Esprit Turbo project car - part3 - the further continuation

[Lotusfab]

Here's some pictures of the Aerial and what I have learned. You can see I have repaired the plastic guide. 

The end of the nylon cable is clipped into the ressess with a metal clip. To reassemble pull the Aerial all the way out. Locate the plastic guide pin into the same groove as the nylon finishes in. Then put the top on. The nut shown above controls the clutch. Too loose and the clutch will slip and not drive the Aerial. Too tight and something will break, the nylon may rip out of the Aerial end. The final cover also has a nut. Too tight and the plastic case will distort and jam the mechanism. You have to experiment till you get it correct. My Aerial is now fixed and I have done many cycles to test it. Like all things Lotus not too difficult with practice! 

I've done the obligatory black spray over and it's ready to refit with a bit of soldering to the circuit!?????

[Lotusfab]

This might be handy!to save me breaking my neck and checking, does anyone know if the Aerial up and down switch is small and black, under the bottom edge of the dash?

[Andyww]

Yes the switch is a small black rocker switch under the dash which is connected to the "thing" shown in the diagram which is lurking behind the glovebox, which is a delay unit which turns on the motor for a specified length of time.

[RichardJGC]

4 minutes ago, Lotusfab said:

This might be handy!to save me breaking my neck and checking, does anyone know if the Aerial up and down switch is small and black, under the bottom edge of the dash?

The aerial switch is the same as used on the drivers door to select the L or R mirror for adjustment.

The L and R had worn off my door  switch so was pleased to see the same switch used under the dash....complete with L,R text intact :-)

[Andyww]

Crikey never noticed that! Definitely worth swapping over with the door switch. Not sure what that spurious hole is doing there.

 

[RichardJGC]

Must check my dash tomorrow to see if I have same spurious hole. 

[Lotusfab]

Thanks Chaps, perfect!

[stephenwhyte]

I don't think the door switch came with L&R written

[RichardJGC]

Mine did have L/R on the door switch originally but it was so faded/worn I polished it off totally as it looked better. 

[stephenwhyte]

Yeah I now realise I was wrong as I got mine back today and it does indeed have L&R on the switch - my old '86 Turbo didn't have the letters, so I must have been thinking of that rather than the current '81 Turbo

[Lotusfab]

My aerial switch has L R on it? The door one is blank?

I'm busy removing a 70s style junction box from the door loom where it passes through the body, nice! Then I can test the aerial circuit.

Best way to joint wire solder it, then heat shrink, then loom tape!

Not enormous plastic boxes with screws!

[Rolls]

I found these connectors from Wurth to be the bomb. Absolutely brilliant.

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/lighting-spares/wurth-solder-butt-connector-x-1/?geoc=AU

[Chillidoggy]

7 minutes ago, Rolls said:

I found these connectors from Wurth to be the bomb. Absolutely brilliant.

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/lighting-spares/wurth-solder-butt-connector-x-1/?geoc=AU

 

They look so much better than bullet or spade connectors.

[Lotusfab]

Thanks, they look great!

Have finished the wiring repair. The stereo is also up and running the fuse had been removed. The main Loughton are also working, just dirty connectors. The wiring on the drivers side is very good and has not be disturbed since lotus put it there! The relays behind the glove box, not so much! There are some missing although I will have to take the glove box out to see what's going on.

Aerial

The aerial is repaired, but will not work on the circuit??possible missing fuse or aerial relay. The Aerial only works when the two blue wires are connected to the battery. Reversing them to raise and lower the aerial. The earth is not connected to the aerial motor. Is this correct should power be required to both Blue aerial wires or should it be just one and the earth ???? I can find out if a I take the motor to pieces again but it's already back on. 

Window frame in primer, so we are getting there - I think! 

[Andyww]

I believe the power is one wire at a time and earth return.

[Lotusfab]

Ahhhh, that's a problem! Will have to take it out again☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️

[Dan E]

4 hours ago, Rolls said:

I found these connectors from Wurth to be the bomb. Absolutely brilliant.

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/lighting-spares/wurth-solder-butt-connector-x-1/?geoc=AU

What a fantastic idea. I have an account with them chaps will order some up

 

thanks you 

[Lotusfab]

I'm thinking I may have to take the entire aerial circuit to pieces and figure out how it works- unless it's been done before???

[Lotusfab]

Just had another look at this. It seems to me most of the above circuit is irrelevant to the aerial operation. The box must be the stereo, where the speakers come out. The underdash switch must be an override that's not shown above. The green wire to the aerial relay, which must also have a timer. The relay looks like a changeover relay 

The green wire must provide a voltage to the relay when the stereo is on and the override maybe an inline switch to short the green wire voltage? Well not sure if my relay is missing but there are lots on eBay which I could use to fix this.

[Lotusfab]

Couldn't resist another look. Found what appears to be a timer relay behind the glove box. The override switch has no wires to it so rummaged around behind the heater controls and found two unconnected green leads. I would expect these to be the switch leads, please can anyone confirm? Interestingly the stereo green wire is connected to the speakers?? I think a genius has been at work and reinvented the wiring????? I can test the voltages tomorrow. My Aerial motor must have a fault as it only runs when both blue wires are connected. Will have to remove it again!

There doesn't seem to be hardly any info on here concerning this so will take the glovebox to pieces and photograph it all.

[Andyww]

The under dash switch is an override so the aerial works irrespective of the stereo. Usually the stereo would have an output which goes to 12V which is connected to the timer relay behind the glovebox. The switch simply mimics this, there is a green wire from the fusebox to the switch and another green wire from the switch to the timer relay. 

One of the green wires has an inline fuse.

8 hours ago, Rolls said:

I found these connectors from Wurth to be the bomb. Absolutely brilliant.

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/lighting-spares/wurth-solder-butt-connector-x-1/?geoc=AU

What do you use to melt the solder though that wont set fire to the car? Presumably a soldering iron cant be used.

[Rolls]

I just flash it with a paint stripping gun on low for a couple of seconds 

[Lotusfab]

Thanks Andy.

Will have to find the fuse!

[Lotusfab]

Here's a picture of the relays behind the glove box for anyone who does this in the future. You have to remove the glovebox to access all the wires. All my circuits have 20 amp fuses so will start again and put the correct ones in. So we can see the aerial relay on the left, then the flash relay, hazard relay headlight and fans(although I have not tested the headlight and fan to confirm!) 

Afterr extensive testing I have concluded someone has fried the Aerial relay☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️For the technically minded it gives an output of 12 volts simultaneously on both blue wires when it is activated by the green wire(stereo or switch). The blue wires run the aerial motor up and down. I expected one of the blue wires to the aerial to get 12 volts for a number of seconds then stop. When the signal is removed I expected the 12 volts to be on the other blue wire to lower the aerial. If they are both 12 volts I think it has had it???? So problem has anyone sourced a compatible relay? it may save me a lot of time!

found this bargain on eBay, they seem to be pretty good quality if anyone needs fuses?

[Lotusfab]

Only saving grace the wiring is all in good shape, happy days!