Water, water everywhere

Ratcals · 11-25-2002, 02:31 PM

I recently purchase a 1986 951. It came with some "issues" but I got it at a good price. My mechanic and I are working through them systematically. Well it doesn't look as though the previous owner or owners EVER opened up the hood and cleaned it. So I took it to a "professional" cleaner to have the engine cleaned. Well he did an awesome job. Unfortunately he also induced quite a few electrical problems.

1. The turbo water cooler periodically turns itself on. I only had to jump start the car twice before figuring that one out. From what I've read in the archives this seems like a common problem. However, most of the posts seem to blame water getting into the connector and until it dries out the problem will persist. It doesn't seem to me that is where the actual problem is. I would be more inclined to blame the cooling temperature probe the connector plugs into. Explanation: from what I gather when a ground is applied to the water cooler it turns on and will stay on while the engine is running and shut off 30 seconds after the engine is shut off. There is only one wire coming out of the connector so there really isn't anything to short together in there. If there were two wires then I would subscribe to that being the problem. That's why I'm thinking the problem is more to do with water in the temperature probe which I'm sure is nothing more than a switch. If water were to get into there it would be possible to short something together causing the water cooler to stay on. Any thoughts?

2. The area where the battery sits is filled with about 3 inches of water. It seems to me there would be a drain or something there to let water out since under normal conditions even with the hood down water can get in there. Is there a drain there perhaps I can't see that is clogged?

3. This is by far the most major problem. The following items no longer work: electric mirrors, windows, fog lights, fresh air blower, windshield wipers, and the rear window defogger. Of course I checked the fuses first and they all work. I then checked for a common electrical point (i.e. ground) for all of these. There doesn't seem to be any commonality between them. I pulled any applicable relays out one by one thinking perhaps one had gone bad causing voltage to be shorted to ground. No go. However, upon reinserting the fog light relay I heard it energize so I figured they must work. Sure enough everything was now operational. Until, that is, I put the cover back on the fuse box. Then everything went out again. Actually stuff doesn’t stop working until I latch the cover down. Simply putting it on won’t cause a malfunction. Wiggle the fog light relay-it all came back. Put the lid back on-it all goes away. See the cycle here? Sounds like a bad fog light relay, right? Nope. I can wiggle any relay in there and get everything to come back on or off. So here’s what I’m thinking-perhaps there’s water under there causing a short and when I wiggle any of the relays the pins on the back of the relay/fuse board are lifted out of the water and everything comes back on. Or water got in there and caused some corrosion and when it is moved the corrosion is removed causing a spark which in turn leaves a carbon deposit behind creating enough resistance to open the circuit shutting everything off again. Follow me? So I tried removing the relay/fuse board. Anyone ever taken that out before?

Mark

SoCal Driver · SoCal Driver's Garage

Yes there are drains in the battery tray. One on each side that drains into the engine area and one hidden each side that drains into the wheel wells.

You really don't want to let water stand in this area as it can ruin the windshield wiper motor.

If you have wet carpet under the foot pedals then you could have swamped the fuse/relay box. If not most likely the problem is a poorly installed alarm or radio that has loosened the main buss on the bottom of the fuse/relay box.

If you don't have them already you need to get the factory electrical diagrams for the car. Would keep you out of serious trouble.

Lawrence Coppari · 11-26-2002, 03:18 AM

Disconnect turbo temperature probe and see if the pump comes on when the turbo is cool. The probe is just a switch - to ground.

Ratcals · 11-26-2002, 01:54 PM

I was able to find the well concealed battery drain. After removing 16 years of sludge it now drains like new.

I have a new temp sensor coming for the water pump.

I managed to get enough slack on the wire loom to get the fuse/relay box out. Water is not the problem. Also I can see now if it was, then like SoCal said the carpet under my pedals would have been wet. Now if I push down hard enough on the top of the relay board everything works fine. I'm thinking the top and bottom half of the assembly are not making a good connection. I ran out of daylight before I could rule that out as the problem. I'm going to check it out first thing in the AM when I get off work.

Mark