Wiring issues

[ginger_ninja85]

I've had a bit of trouble with the electrics recently so have been going through the engine bay checking all the connections and replacing where required.

But I have 3 wires I cant work out where they go. Firstly a white and pink thick wire which from what i've got from Haynes it plugs to the ignition coil but I can't see where! I've also got a thin white and black wire with a black plastic cover on (from what I can tell its not been connected for years) and finally I've got a white and yellow wire comming from the starter motor solenoid but I cant find the other end to the wire (it said its meant to be on the ignition coil also but all the spade connections are full)

Any help would be great, Thanks

[nightrain]

I've had a bit of trouble with the electrics recently so have been going through the engine bay checking all the connections and replacing where required.

But I have 3 wires I cant work out where they go. Firstly a white and pink thick wire which from what i've got from Haynes it plugs to the ignition coil but I can't see where! I've also got a thin white and black wire with a black plastic cover on (from what I can tell its not been connected for years) and finally I've got a white and yellow wire comming from the starter motor solenoid but I cant find the other end to the wire (it said its meant to be on the ignition coil also but all the spade connections are full)

Any help would be great, Thanks

Thick Pink wire is actually pink with a white tracer, it's the ballast resistor. This goes to the positive side of the coil, from the switched side of the fusebox. But if it has been converted to electronic ignition this wire should have been replaced with a normal wire from the fuse box, to the positive side of the coil.

Has it been converted to electronic ignition ?

The white wire with a black tracer is the low tension lead from the dizzy. This goes to the negative side of the coil. If it's been converted to electronic ignition again this isn't used.

The white yellow wire is the bypass to feed 12 volts to the coil when the starter is operating. This wire goes to the positive side of the coil.

[philster]

The white wire with a black tracer is the low tension lead from the dizzy. This goes to the negative side of the coil. If it's been converted to electronic ignition again this isn't used.

isn't the white wire with a black tracer also for the rev counter?

[nightrain]

isn't the white wire with a black tracer also for the rev counter?

Yep

[ginger_ninja85]

Thanks alot, it has been converted to electronic ignition when the 1275 was put it so that will be why I cant find where they should be. I'll tidy them up tomo. So should I replace the broken wire and fix it to the same side as the replacement for the ballast resistor.

Thanks

[nightrain]

The electronic ignition works on 12 volts and shouldn't have a ballast resistor. There unnecessary hassle in my opinion and when the go wrong they can take a fair bit of your wiring harness with 'em.
You should tape it up into the harness or remove it, it wasn't connected was it ? There should be a wire from the switched side fuse box to the coil ?

[ginger_ninja85]

I couldnt find where the yellow and white wire should go. I've since tried to start it but the battery was dead. Checked it and it said 6v. I tried to charge it with another car but i left it running for 15-20mins on charge and it charged to 12v but when i tried to start it it just died again. Has my battery had it (i had a new one back in 2007 - the 306 diesel size)or is there something else thats going on.

Thanks

[philster]

I couldnt find where the yellow and white wire should go. I've since tried to start it but the battery was dead. Checked it and it said 6v. I tried to charge it with another car but i left it running for 15-20mins on charge and it charged to 12v but when i tried to start it it just died again. Has my battery had it (i had a new one back in 2007 - the 306 diesel size)or is there something else thats going on.

Thanks

if your battery has ever been fully discharged it is likely to be bin fodder regardless of age

[nightrain]

I couldnt find where the yellow and white wire should go.

The white/yellow wire goes from the small terminal on the solenoid to the positive side of the coil.

[ginger_ninja85]

I tried starting the car with a battery from another car but it turned over briefly but failed to start. After this it seemed dead as the lights were dim. I dont understand as I didnt change any of the wires i just tidied up what was there.I think there's a short somewhere as using the headlights seems to cause all the electrics to turn off but this was the problem which lead me to looking at the connections and replacing if required.

I've attached photos of the coil and the starter motor.


The white/yellow wire is at the bottom.


the red wire is the wire added when the 1275 with electronic ignition was put it.

