Jimbo Bob

I thought a small animal had died in my garage over the winter but was horrified when I found the smell emanating from my Esprit. On investigation I found a mouse nest in the rear bumber of the car. There was another nasty spot on the garage floor directly below two (drain?) holes that lie just rear of the larger fuel tank inspection hole. Poking a screwdriver in them it appears that there is foam in them and possibly another mouse nest. How do I access this area? Its not part of the fuel tank area. I can't see anything from the engine bay. The spot on the floor is new and doesn't appear to be oil, coolant or brake fluid. 1983 S3. Esprit n.a.

It's reached -15C a couple of days ago and I noticed coolant on my garage floor near the left side front tire. 1983 Esprit S3. I'm pretty sure the correct antifreeze was used in the car so I'm wondering what's causing this. I've noticed it before. Is the cold weather affecting a hose or plastic part on the radiator?

I feel like an ass. I haven't started the old girl in over a year. I had some trouble with the brake switch - almost got hit from behind. Then I pulled out some of the interior to check the wiring. That lead me to pull out all the carpeting. Found an issue with the heating/cooling. Removed the '80's alarm system. I also did a complete fluid change. And then winter hit and we had COVID and .......I havent started the car since. I pulled the spark plugs a couple of months ago and put about a tablespoon of oil in each cylinder. I think I've read about pulling the distributor on cars before and attaching a drill to the shaft and that pumps oil throughout the engine. Would that work with an Esprit? Any other advice?

Am I missing something? Shouldn't there be a whole lot more wires and things back there?

Hey does anybody have a diagram of what goes where? I've got my dash apart and found the vacuum lines disconnected.

Were you able to figure this out? If not I can take some photos tomorrow and post them for you.

Would you mind providing a direct link? I'm not in the UK and a UK Google search didn't provide any results.

I don't know if you saw the other thread but they are Normally Closed switches. If the lights are on then perhaps the switch hasn't been screwed in sufficiently.

Gotcha. You are correct its a normally closed switch. Got mine installed today. Kept testing it with meter as I screwed it in to see if there was continuity. Now to get those leads attached......

Do you know if the switch is a normally open or closed switch? I am assuming its a normally open switch because when the switch fell apart the brake lights were not on. I read the later Esprits are normally closed and when the switch has broken the lights remain on. I picked up a switch today that looked like it may fit but turned out to be a normally closed switch. When I jumped the brake lights leads the brake lights came on - as did the fog lights. Surprise, surprise.

Working through an issue with my brake light switch myself. I picked up a replacement from a local parts shop today but it is a "normally closed" switch. I am not sure if the early Esprits are normally open or closed switches. If they are normally open and you installed a normally closed the that would explain your problem.

So this is exactly the condition of my brake light switch as I found it. Did it need replacing or where you able to put it back together?

Found the reason why the brake lights aren't coming on. The switch has fallen apart. I saw a thread on this forum on this issue. I think replacing it is going to be a pain. Why is there a capacitor attached to it? Not on the wiring diagram. Still no joy why the fog lights aren't working. Bought an electronic wire tracer. Waste of time. Completely useless piece of garbage. Also I'd like to know why my headlights have a mind of their own and raise and lower only when they feel like it.

So I've confirmed that the lights unit are fine, the wires running to the lights are fine, the fog light switch is fine, the grounds are fine, the light bulbs are fine, the circuit breakers are fine. Oddly when I turn on the light switch I can measure 6 volts going through the fog light switch. I've pulled the seats and steering wheel to try and get access to the brake light switch. I can't see it let alone reach it. I've got a old Cobra alarm/ immobiliser circa 1996 in the car. The company sent me an installation guide which isn't much help figuring out where everything goes. In the frunk (forward trunk) I have a set of modern fuses and under the dash several more modern fuses which i have no idea what are used for. Possibly the alarm and possibly the stereo. Wondering what to look at next. Giving the battery a good charge overnight incase it is a low battery but I doubt it as the car starts OK.

After nearly getting rear ended I realized my brake lights aren't working. And neither are my rear fog lights. Indicators work. Headlights ( sometimes a little reluctantly ) work as do small rear lights. Bulbs OK. Pulled fog light switch, seems to be working. Ground wires look good. Suggestions?