Wiring nightmares

[DazzyA]

chitty chitty bang bang springs to mind, I'm not using her at the moment if i get a replacement loom is it one whole item or bits and bobs, I'm just worried I may make things worse, although that would be some feat.

[SCOTT325SE]

you could probably get sections of the loom off the zone. example - the dashboard has a small loom of its own. these are rarely messed with unless neon dials have been installed. you could get a whole dash for about Ԛ£30

[Brianmoooore]

Pic 1/ They look too big to be the tweeter connections. Microswitch is the deadlock switch. It should be in the drivers door!!!!

Pic 2/ If we're 2/3rds of the way along the left inner wing, it's one of the two connectors for the (possibly not fitted) dim dip driving lights.

Pic 3/ grey/red is a panel light. If the cooked wire is plain green then it's an ignition live wire. Could be part of a disconnected OBC loom again.
(There are plain green associated with the OBC CODE function)

Pic 4/ If all the joins are soldered properly and insulated properly (preferably with heat shrink tubing) then this lot should be OK.
Twisted together one loks loke black/yellow = starter signal.
WHY?????

Pic 5/ Can't make out much of that. The radio connectionc should come from a small loom which plugs into the accesories socket at the back of the glovebox by a four pin plug.

Whats the last seven digits of your VIN?

[DazzyA]

last 7 vin is EC15179, the micro switch is in the drivers door, just hanging there, pic 2 is drivers wing, behind lights.

[Brianmoooore]

Just stuck the VIN into the ETK. Comes up as a 325 convertable, RH drive and auto gearbox. Your's is manual, so someones changed that over.
The microswitch should be mounted on a bracket around the key barrel inside the door. At about the ten o'clock position looking at the inside of the door.
Is that a single wire inside the round rubber boot? If so it's probably for a horn.
The engine loom on an E30 is a seperate loom, but most of the rest is a single loom that goes the full length of the car. There is a substantial sub loom that goes across the dash that plugs into the main loom behind the glove box. There is also a branch of the main loom that runs across the dash.
There are several small sub looms (heater, fuel pump and speedo pick up) and the central locking loom is largely seperate.
Also there may be some accesories looms depending on whats fitted.

[Jhonno]

dude, i seriously hope you got her cheap!!

[DazzyA]

What would you suggest Brian, are there any schematics or manuals that would ease replacement, would it need total dash removal.
Horn dosen't work so that must be it, micro switch to fit as passenger door.
I may have said this before, thanks Brian.
Would the car have a IAT sensor?

[Brianmoooore]

This car seems to have some history, but it's a Cab, and Cabs are worth serious money, so it's worth restoring. Like Jhonno says, I hope you got this cheap, and that trimwise, paintwaise and rustwise it's in good order.
Ideal solution would be to find a rust or damage expired, unmolested saloon breaker. This would give you a host of spare parts to sort the rest of the car, and complete replacement wiring looms.
If you want to change the engine loom, you will need a six pot, and if you want to retain the "check" system, you will need a donor with that, as it is integral to the main loom.
If you strip the donor loom carefully, taking photos and making notes as you go, you will be able to refit it into your car as it should be.
Ideal of course, would be a cab loom, but this would be hard to come by. There are differences between the cab and saloon looms, but nothing unsurmountable that I can think of, although I'm not familiar with cabs.
Fusebox is integral with loom, so at least you would get the chance to inspect and paint the common rust area around the big bulkhead grommet area which is under the fusebox
Looms can be changed without total dash removal, but that is a lot easier job than it looks .
Now I've changed my mind. Take the dash off is what you should do, as I think most of the bodged wiring is behind there, isn't it?
Take out the centre console, unscrew the heater control panel from the dash so that it stays behind, unscrew two bolts at each end of the dash and it'll all come loose. Various cable ties and connectors to undo then it'll all come off.
Label everything and make detailed notes.
You will now be able to see how much of the damage is on the dash sub loom, which is easily relaced, and how much is on the main loom.

[Brianmoooore]

Why the question about the IAT sensor? Yes, it has one. Part of the air meter assembly.

[DazzyA]

Yeah, not sure if cheap or not anymore, she's only done 63k had a new bare head with rebuild, new roof and is free from rust, i thought those things added up to a good deal at a little over a grand, she needs new wheels or refurb at some stage, a new drivers seat and all the leather cleaned, the wiring has however come as some surpise strangley enough, oh and there are a few small dents here and there, but I have fallen in love(the wife's not happy) so it will be a labour of love. I think the total strip out and evalution is the way forward. The IAT question comes via a filter manufacturer who was taking about a cold air feed to the filter and another cold air feed to cool the air around the filter/IAT, on telling him that after changing into second and flooring the accelorator she almost cuts out for a second then nearly thows me into the back seats, he seems to think it needs more air, quicker, it sounds good, what do think?

[Brianmoooore]

Yeah, not sure if cheap or not anymore, she's only done 63k had a new bare head with rebuild, new roof and is free from rust, i thought those things added up to a good deal at a little over a grand, she needs new wheels or refurb at some stage, a new drivers seat and all the leather cleaned, the wiring has however come as some surpise strangley enough, oh and there are a few small dents here and there, but I have fallen in love(the wife's not happy) so it will be a labour of love. I think the total strip out and evalution is the way forward. The IAT question comes via a filter manufacturer who was taking about a cold air feed to the filter and another cold air feed to cool the air around the filter/IAT, on telling him that after changing into second and flooring the accelorator she almost cuts out for a second then nearly thows me into the back seats, he seems to think it needs more air, quicker, it sounds good, what do think?

For a standard engine, you will find it difficult to improve on the standard OE air intake filter arrangements

[DazzyA]

ok will stick with that.

[DazzyA]

Just found a green connector tucked away behind the right hand heater duct/light switches, any idea.
Also have no lights for ashtrays, heater controls, instrument panel, fuses are all ok, what could it possibly be?????

[Brianmoooore]

What sort of green connector?
For panel lights, switch them on and earth the brown/white wire that goes to the rear ashtray light. Does this make all the panel lights work?