Intermittent electrical cut out
Discussion
On my 73 lotus Europa special, every now and then my indicators stop working and also the fan. Then without doing anything they will simply work again. This also used to include the electric windows but not any more as they work 100%. I've tried fumbling about with various wires to see if I can detect a dodgy connection but no luck. I've dismantled the ignition switch and given it a thorough refresh. All other electronics on the car work fine. I'm pulling my hair out trying to figure it out.
rob07 said:
On my 73 lotus Europa special, every now and then my indicators stop working and also the fan. Then without doing anything they will simply work again. This also used to include the electric windows but not any more as they work 100%. I've tried fumbling about with various wires to see if I can detect a dodgy connection but no luck. I've dismantled the ignition switch and given it a thorough refresh. All other electronics on the car work fine. I'm pulling my hair out trying to figure it out.
Earth connections ? That's usually been the culprit for intermittent faults on my car. It's worthwhile making a dedicated earth return in the front boot, I used a bolt through the steel supporting plate that bolts directly to the chassis. That is a common earth point for all of the front electrics rather than relying on old wires in the loom and push connectors. There's a similar common earth in the rear of the car underneath the luggage tray which carries all the earth connections for the rear lights.
It's a bit of a hassle to do but once there it's very easy to maintain - do nothing !
In case you're not aware, there's a very good forum for Europa stuff at https://www.lotuseuropa.org/LotusForum/index.php with plenty of long term owners who share problem solving. It's quite handy with links to other resources.
Brian
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