Who makes the Chim fuse box (1995)?
Discussion
One of my cooling fan relays has welded itself to the fusebox so I need a new box. I've been looking around on ebay and there is one listed for £250 which seems a little steep to me. Surely its from some relatively mundane euro box so should be easy to get? I've looked at some VW ones that look very similar but not exact so perhaps its a VW part just not one I've found yet?
Typing in the part number that's moulded on the box doesn't seem to help. It says 'M0 264, 89 80 61 000'
Any thoughts?
Typing in the part number that's moulded on the box doesn't seem to help. It says 'M0 264, 89 80 61 000'
Any thoughts?
I believe it's Vauxhall, a search might throw something up?
This suggests it's Audi . . . . . .
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
phillpot said:
I believe it's Vauxhall, a search might throw something up?
This suggests it's Audi . . . . . .
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Thanks. My search didn't bring that thread up. Good to know that its not a standard part, saved me a lot of time and likely money!This suggests it's Audi . . . . . .
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Belle427 said:
You could rewire the fans to new relays with appropriate bases if you have the knowledge to do so, may be an option for you as long as you keep the wiring nice and tidy.
Messing with the original fusebox isnt for the faint hearted.
I'd usually give it a got but I'm already losing patience with this Chim so I'll buy a replacement unit.Messing with the original fusebox isnt for the faint hearted.
Saw this on one of the other threads from the post above. Yeah... nah https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhMwjpsvT5k&t=...
If you are very careful and have a fair degree of patience you may be able to remove the welded relay pin from the block.
I had an identical experience a while back. Destroy the relay just leaving the welded pin(s) wiggle the pins carefully, penetrating oil may help, and they may release, then clean up the socket with a diamond file. It worked for me.
I had an identical experience a while back. Destroy the relay just leaving the welded pin(s) wiggle the pins carefully, penetrating oil may help, and they may release, then clean up the socket with a diamond file. It worked for me.
fatbutt said:
I'd usually give it a got but I'm already losing patience with this Chim so I'll buy a replacement unit.
The fusebox you end up buying could have been full of water at some stage of its life, we all know how cars are stored in many breakers yards, if water has entered the fusebox there is a very good chance of corrosion within
Given the only units I can find are indeed breakers yards fuseboxes I gave it a go to remove the old welded in tabs with a mixture of brute force and lubricant. And, amazingly, I managed to get the little buggers out!
The black circle is where they were. You can see the amount of plastic material I had to gouge out to get the pliers in deep enough to get a grip. The red circle are the little s
ts themselves.
Now I'm cleaning up the holes and the contacts with contact cleaner. Will try re-installing this evening...
The black circle is where they were. You can see the amount of plastic material I had to gouge out to get the pliers in deep enough to get a grip. The red circle are the little s
ts themselves.Now I'm cleaning up the holes and the contacts with contact cleaner. Will try re-installing this evening...
fatbutt said:
Given the only units I can find are indeed breakers yards fuseboxes I gave it a go to remove the old welded in tabs with a mixture of brute force and lubricant. And, amazingly, I managed to get the little buggers out!
The black circle is where they were. You can see the amount of plastic material I had to gouge out to get the pliers in deep enough to get a grip. The red circle are the little sts themselves.
Now I'm cleaning up the holes and the contacts with contact cleaner. Will try re-installing this evening...
Well done getting the terminals outThe black circle is where they were. You can see the amount of plastic material I had to gouge out to get the pliers in deep enough to get a grip. The red circle are the little s
ts themselves.Now I'm cleaning up the holes and the contacts with contact cleaner. Will try re-installing this evening...
Unfortunately the burnt terminals within the fusebox are beyond repair, once the terminals have overheated to such an extent as yours have they have been weakened, the terminals will be lacking their spring grip on the new relays terminals and another meltdown will take place
Well, its all reinstalled and the lower relay position, the one that previously welded itself in, is working fine. The one above doesn't seem to be working now though.
