Melted fuse holder

[Pilot25dmc]

I have the PJ Grady unit in my car and I can say that it beats the pants off the Baker unit and the SpecialTauto kit.

It is expensive at nearly $190 but it has never made a sound since I fitted it and the fans have always worked so I am happy.

I have used all of the above mentioned fan kits and they all make a clicking noise when cycling the fans, also I did not like the way it used the fan fail light - when I have the A/C going it flashes the fan light all the bloody time and it gets on my nerves. With the Grady unit the fan light goes back to the way it was supposed to be used and only comes on when the fans have a failure.

Here is a pic of the unit and if anyone needs any advice on buying one then give me a shout as I have had this now for about 3 months with no worries and it has been HOT HOT HOT over here so it has been well used.

[ChrisS]

Pilot25dmc Wrote:I have used all of the above mentioned fan kits and they all make a clicking noise when cycling the fans...

Hi Alistair, Have you had a Fan Zilla then? How do you rate that against Rob's new unit?

[bozzzydmc]

Gee a 1:1 scale picture Tee Hee

Nice to actually see at pic of this unit at last, thanks for posting it A.

Where does it actually sit??, same place as say the 'Baker' unit goes ??

Have you taken a look inside to see how it goes together? Be nice to see some pics of that too

BTW I cant say i hear my Baker unit clicking on and off , but then i am getting on a bit now This Grady unit wasnt out when i got mine back then so i didnt really have a choice, now we are starting to get get 'overrun' with them now. But im still very happy with my cheap alternative.

You pays your money and takes your choice ( chance )

Hows that strut bar of your panning out matey? they seem to be getting lots of good feedback.

[Pilot25dmc]

Have seen the Zilla working in a friends car and it is good but remember that it uses early 90's technology and if it ever breaks who the hell fixes it for you!! I know Rob Grady will try and fix it and if you have any knowledge of circuits you could have a go but what is the point.

Rob told me when I bought the "little grey box" that he doesnt advertise it for some reason. I only heard of it by chance on the DML.

I have heard of problems with the Baker unit but I know it is a good system. Robs uses microprosesors instead of relays and you can tell its a good bit of kit when you see it up close. I also like the liftime guarentee he gives with it.

I had the SpecialTauto one in my car for a year and it ALWAYS would keep the fans on if they where running when the car was switched off. I believe that the JOE COOL system can also do this the odd time, though I had it for about a week before I got the Grady one before selling it to a friend who has not had a problem with it sofar.

If you have the money I would get the Grady "little grey box" or just get the fans from DPNW. They draw very little current and with them you can actualy use the original fan fail module that came with the car!! I have them in my car aswell as the Grady box and I cant even feel the fans come on anymore, the only way I can tell if my A/C is on now is if I can feel cold air and hear the compressor cycle!

Any more advice then give me a shout.

[Pilot25dmc]

I noticed the clicking with the baker unit I had Mike, I have no idea if it was just the relays in mine being faulty, the thing worked well and I liked it but I saw the Grady unit and it was an impulse buy Its sits in the same place as the Baker one, just beside the fuse box. Its a good snug fit and does not wiggle about. It seems very well closed up and I dont think Rob wants anyone poking about in it!

The strut bar is a fantastic bit of kit! You dont notice it on straight roads but once you get to a good windey country one you do feel the difference. My steering is not the best anyway (all this is being fixed as we speak though) but this does seem to make the steering more responsive. You would have to drive the car to really get an understanding of what I am saying, anyone who has driven my car can really tell the difference.

I would get one and see for yourself, they arnt to bad for the money and they only take about 10 minutes to fit and a blind monkey could install it :wink:

[Chris Hawes]

Hi Alistair,

Could you enlighten us on where you ordered the strut from and how much it came too. I remember reading about one a while back. This fits across the front suspension mounts just above the carpet in the luggage compartment right?

Thanks

[Pilot25dmc]

I heard about it on Tamir Ardins www.dmctalk.com site. Its made by the same guy that makes the "Joe Cool" fan kit. He can be reached at this address dmcfan@hotmail.com

I think in total it worked out about $150 + postage, which is about £85. It is a great bit of kit and is very very easy to fit, just pull out the old body bolts in the luggage compartment and then replace them with the longer ones that come with the strut bar. I think it took me about Ten minutes to fit.

I dont really drive my car that hard all the time but if you do ever feel like giving her a blast you dont have to worry about tight bends and bumpy roads, the car can sail round tight corners with no understeer at all.

Here is a piccy of the way you install the bar.

http://www.dmctalk.com/attachment.php?a ... 1150828122

[Rissy]

I've just got me a copy of the A3 coloured wiring diagram. I've been looking over this, and identifying things on there that I simply have no clue what they are, or where they are on the car. (Questions for some of these to follow at some point probably :wink: )

...Anyway, I thinking a good place for me to start, is to look over the wiring in my car, and tidy stuff up and gain more of a hands on appreciation of the wiring. I planned to start at the fuse box compartment, and start with the fuse box. Not unlike probably everyone else's at some point or another, mine has melted into a gooey mess, and has mods all over it for keeping the car running. (stunned_Monkey's handy work I presume). I'm now thinking that I want to try and tidy up this whole area by starting with replacing the fusebox and identifying and marking down the circuits as I go.

...So, what solution of box choice are people going for?

RichH told me that he's gone for a couple of separate boxes (source unknown to me) and that this has been working out great.

Anyone got any info on sources and notable mentions of concern along the way?

As an idea, I was looking at this type (I thought maybe a couple of these would do the trick, space permitting - I still need to get some measurements to see what will fit):

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10-Way-Blade- ... 045wt_1397

[Chris Williams]

IIRC one of the main problems is lack of any slack/spare to alter things around, which is why these things get modified (usually with the intention of doing it properly one day and usually by several different owners!) I would suggest if Rich Has worked out a solution then await his responce he does know what he's talking about.

Chris

[Guinney1971]

You can buy new fuse boxes of various sorts from Vehicle Wiring Products in Ilkeston, Derbyshire.

They do mail order too.