Engine Cutting Out and Blown Fuse
I have heard several reports of cars where the engine suddenly cuts out, and blows the fuse for the engine management system. The root cause in both cases has been one of the wires to the engine management system chafing through the insulation and shorting.
The following cure and photograph are courtesy of Michael Hudson
The ECU is mounted on a bracket that is held off the rear engine compartment bulkhead. The bundle of wires to the ECU wrap round the mounting panel and chaff through on the sharpe edge of that panel. The cure is to wrap the wiring bundle in split conduit.
The symptoms are:
- Engine cuts out
- Fuse 14, 15 amp, for the engine management system blows.
The cure
- Re- insulate the chaffed wire, you will need good eyesite to find it.
- Slit a hose and squeeze that on to edge of the mounting bracket
- Shield the wiring bundles in suitable lengths and sizes of split conduit.
Protecting the edge and shielding with conduit will prevent the chaffing in the first place. While protecting the wiring in the engine bay, it is also a good idea to roll back the carpet in the passenger's footwell and shield the wiring run along the nearside box member. One or two additional self adhesive cable clamps will keep the wires in place.
The attached image shows the split hose on the mounting bracket, the repaired section of wire, wrapped in insulation tape and a short length of split conduit.
The job demands a hand with fingers of a fairy and the strength of a gorilla.
