Spare wire

[Propshaft]

I have nearly completed the rewiring of my van which now has an alternator . I have a wire in the engine compartment with a sheaf on it and a female spade conecter near to the distributor .two wire come out of the loom one goes to the oil pressure the other is green with what looks like a brown stripe this is the one I am unable to determine were it goes . Any suggestions

[mogbob]

Propshaft
Standard wiring colours for Green / Brown ( tracer / stripe ) would be Reverse lamp to switch
Light Green / Brown ( tracer / stripe ) would be Flasher switch to Flasher unit " L " terminal ( going to the
indicator light )

I'm assuming it's an old loom. Any chance it's a Green / Yellow ( badly oil stained ?? ) Usually two wires =
1.OIl filter warning light & switch
2. Oil pressure warning light & switch
If it's in a sheath when it emerges form the main loom then it usually indicates the components are close together in the engine bay.
( I'm looking at a Saloon wiring diagram , so someone with a little more van experience might shoot me down any minute ! )
Bob

[Propshaft]

It's a new loom the 2wires come out of the main loom both with a loose sheath on one I have put to the oil pressure sensor on the side of the block the other one I am not sure we're it goes , i looked on the wiring diagram and noticed that coloured wire may be something to do with the flasher but that seems to be wired ok

[mogbob]

Propshaft
Sorry been " off watch ".
Right. Re cap. New wiring loom fitted noted .
You can't find another "home " for the spare wire on any male lucar terminal . Have you held the exit from the loom and stretched the other end of the wire, fully extended around the engine bay , looking for a male lucar connector ?

The spare wire is : - mainly / predominant colour Green ( G ) with a smaller / thinner brown ( N ) tracer / stripe ?

IF it were Green / Brown G/N this would be the wire from the L ( light ) Terminal on the flasher unit ( round cylindrical can ) to the
flasher switch on the steering column. There is a "bunch of connectors " knee height , when sitting in the driver's seat by the steering
column. Battery OFF disconnected , complete a circuit , small crocodile clips either end of the wire , having pulled the bullet connector
out of the bunch under the steering wheel. A 9 volt battery plus either a smaller audible buzzer or lamp holder. If you have connected
the correct two ends of the wires with battery / buzzer or lamp in between , it will buzz or light.

To finish off the flashers' connection. The P ( Pilot / panel light ) terminal should have a LG Light Green wire attached. This is another
connection to the bunch of connectors mentioned already , feeding the indicator arm.
The plain G Green wire attaches to the B ( Battery ) terminal supplying power.

What coloured wires have you got connected to your flasher can ?

It's never easy wiring , unless you're a fully trained auto electrician. I am not one of those and to make life difficult I'm partially Red / Green colour blind ! Got my wife to tell me what was what and I labelled every wire during my restorations. I buzzed out every connection
more than once, to make sure that what I " thought " was connected correctly was " actually " connected correctly.

As an aside there was a spell when wiring was in short supply and loom makers did occasionally" use whatever colour was to hand ". It was when cable theft was at it's height. Makers have also been known to put a surplus wire or two believing the loom to be for another version of your model / vehicle.
When you do power back up , check you are getting battery "volts " at the end of the wire. A fused Green wire is live with the ignition on
supplying current to non ignition units. Once established , ensure any live end is insulated and the wire can't short against any metalwork.
Cable tying the loose end, back to the main loom or other convenient spot , out of harms way , is good practice.
Lets us know how get on.
Bob

[Propshaft]

Thanks for that jog bob will do some investigating next week . Whilst your on was thinking about putting a six branch fuse box in , what would you suggest would be the best sections to fuse , hope this makes sense

[mogbob]

Morning
A six way fuse box would be a great idea. I put an "extra" six way with separate heavy duty wire power supply on my mate's moggie we restored .That box took care of his reversing light , rear fog light , heated rear screen and hazards.

On the main fuse box , engine bay we put 1. Brake lights and fuel gauge 2.Wiper motor, Fuel tank sender and gauge, voltage stabiliser, heater, oil pressure warning light. 3. Flasher / Indicator 4. Courtesy light , horn 5. Screen washer 6. Spare / blank.
This order of things isn't compulsory , you decide what you want where using piggy back connectors, if necessary. Make sure they get an insulating sleeve / cover.

Depending on your preferences / depth of wallet ( after Xmas expenses ) you can go for normal blade fuses 6.3mm , tell tale blade fuses
( which light up when they blow ) or even mini circuit breaker blade fuses , if money is no object . With a different type of fuse box you could use plain Continental torpedo type fuses.

Just record what you " connect up where ". Have a set of spare fuses ( unless you go for the mini circuit breakers ) and it's not a bad idea
to leave a small laminated diagram /record of what fuse controls what , in the glove box.
Record any electrical " extras " e.g things like relays , you incorporate into the system. A few years down the line you may have forgotten.
Bob

[rayofleamington]

Pretty sure it will be the oil filter blocked warning switch.
Some of the oil filter housings don't have the sender, some do. I always thought it worthwhile having had 2 minors with a blocked filter (one was soon after a service!) and the other was being run for first time after coming from an un-known source.
The one with filter blocked warning sensor was sorted ASAP. The one without was driven for a week until the big end bearings were clattering

Blocked filter is unlikely on a well cared for car - and was seen as not high priority hence the sender was not used by Austin and eventually the cheaper version was used on the Minor

[Propshaft]

Thanks one and all

[Propshaft]

Thanks the spare wire is in fact the blocked filter wire which I haven't got on my filter

[mogbob]

Glad you cracked it. Suggest you just label it and tidy it out of harm's way , suitably insulated.
Well done.
Bob