Author Topic: Smoking wires and indicator issue  (Read 3526 times)

Offline Jezza-7

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Smoking wires and indicator issue
« on: January 24, 2017, 02:49:19 am »
Today i put the lighting loom into my shell, thought i would connect it up to make sure it was all working. I only fitted this loom, not the ECU one or the engine loom for instruments etc.

Loom fitted and plugged into fuse box, all connections fitted except the one by the coil, connected to battery and my indicators were all glowing/on like the USA style lights do, thought it was weird so went into the car to check out the stalks etc. Well i saw loads of smoke coming from the passenger side footwell. Disconnected the battery and checked it out.

Now there are 2 small brown wires going into a loom that goes off to the rear, assume they are for indicators, well they had melted the sheathing and burnt a little. The 2 earth points in the boot are fine.

What could be a possible cause?

Im thinking that maybe too much current is going through?

I didn’t have this other loom fitted that connects to the plug near the coil?

Do i have a dodgy earth?

Any help would be great.

Offline Jezza-7

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Re: Smoking wires and indicator issue
« Reply #1 on: January 24, 2017, 02:59:16 am »
Just reading the haynes, from what i gather all brown wires are earthing points?

Now the loom i connected up has got about 3 brown wires all going to one brown wire, is this a standard thing or has someone messed about with it? Further looking into it, it has been re joined onto a red wire which i have connected up thinking its live but now possibly its actually an earth point?

If someone could take a pic of their battery withe connections that would be great.

Offline hayesey

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Re: Smoking wires and indicator issue
« Reply #2 on: January 24, 2017, 09:20:09 am »
there's a short circuit somewhere.  Certainly connecting what should be an earth up to live would cause that.  Sounds like the loom has been messed about with (not uncommon given the age of them now).

Offline Jezza-7

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Re: Smoking wires and indicator issue
« Reply #3 on: January 24, 2017, 12:03:47 pm »
Im gonna go look at this cable that has 3 brown wires going to it. I think it that.

Offline physicsfool

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Re: Smoking wires and indicator issue
« Reply #4 on: January 24, 2017, 02:07:22 pm »
That's standard (3 earth's into one). Looks pikey but have had it on all of mine. Sits close to the coil pack and first Headlight right?

Offline hayesey

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Re: Smoking wires and indicator issue
« Reply #5 on: January 24, 2017, 03:34:55 pm »
it is but I don't recall it going to a red wire and if he's connected that to +12v then that's not good.

Offline Jezza-7

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Re: Smoking wires and indicator issue
« Reply #6 on: January 24, 2017, 11:22:28 pm »
Well had a look at yeah i had connected it incorrectly due to this red wire, me thinking it was meant to be a live connection.

Sorted that out now thanks for your help and input.

Got another problem now with the instrument panel, the indicator green light is glowing, hazards work fine. Ive seen a problem with that on here so i will have a look. Sure i read something about a relay.

Offline Jezza-7

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Re: Smoking wires and indicator issue
« Reply #7 on: January 25, 2017, 02:22:31 pm »
So i have just been playing around before i go to work and i was checking this brown earth that got a little hot, its the earth from the in tank pump. So i can’t see how that would have any affect on my indicator problem, although its a little crap now, it was still inside the sheathing (just).

So i went to take off the stalks but as i took the steering wheel off, i pushed it back and i got 2 red lights blink, think it was low oil and water ones. Anyway, out the corner of my eye i had a red blinking light. Wondering what it was, as its not a standard item, it turns out that its the alarm. Completely forgot i had one on this car, its sams old shell. So i pressed the fob to lock it, then unlock and now my indicators are working, for now.

Wonder how thats caused a problem? I know they are wired in to them for when alarm goes off.