Displaying items by tag: Electrical

Readers might remember an issue a couple of years ago when my subject topic was a replacement fuel pump for the SU pump fitted to the early model (pre fuel injected) cars. I proposed at the time to trial the "electronic" pump in one of my cars. I installed it in my MK 1 3.4 auto as the SU pump in that car had been a real source of trouble in spite of a complete overhaul.

The electronic pump has been very reliable and has not caused any problems whatsoever. My only remark is because it is not mounted on any noise insulation it is noisy prior to engine start. Once the engine is running you do not hear the pump. Don't forget that the SU pump is normally mounted on noise insulating rubbers. I believe if I devised a noise insulating mounting there would not be much difference between the two types.

In the meantime I have discovered that there is an electric low pressure [3 pounds per square inch {psi}] rotary fuel pump on the market that is designed for carburettor cars. Electric rotary fuel pumps are normally used by fuel injected cars such as the Series 3 XJ6 and your current model Ford Falcon and Holden Commodore. However these pumps are very high pressure [typically around 30 psi] and unsuitable for carburettor vehicles as the float valve to control fuel level in the carby cannot handle the pressure. The pump is "Carter" brand made in the USA however AKSES who advertise in this magazine advise that they are having difficulty getting stock at the moment.

What happened to my 1996 X300 back in January this year is worth sharing as at the time the fix for the intermittent fault had not been recognised worldwide.

The Symptom:

Jan 9 (89,500 km) I am making a right hand turn into the driveway of my home when the engine cuts out. I wait a few moments and restart the car. I am able to drive it into the garage when I notice the Auto Transmission Failure warning light was on. I phoned my service technician Michael Gill-Bailey at the Jag Workshop at Sandgate and arranged to have the car checked the next day. Before leaving for Sandgate my wife Lois sprinkled holy water on the car and during the drive via the gateway I prayed that the engine would get me to Michael’s without incident, I made it safely. Michael explained that it could be a component starting to fail or a fault in the wiring loom, the diagnostic time for an intermittent fault can be huge. To keep costs down and my car on the road he suggested trying a part at a time.

This modification upgrades the headlights and adds a relay in both the high and low beam circuits so that the headlight switch, the dip switch, and the flasher switch do not carry full headlight current.

Use two 30 amp relays (e.g. Narva part No. 72386). These are mounted on a home-made bracket attached to the left hand stud holding down the padded dash top behind the centre dashboard swing-down panel.

The previous article sets out details for the fan upgrade for the Series 1 E-Type. Those who undertake this job might run into another problem caused by arcing across the contacts of the fan relay. This article describes the cause of this problem and how to overcome it.

When the fan is running and the fan relay contacts open, a high reverse voltage is induced across the relay contacts and arcing results This process eventually causes a build up of metal on one contact and a crater on the other. The contacts of my relay actually welded themselves together with the result that the fan came on and remained on when I switched the ignition on, regardless of the engine temperature. I was able to break the “welded” connection by tapping the side of the relay, but this was not a permanent solution.

The Series 1 E-Type’s fan is notoriously and ludicrously ineffective. It is a pathetic two bladed affair which flails the air driven by a windscreen wiper motor. This upgrade will gladden the heart of the afflicted.

Go to a wrecker and purchase a VN Commodore fan. You’ll pay $65 or $70 for a fan and shroud assembly. Discard the plastic shroud. This will leave you with a made-in-Japan fan motor to which is mounted a 15 inch multi-bladed plastic fan.