'84 4KQ fan, relay, fuse panel solved

[Alex Kowalski <akowalsk@shrike.depaul.edu>]

Well, after many horrifying revelations with a razor knife in the wiring 
harness, I hereby rescind all evil incantations against Campbell-Nelson 
auto wreckers.  The fuse-relay panel and ignition module they sent me 
continue to work super-cleano.  Now if I can just get the damn thing to 
run when hot, I'll be satisfied. 

If anyone has any questions about the wiring to an '84 4KQ cooling fan, 
direct them here, because I have been through hell and back with mine as 
a result of terrible green corrosion inside my fuse panel that blasted 
all four wires, melted about 10 feet of harness, rendered my engine 
electronics dead, and required me to inspect/replace/retape/reconnect 
everything associated with them under the dashboard, forward of and 
behind the firewall.  I hit a bump and that jolted something enough to 
let current flow freely where it was never supposed to go.  

The car just escaped catching on fire when I nearly went blind from smoke 
and shut it off in the middle of Chicago.  All is OK now and the 
night-sweats have stopped, mostly.  I would advise anyone who owns a car 
of this type/vintage to lift the fuse/relay panel and inspect it 
underneath with a dentist's mirror for corrosion.  I got mine used but 
clean for $65. The consequences of missing it are really not for the 
faint of heart.  If your fuse box seals well, you shouldn't have any real 
problems, but mine looked as if someone poured acid into it.  

My local, very competent but expensive Audi mechanic modestly asked 
$1000-1500 to fix it.  I decided that it was better not to pay him in 
Monopoly Money (read: credit cards) or let the car sleep with the fishes 
in Lake Michigan, and instead Rollerbladed to school for a while and 
fixed it myself for $150 total, parts and labor.  Not counting the nice 
digital multimeter I bought, which is good for fun and games anyway.

The car was East Coast in its youth, so that might have something to do 
with it.  The previous owner from whom I rescued it wanted to RAISE the 
suspension so it would HANDLE snowdrifts better (yes, he also put 225 
tires on 6-in. rims for better grip, please don't ask me why or how), so 
who knows if he ran it over a few Atlantic sandbars during the warmer 
months and gave it some Statue-of-Liberty type misting just for kicks? 
Thank God the driveline of this car is virtually indestructible at the 
power levels it has to cope with.

The fusebox is a simple, plug'n-chug replacement.  Needless to say, mine 
is well-sealed now.

The rest of the car is in great shape, really! (I keep telling my 
girlfriend, but what does she know?!)  No dents, dings or rust, a nice, 
sweet sounding exhaust and that low, low '84 gearing!  I drove it 30,000 
miles before Chicago with no problems, but now a cascade.  Ride it out, I 
say.


Best Wishes,

Alex Kowalski
'84 4KQ