Mine is the old setup:
The interesting thing is that I assumed as there are two fans, fan relay 1 did one and fan relay 2 did the other. It now seems to be that the lower fan relay (engine fan 2 in the drawing) turns both fans on with the switch below the steering column i.e. the manual operation. I'm guessing the upper fan relay (engine fan 1 in the drawing) is the automated one i.e. comes on when the engine is hot. I've checked the incoming signals to the upper relay and there doesn't seem to be voltage to the coil when the engine is hot so what operates the relay?
I think I need to get the 'bible' for the Chim!
ETA: The Otter switch turns the relays on apparently. I'll be looking into that this evening...
Mine is the old setup:
The interesting thing is that I assumed as there are two fans, fan relay 1 did one and fan relay 2 did the other. It now seems to be that the lower fan relay (engine fan 2 in the drawing) turns both fans on with the switch below the steering column i.e. the manual operation. I'm guessing the upper fan relay (engine fan 1 in the drawing) is the automated one i.e. comes on when the engine is hot. I've checked the incoming signals to the upper relay and there doesn't seem to be voltage to the coil when the engine is hot so what operates the relay?
I think I need to get the 'bible' for the Chim!
ETA: The Otter switch turns the relays on apparently. I'll be looking into that this evening...
Edited by anonymous-user on Thursday 13th July 12:55
For reference Mine is a 96 Griff. This was the location of my fan relays but I don’t know if the one not on the fuse box was original fit or not, nevertheless both relays had the same fuse supplying power to the fans.
I’m assuming someone in the past has made adjustments to yours especially with having a manual switch.
I also put a manual switch in but mine just effectively shorts the otter switch out.
Ps, I did move the relay into the fuse box that works via 2 fuses but that took some moving of wire at the back to achieve it.
Belle427 said:
Some cars only have 1 relay so you may be getting confused.
A manual override isn't standard fit so that's been added.
My board exactly matches that annotated pic I posted so its definitely two relays. If the manual override is a mod then that could make sense as to why it burned out. My car did previously work i.e. the fans came on automatically, so something is awry!A manual override isn't standard fit so that's been added.
FYI: I felt sure there was something in my manual about the fan switch. I'll have to take a look and report back!
spikep said:
For reference Mine is a 96 Griff. This was the location of my fan relays but I don’t know if the one not on the fuse box was original fit or not, nevertheless both relays had the same fuse supplying power to the fans.
I’m assuming someone in the past has made adjustments to yours especially with having a manual switch.
I also put a manual switch in but mine just effectively shorts the otter switch out.
Ps, I did move the relay into the fuse box that works via 2 fuses but that took some moving of wire at the back to achieve it.
Makes me wonder whether this welding of relays is a common problem so various cars have botches like moving the relay off the board to avoid burned out connections.I’m assuming someone in the past has made adjustments to yours especially with having a manual switch.
I also put a manual switch in but mine just effectively shorts the otter switch out.
Ps, I did move the relay into the fuse box that works via 2 fuses but that took some moving of wire at the back to achieve it.
The otter can fail, can't remember the exact numbers but it should bring the fans on at around 95 degrees on your gauge if its working as normal.
If you join the 2 wires together on it the fans should kick in, this may prove the wiring to it is ok.
The connector for the fans at the front of the car is a problem area too if you find one fan isn't working, suffers with corrosion.
If you join the 2 wires together on it the fans should kick in, this may prove the wiring to it is ok.
The connector for the fans at the front of the car is a problem area too if you find one fan isn't working, suffers with corrosion.
fatbutt said:
Makes me wonder whether this welding of relays is a common problem so various cars have botches like moving the relay off the board to avoid burned out connections.
As fans get older they draw more current, relay connections start to fail, overheat and you end up where you are. The chances of finding a new 25 year old fusebox are grim at best so taking the relays out of the fusebox is the way to go, it is far from a bodge, it is making the best of a bad situation.Regardless of what TVR thought was a good idea on that day I would do away with the original wiring and wire up two relays externally and it will be done once and for all. By all means trigger them by the otter but at least if one relay packs up you still have one fan working. If the otter packs up you just bridge it, either way you always have something to get you home.
Simple to do and effective.
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