Been trying to figure out where in the heck the passenger fuse box is on my SPi car for a week now. Anyone got any ideas for me?







I was told it's high in the passenger footwell, but after removing the dash - I still can't see where it'd be back there. Ugh - lost! I need to check a few fuses for the A/C system.

 

just a guess, but I'd bet a dollar that the thing with the fuses in it is the fuse box.......

Mine is right up in the engine compartment and has glass fuses just like yours

you are missing the cover

Kinda sound like someone who gave u advice was mixing MINI with Mini cuz MINI has a BIG controller in the pass' footwell.

OR - you have an illegal re-VIN that I know knothing about.....

 

I got advice from a guy who owned an inejcted Mini while he was stationed in Europe. I guess the MPi cars have a pretty obvious fuse box, but mine remains hidden. The 4 glass fuses I've seen on my '64 S, 66 S, '71, etc, etc. I think those were common throughout most of the Mini's life. This one supposedly has the "blade" style fuses - and there are a bunch of 'em so you'd think that it would be pretty easy to see.

 

What's in that black plastic box with all the wiring looms running into it? Is that your ECU?



I thought Minis has the 2-fuse, 4 fuse OR the multi-fuse box, but not both... Mine only has the 4-fuse box though, so I admit I might not know what the hell I'm talking about.

 

The newer, older models have a 24 fuse block, from page 12-4 of the Haynes manual.





Latka, sorry I know the diagram above doesn't help at all, but I needed to get in here to ask a important question?

Is that a Caribbean Blue Pearl paint color? If so got any pic's showing more of the car? It look a lot like my color.

 

My Haynes book looks exactly the same - Unless there's one crammed behind the ECU (if that's what that is) then it looks like all you have is a 4-fuse block.

 

Smokey, it's a BRG car. Here's a shot of 'er from last weekend


I've got a couple of PDF files, and both make mention of a "Passenger Compartment Fuse Box". This box, with the 24 fuses, is the one I need to check to make sure there's not a fuse blown for the A/C compressor (I'm really hoping it's just a fuse). The black box with the wires coming out of it is the MFU - Multi Function Unit which controls Fuel, Oxygen, Injectors, Fuel Pump, all that good "make the car go" stuff. I looked at it several times until I was smart enough to check the documents I have.

There was a snippet about the fuse box maybe being on the firewall (as your photo shows, Smokey) or on the "right wing valence". I'm going to have to keep checking I guess. (sigh) Thought it might be behind the dash, but after we unbolted it (a bolt under the dash on the left, then one in the "radio hole", and one on the right - then it comes out easy)...looked behind there and there was nothin but instrument cluster and A/C ducting. Ugh - There *has* to be a fuse box for all this stuff. Makes me appreciate my '66 S, that's for damn sure.

On top of it - was supposed to have a Mini Coffee Gathering yesterday. Ended up having to change the oil Friday night in the dark. Saturday morning I got up and backed out only to see a fairly large puddle under the car. I don't know if the gasket from the old oil filter got stuck there or if I just didn't get it on tight enough - but I get to clean up my own little Exxon Valdez mess out there.

Thanks for the help!

 

Lets get to the nitty gritty... Does the blower blow air? Does the compressor's clutch engage? Both are fuse protected but I supect by different fuses, although I'll admit its a guess. Anyway, if the clutch does not engage, try jumpering the wire coming from it to the Batt + term, with the engine off. The clutch should clack in. If not, you have clutch issues. Bottom line: we need more description of the actual problem that sent you hunting for the fuse.

 

Turns out the gasket from the 1st oil filter didn't release from the spin-on mounting... of course since I was doing the oil change at dusk I didn't see it. Doh! Oh well, a new filter and some new oil and I'm all set.

The Mini has a blower control and a temperature control on the dash. The blower control works fine. The temp control doesn't seem to be doing anything.

When I picked up the car, the PO (a "friend", so I didn't verify everything - thought I could trust him) said that the A/C system worked but that he had drained the refrigerant before he was deployed to Iraq. I've never heard of anyone doing that - but oh well... thought we'd just get it topped off and be on our way. I took it to a buddy of mine's shop and had him hook up his stuff to check it. He did, and said that there was plenty of refrigerant in the system. We turned on the blower and the A/C but got nothing from the compressor. My friend unplugged the connection at the high pressure switch and we hooked up a test lead from the battery. When he applied power to the compressor through the wire that comes from the high pressure switch the compressor turns on and we get cold air. So - I was thinking it's either a fuse leading to that high pressure switch (Haynes Manual says fuse A6 is the A/C relay, A7 is the blower, and A9 is another A/C relay). If I can check A7 and A9, then my thinking is that I've gotta test the switch itself on the dash.

Honestly, the only reason we picked up this particular Mini is because it has A/C, and my fiance is quite a fan of having cold air on her. I could care less unless it's a really hot day - part of driving a Mini to me has always been hangin' your arm on the window and enjoying the noises. (which is why I'm not a big fan of the MK1 / MK2 arrangement - I can never seem to get enough air through those damn two piece slidey windows!)

Thanks again for everyone's help.

 

If this is like other A/C systems, there is a high and a low pressure switch. They are electrically in series with the compressor clutch. Their purpose is to shut down the compressor if the sytem pressure is too high or too low. They are both "normally closed" devices. That is, if system pressure gets too high, the hi pressure limit switch opens shutting off the clutch. Same for lo pressure limit. If you suspect that one of the switches is defective just jumper across the two wires going to/from the switch. Don't do it for long though, because if the system pressure IS too high or to low you could damage the compressor. Doesnt sound like a fuse issue to me. Sounds like either system pressure is too hi or low or one of the limit switches is defective.

 

The pictures that you post are similar to what I have seen in my car, and I have a group of inline fuses behind the instrument cluster. Similar to what is shown in the fourth picture. I don't have A/C but the rest of what I see is nearly exact.