Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Maintenance & Servicing Ignition fuse fault

Chaps, I have a 2004 +4 Duratec 2.0 l
Today it died at the traffic lights, I pushed it off he road and scratched my chin. The car had started willingly enough, but cut out at idle while waiting for the lights.
I arranged a tow in, the garage rang me two minutes after arriving home and told me that the car was now ok, the first 30amp fuse in the under bonnet fuse box was not blown, but the shoe had melted giving an inconsistent contact.
A bit of fiddling found a ground and the ignition circuit was made.
I am taking the car to an auto electrition tomorrow to check it out, but has anyone a view on what might have caused the failure?
All the best
Tony

Hi Tony,
I have to ask the 'daft question' Is 30amp the correct rating for that fuse? Perhaps the legs overheated when the fuse should have blown?

Frank, I am not sure.
I have visited the GoMog resource tonight and looked at the wiring diagrams. I am no electrician but the diagram for roadster fuse boxes indicates that fuse number one in the under bonnet box is the ignition fuse rated at 30 amps. It was the one that the mechanic described as having the faulty shoe - if I understood him correctly over the phone.
Thanks for coming back,
Tony

This sort of thing usually happens when there is a bad contact between the fuse leg and the contacts in the fuse holder. Could be due to a small amount of corrosion following the ingress of water.

I have seen the same thing on motorcycle fuses.

Sounds like we should all check that area for water ingress, glad it was all solved with no harm done.

The main fuse box where fitted through the bulkhead should have a plastic cover, but mine didn't when I got it. The cover isn't available separately but you can get the whole thing for about £8 as I recall. May be more expensive from dealers.

Chaps, thanks for the responses,
Peter is spot on, the car did suffer a deluge sometime before I bought it. The previous owner said it was the only time it let him down, water had found its way into the under bonnet fuse box and caused the engine to cut out.
I have now examined the fuse (number one extreme right as you look at it) and is was fairly badly melted, the locating shoe was badly pitted.
I took it to an auto-electrician today, he ran a spare from the back of the fuse box, fitted a new bayonet fuse into a snap connector and checked the circuits - and all is well.
My wife who was with me when it failed - is not so convinced!
All the best
Tony

Not the best topic for my friend to read if he comes on the forum. He's had a problem with one of the 15amp engine fuses blowing. Took it back to the factory to be checked out and it blew again in the fast lane of the Motorway on the way back Good job he managed to freewheel across to the hard shoulder!