[TR] relays in TR3's and VTR rambling

[Glenn A. Merrell]

THOMAS FANSHER wrote:
> I had 150 miles on the TR3A when it came time to leave so towed it up.
> Tuesday afternoon Jim Henningson and I ran the Funkhana and did well on the
> first run, but I locked up in reverse on the second run...
> ...
>  It rained on the way I noticed water leaking in on my legs,
> but wasn't too surprised. It is after all a Triumph...
> What I didn't think about at the time was that the relays for the electric
> fuel pump, fog lamp, driving light, and headlights were mounted above the
> heater/dash support on the driver's side, AND they were mounted such that
> water could collect in the relays... and went out to the
> car and found the fuel pump running with the key off... turned the key on and
> the fuel pump went off, headlights were on and off and flickering but the fog
> and driving lights were ok. I made it almost out of the parking lot when I
> "ran out of gas".  Jere Dotten stopped and a fellow from the host club. We hot
> wired the fuel pump from the o/d relay and instead of ice cream, I limped back
> to the motel and ate potato chips in the room - bourbon seemed to help the
> pain.  I assumed that the ghost of Mr. Lucas had poured water into the relays
> just to show me who was boss with the electrics in a TR3.
> Thursday morning was really pretty, I helped Ronnie Babbitt install his new
> windshield and then we went to Home Depot for more wire and a toggle switch to
> better hot wire the fuel pump.  The car ran great that day and Friday at the
> panoramic shoot and the two trips I made to the show the car ran really
> great.
> I working today at replacing the 3 bad relays and mounting them rightside up
> or upside down so rain can't collect in them.
> I was interesting because there would have only been a problem when driving in
> the driving rain and I never do that at home, so it would have happened at
> some show sometime -- better now than latter I suppose.
> Tom
>   
Tom, I told you you should have driven the Stag!!

-- 
Glenn A. Merrell
Chairman, Triumph Stag Club USA (2007-2009)
The best trophies are miles on the odometer, stone chips in the paint, dead bugs on the windshield!