type 81 coupe fuse box

davow · 08-07-17, 09:29 AM

Hi all, I'm having some real trouble with the electrics in my coupe and I'm putting it down to the crappy fuse box? Any one on here changed to a later more reliable one? what are my options? is there anything that is a direct replacement so I don't have to change the connectors on the back? it's a 1981 coupe gt and just has the fuse box behind the glove box not one under the bonnet. cheers in advance dave

lefthooker · 08-07-17, 10:07 AM

Very hard to find a decent replacement one of these anymore.

A brand new one is the best option from possibly someone like Pete at Quattro Corner or failing that maybe get an auto electrician to wire in a modern alternative?

billy_bunter · 08-07-17, 11:20 AM

Very very hard to find brand new 'ceramic' fuse box. Especially at my skinflint values.

You can take them apart and refurb them. Not easy according to the auto electrician who looked at my electrics but 'doable'. Hardest part of the lot is sorting out the mess of mods done by all the owners/garages over time. I am sure a lot of problems seen as fusebox are due to this. In short find an auto electrician who can tell you whether it knackered or not.

Perhaps that is a the bigger challenge.

4v6 · 08-07-17, 01:21 PM

The early boxes were internally made with soldered boards and connections going through them and theyd break down with a dry joint or a burn out of some kind rendering the thing useless, its by far and away the crappiest idea for a fuse box.
The later types were plastic with brass busbars inside.
I did strip down my old gt fusebox when it went pop and its very unlikely you can repair it, theyre a pile unfortunately.
The later type boxes did use the same connections on the back as the originals , dont know what year it all changed over to the more modern versions found in the ur/cq etc though.

lefthooker · 08-07-17, 02:35 PM

The later type box appeared sometime during 1983, unfortunately they have completely different connectors on the back and are in no way compatible with the early fusebox.

Another possibility is to change to the whole wiring loom complete with fusebox from a pre facelift '83/84 car, which will still have the right connections for the early type dash switches and clocks etc.

08-07-17, 02:35 PM	#5
lefthooker Senior Member Classic Audi Club Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 2,655	The later type box appeared sometime during 1983, unfortunately they have completely different connectors on the back and are in no way compatible with the early fusebox. Another possibility is to change to the whole wiring loom complete with fusebox from a pre facelift '83/84 car, which will still have the right connections for the early type dash switches and clocks etc. Last edited by lefthooker; 08-07-17 at 02:44 PM.

08-07-17, 10:07 AM	#2
lefthooker Senior Member Classic Audi Club Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 2,655	Very hard to find a decent replacement one of these anymore. A brand new one is the best option from possibly someone like Pete at Quattro Corner or failing that maybe get an auto electrician to wire in a modern alternative?

08-07-17, 11:20 AM	#3
billy_bunter Grown up member Classic Audi Club Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 137	Very very hard to find brand new 'ceramic' fuse box. Especially at my skinflint values. You can take them apart and refurb them. Not easy according to the auto electrician who looked at my electrics but 'doable'. Hardest part of the lot is sorting out the mess of mods done by all the owners/garages over time. I am sure a lot of problems seen as fusebox are due to this. In short find an auto electrician who can tell you whether it knackered or not. Perhaps that is a the bigger challenge.

08-07-17, 01:21 PM	#4
4v6 Ex Member Classic Audi Club Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 5,565	The early boxes were internally made with soldered boards and connections going through them and theyd break down with a dry joint or a burn out of some kind rendering the thing useless, its by far and away the crappiest idea for a fuse box. The later types were plastic with brass busbars inside. I did strip down my old gt fusebox when it went pop and its very unlikely you can repair it, theyre a pile unfortunately. The later type boxes did use the same connections on the back as the originals , dont know what year it all changed over to the more modern versions found in the ur/cq etc though.