Any suggestions on what I could try to get the car started. I dont want to try bump starting it as I live at the top of a hill and getting it back to the top would be near on impossible.

Thanks

[nightrain]

All is clear now, the trigger wire is missing from the solenoid, should be a white/red wire from the ignition.

[asahartz]

No, mine doesn't have a white-red wire to the solenoid either. Just the ones shown there.

Have a look for a dodgy connection at the fusebox - I've had this happen before as you describe. Tracked down to a poor crimped connection.

Also the engine earth strap would be a suspect for me.

[nightrain]

No, mine doesn't have a white-red wire to the solenoid either. Just the ones shown there.

Have a look for a dodgy connection at the fusebox - I've had this happen before as you describe. Tracked down to a poor crimped connection.

Also the engine earth strap would be a suspect for me.

Yes but did yours have a ballast resister ? Early cars are wired differently.

If the trigger wire isn't there, how is the solenoid been switched......

[ginger_ninja85]

I dont get it, the only white/red wire comes out the bulkhead and goes to a metal relay attached to the wing (its only a thin cable).

From looking at the haynes wiring diagram I should have 4 brown wires, a white/red and a white yellow on the starter motor solenoid. I have 4 brown, 1 brown/red, a white/yellow that has no end to it and a black earth which goes to the starter motor.

On the coil I have a red wire(runing from fuse 1- added when the electronic ignition was put it), a 2 wire socket going to the distributor (white/black and black I think) and a white/black which i believe is for the rev counter. Haynes says I should have 2 white/black, 1 white/pink and 1 white/yellow sharing a spur.

I really cant get my head arond it, it just doesn't make sense with the wires I'm sure I didnt disconnect any of them. I'll try the fuse box tomorrow.

Thanks

[ginger_ninja85]

Update:
I just had a look, the red wire with the cover was covering a white/yellow stub, so I'll fix that when I get the parts. The brown/red wire coming off the starter motor goes into the relay that i mentioned before so I guess that it connects the two. Is there a reason why I have a relay and will it be a standard one as I''d like to replace it anyway. Does this mean that I should be able to start the car? I haven't got time to try now, plus I need some more connectors.

I'm going to be ordering all the wiring bits I need from Autosparks in Nottingham.
This is what I've seen:
http://www.autosparks.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=1112&oscsid=t9hmrruiv6ghvhpmiucnagcj00 Bullet connectors- going to use these throughout
http://www.autosparks.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=1115&oscsid=t9hmrruiv6ghvhpmiucnagcj00
http://www.autosparks.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=1116&oscsid=t9hmrruiv6ghvhpmiucnagcj00
will the bullets fit in these connectors?

I'm going to be soldering and crimping all wires to make sure its a good connection.

Thanks for all the help so far.

[asahartz]

Those are Japanese-style 4mm bullets. The rest of your car uses 4.7mm bullets (or whatever they are in imperial). It can get frustrating if you mix them up

You'll get the proper size about 5 miles outside Nottingham at Vehicle Wiring Products of Ilkeston - these: http://www.vehicle-wiring-products.eu/VWP-onlinestore/terminalsnonins/noninsbullets.php

It's more economical to buy them in 50s too.

[asahartz]

No, mine doesn't have a white-red wire to the solenoid either. Just the ones shown there.

Have a look for a dodgy connection at the fusebox - I've had this happen before as you describe. Tracked down to a poor crimped connection.

Also the engine earth strap would be a suspect for me.

Yes but did yours have a ballast resister ? Early cars are wired differently.

If the trigger wire isn't there, how is the solenoid been switched......

Yes, '88 car with ballast resistor. The wiring to it looks exactly like that.

According to the '88 wiring diagram (I'm currently working on a decent colour version), the solenoid is triggered by the brown/red wire from the "starter relay". That lives on the triangular support plate in front of the subframe tower bolts, and the white/red wire which did go direct to the solenoid on earlier cars triggers the starter relay.

I have two '88 cars, an '89 and a '91, and I'm only just beginning to follow the mysteries of the wiring! I could connect up an early car in my sleep.