are a genius. A while back I asked if it was possible to post a few pictures as I was going to attempt the same and what have you came up with, a step by step guide in words and pictures including the correct blade fuses to use, how much and what materials to buy and where from.
I can now get stuck into this job (which I have been scratching my head over and dreading for ages) with great confidence all due to your excellent tread.
Thank you for your help.
Regards
Alan

Far from a genius, but thank you Alan. If you're going down this route, double check your wiring diagram and cables before you order up your parts...the info above is right for Occie, but your car may have some variations - you never know.

Must admit, I found it a bit of a daunting sight once the old fusebox was out...and that forest of 40-year old cables was dangling down! I'm not saying mine was the best method possible, but it does seem to work.

So at least you'll know it can be done...get in touch if you need any more info and I can help.

I can do a PDF of the fuseway labelling if you, or anyone else, would like one.

Cheers,

Stan
 
No doubt been having some headlight issues, Mick.....get it swapped! :)

Give me a shout if you think I can offer any help.

Stan
 
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Scheisse! The same thing as happened to MickEssex has just befallen me. The old fusebox has melted, and now I only have one working headlamp. Trouble is, I am five hundred miles from home, on a brief motoring vacation in the scenic Austrian Tyrol. I will have to set off on my return journey early so as to make it back to Berlin before the sun goes down. Stan, thanks for the excellent write up, I can see there is no way around it, I will have to make up a new replacement fusebox once I get back home. Goodness knows what I would have done if you had not figured it out in advance, and provided photos and a spreadsheet. Top man.
Is there any way I can bodge the headlamps and get them working again for my return journey? There isn't any plastic left between the two upper 'C' shaped clips that used to grip the outer headlamp fuse and the RH inner dip fuse, it has all just melted into a blob, which broke off when I took out the fuse to check it.
Anybody got a quick temporary fix? I should add, I don't understand electrickery, and will need any advice explaining as if you were talking to an idiot.
 
strap the two sides of the fuse mount with a wire.

or you could cut the wires from the fuse to and join both together top and bottom with a fuse holder in between.
 
Sorry to hear of your woes....it's no consolation, but you won't be the last. Without scaremongering, I believe all Series II owners should be taking the plunge on this.

Good luck with the journey, and tackling the job....shout up if you need to! :)

Stan
 
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Sorry to hear of your woes....it's no consolation, but you won't be the last. Without scaremongering, I believe all Series II owners should be taking the plunge on this.

Good luck with the journey, and tackling the job....shout up if you need to! :)

Stan

At the very least, check your fuses are the correct length. These short fuses will get hot as there is a lot of power going through a severely reduced contact area.

Richard
 
In the end I decided to take the slightly easier option, and swap the melted fusebox for my as-yet-okay spare from the spares car I broke. I made a tool with a very long thin tip, by grinding down a knackered old screwdriver, so as to poke the little tongues back that hold the metal fuse clips in place. After making a note of what colour wires went where, just in case, I swapped the wires over one at a time. Happily everything electrical works again, I have lights, the car even starts first turn of the key once more, whereas of late it had taken ever more turns of the starter before the engine sprang to life. Must've been something to do with the old fuse box!?
I will be fitting relays to the headlights as a matter of urgency, so the box doesn't just melt again! Hopefully next week...
 
Last week my main beam headlamps failed and on examination there has been a small fuse box melt. My own fault because I thought I had checked the fuses when I bought the car to ensure they were all 32 mm when they clearly were not. It is very small burn compared to some I have seen but my confidence in the fuse box has gone and I will now replace it, has anyone found a suitable 12 point horizontal fuse box rather than using 2 6 point blocks? It looks a little scary to be honest but I am sure with thought and planning I can do it. Has anyone done a step by step idiots guide?
 
Hi Stan,doing the blade conversion today..can you tell me,were your fuse value conversions satisfactory?
Cheers,Pete (see you on facebook,lol)
 
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