Fastback's cars.

[scoobyh123]

The gaskets are meant to be closed cell rubber so if you've compromised it by cutting it, that might be part of the problem.

Wasn't sure if yours was Midnight Blue or Oxford Blue, the latter being metallic as you say.

Check the drain holes in the boot/tailgate as well, any blockages there will promotoe it holding on to water.

PS - if i remove the rear lights, i usually wash the gaskets in hot, soapy water (washing up liquid for the soap), rinse and throughly dry then smear some silicone grease on the gasket faces before refitting. I usually reverse them and then fit them on the opposite sides too, this means for the most part, they are using a different part of the gasket to actually seal.
The silicone grease helps keep them water proof and so far (touches wood!) no similar problems to report.

[Fastback]

The problem was already there before I removed the lip and as I mentioned, believe it to be part of the problem (rightly or wrongly). Being closed cell, cutting it does not then compromise the whole but does change the water path. Having checked the drain holes, I think I'll now leave as is. Good idea to clean thoroughly and grease. I'm also thinking to replace those bottom bolts with stainless steel ones so as not to promote oxidised metal in that area.

It's interesting that you have not had problems (anybody else?). Perhaps it's because I'm on a hill and so more water drains to the back of the car. Surely I can't be the only one?

[scoobyh123]

Oh yeah - Doh! Closed cell won't be comrpomised. Second silly mistake i've made today!

I take it you park facing uphill then? I park facing downhill so maybe there's something in your idea about parking on a hill.

The problem with the bottom bolt is it's moulded into the cluster, the end you can't see is knurled inside the plastic to prevent it turning. I smear mine with silicone grease to help keep the moisture away.

[Fastback]

Perhaps a difference with the later light cluster; we have a part captive nut scenario, which can be popped out to reveal a normal 25mm hex headed bolt.

[scoobyh123]

Maybe, i have the later clusters on mine plus a few spares, i'll have to double-check them.

[mercedade]

I can see on mine it's had the same problem in the past - the rust has been rubbed back and painted, but the paint is undoubtedly thinner. Same on the green fastback too.

I park on the flat, and I can't imagine the angle of park is a significant factor as there's enough water landing on it in any case. I can see moss forming around my rear clusters, so definitely need to get it cleaned very soon

[Fastback]

Well the Vitesse continues to confound. Driving through slow town traffic, temp guage climbs nearly to the red and stays there. When moving a bit the temp drops. Got home, ran the engine and sure enough, no fan (again). Have tested fan, relay, fuses, fan earth, fan live etc. However, I've only been able to trace relay live (which is brown/pink, contrary to circuit diagrams I have found) back to the ECU where of course it disappears into that magic box of tricks. I assume the temp sender unit is working but not checked that yet.

[scoobyh123]

he brown/pink wire comes from the fusebox according to the diagram i've found Mark, the control line is blue and goes back to the ECU and is switched -ve - have a look at Pg66 on this (if i've done it right it should open on Pg66)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8v8oi ... 9vSLiPew4g

Have you tried linking out the 30 and 87 contacts on the relay to see if the fan runs then? If so, jerry rig a wire into the -ve side of the relay coil (85) and flick it to battery -ve or another earth point - the fan should run if the relay is ok and the main fan fuse (G in that diagram) is ok.

Also have you tried a new CTS for the ECU? I've come across similar a lot on the Volvo forum with the later 940s that also have an ECU controlled fan (stupid German ideas! Bosch do Volvo ECUs, Siemens did later Rover ECUs) and the CTS on the Volvo fails even more often than on the T series. This means rich running, occasional cold starting problems (seriously overfuels!) but doesn't detect the engine temp is high because it has a separate (like the Rover) sensor for the temp guage.

[mercedade]

Mark - I had exactly this and had to abandon the ECU switched function. In the end, it was just too unreliable - I know it did work when I first got the car, but I couldn't be confident that it would work everytime.

I was fortunate because the radiator, despite being the correct size for the Vitesse, still came with a hole for a temp-sensing switch that the PO had fitted as a blanking plug, so I was able to utilise it as a rad-switch, which now comes on every time the temp moves above 9 o'clock (which I think is now a 97 degree switch).

http://rover800.info/forum/viewtopic.ph ... 80#p155097

As an aside, I've probably lost the 'fan on with a/c' function now, but I can definitely live with that

[Fastback]

Thanks for those pieces of info.
I was using the wrong diagram , although the basic run is the same.

I have been considering an after market auto fan set up and remains an option. Like you Adrian, I got the system working when I first aquired the car but now I don't know. I'll spend a little time trying to sort it but perhaps I'll look at alternatives.

What I do need, if any body has any ideas, is a new connector for the fan relay; the one on the car is shot. The PO cut it open to fit an overide (with chocolate blocks!) and it looks like the relay live feed has had some shorting issues as well, it's a bit brown and melted.

[scoobyh123]

What I do need, if any body has any ideas, is a new connector for the fan relay; the one on the car is shot. The PO cut it open to fit an overide (with chocolate blocks!) and it looks like the relay live feed has had some shorting issues as well, it's a bit brown and melted.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/174515924274

There you are Mark, there are similar available where you crimp the "W" terminals (uninsulated, needs correct crimping pliers) onto your existing wires and push the connectors into the socket/base but if yours has been mutilated you've probably lost some length on the wiring.

Adrian - i've just answered your final query on the other thread, about the blue wire, not sure how i missed your query but apologies for that!

Using a switch on the blue wire to bring the relay on will preserve the fan on with A/C as well.

[Fastback]

Thanks.

I've also looked at Car Builder Solutions who do holders which you can rewire from scratch.

https://www.carbuilder.com/uk/heavy-duty-relay-holder

Just not sure yet on size/power rating. Wiring is tight at the best of times so maybe a bit extra would be useful.

[scoobyh123]

It's a standard 4/5-pin 30A socket if that helps. I did consider a link to one similar on ebay but remembering that the wiring had already been mutilated suggested the one i linked to.

[Fastback]

Looking at the wiring diagram on Adrian's thread, it looks like as if essentially all that is happening is the feed to activate the relay is changing, together with a new thermoswitch. Presumably that could either be inline or in the radiator, as per Adrian. If I recall correctly, then I too have a blanking plate inserted which could be utilised.

[scoobyh123]

Looking at the wiring diagram on Adrian's thread, it looks like as if essentially all that is happening is the feed to activate the relay is changing, together with a new thermoswitch. Presumably that could either be inline or in the radiator, as per Adrian. If I recall correctly, then I too have a blanking plate inserted which could be utilised.

You could definitely do that instead, just disconnect the blue wire that runs back to the ECU and take the same blue wire from the relay to one side of the rad mounted switch (or hose if you prefer, rad is better as it's more or less guaranteed to be covered in coolant) and the other side of the switch to a good earth.

Probably the quickest and simplest way of doing it.

You could as a temporary measure run a switch into the cabin on some twin flex (the current is minimal to operate the relay) to bring the fan on until you get the rad switch - from memory i think Adrian used a 97-92C switch, on at 97C, off at 92C so isn't running when the thermostat is only just open but once the temperature creeps up 5C it comes on and stays on until it's back down to 92C. Doing this would retain the A/C control over the fan (thicker blue wire on the relay) as well, so best of both worlds.