Hi Kerry,
Thanks for reminding me to add a fire extinguisher to the "To Do list".
Jay Welch
Abington, MA
1971 TR6 project and 1973 TR6 driver threatening to be a project
Member "Cape Cod British Car Club"
http://clubs.hemmings.com/capecodbritish/
=======
On Mon, 07 May 2001 07:38:34 -0500 Riveting Images
<kerry@riveting-images.com> writes:
> Good Morning Sixers....
>
> Thought I was going to loose my car last Friday night. I was driving
> home from the
> theater at 10 PM when my radio failed after turning a corner. In the
> millisecond
> it took me to begin mentally troubleshhoting this problem, I
> realised the whole
> car had shut off and the headlights were out. Next thing, the radio
> is back on and
> I resatart the engine - all while coasting. Then I smelled burning
> insulation and
> knew I had BIG trouble under the hood. I quickly pulled over and
> popped the hood
> to discover plumes of smoke rising from the area where the brown
> wires plug into
> the positive battrery terminal. I knew I had to disconnect the
> battery but had no
> tools with me. I also did not have my fire extinguisher in the car
> yet. In
> desparertion I grabbed the negative cable and managed to twist it
> off the battery.
> I monitored the engine bay for a few minutes then opened the cockpit
> to get a
> flashlight - the cockpit was filled with smoke!
>
> Long story short. The wiring for the headlights burned all the way
> from the
> battery, across the width of the dash, and up the steering column to
> the headlight
> dip switch. I disconnected those wires and am able to drive the car,
> however, the
> degree of colateral damage is unknow and I can't risk a fire in
> another circuit,
> so it time to put in a new main harness.
>
> Any one care to share time saving tips? The BL operations time
> manual says its a 5
> hour job, so I'm planning 10+.
>
> How 'bout sources? I'm guessing TRF's harnesses come from British
> Wire in
> Illinois.
>
> Needles to say, my car will be sporting its fir extinguisher again
> real soon and a
> battery cut-off switch may be in its immediate future. I'm just
> thanbk-ful Anne
> wasn't driving the car at the time as she would not have known to
> disconnect the
> battery and eliminte the source. A new wiring harness is a small
> price to pay.
>
> Kerry
> Editor, 6-PACK
>
> P.S. The Spring issue is going out any day now, if it didn't last
> Friday.
|