Spare wire

[jreacock]

Hi. Hoping that someone can help me identify the loose wire shown in the pic. It seems to be white with black rings, and comes from the circular connector block that connects the engine sensors. I may have loomed it in the wrong place, as my notes from when I disconnected everything, suggested that it went to the bonnet bay light - but that's not where it goes. It doesn't have any voltage on it at any time, so I guess it's a sensor wire.

Any help is much appreciated.
Thanks,
Justin.

[cheeky monkey]

Hi Justin,

the 2 other sensors I see coming from that group of wires on my car go to the cylindrical sensor on back of the carb and another to the back of the alternator

regards
Graham

[jreacock]

Hi Graham.
Thanks for the reply. Any chance you noticed whether one of the wires you saw was white with small black flecks?
I guess our cars may be slightly different though.
Cheers,
Justin.

[cheeky monkey]

Hi Justin

Apologies. I missed the obvious in that you would need the colours. The one to the alternator is black and white stripe. I haven't located any wire of your description but my washer bottle has a top connector red and the bottom connector that is Black with white fleck/band. However, this feeds from the battery tray negative. The red for the washer bottle comes into the bay from where my fingers pointing

I'll take a better look on Saturday morning when I have to do some stuff in that area.

regards
Graham

[smithymc]

Do these help? It goes to the sensor nearest the offside.

Mark

[jreacock]

Graham: Yes - thanks for the pic. The wire I was trying to identify was more white with bits of black, so I don't think it's the same as the one you found.

Mark: That looks kind of like my wire, although the spacing of the black is much closer on yours, and the other sensor wire a different colour combination, so I'm wondering whether there was some variation in wire colours for these sensors etc. What year/model is your Beta? Mine is an 81 Spyder.

Thanks both for taking the time to reply.

[smithymc]

Mines a 1977 coupe, probably a 1976 build given reg date.

Mark

[dougdee123]

According to the Haynes manual electrical diagrams for an 81 spyder the bianco/nero cable goes to the underbonnet light and also to the ventilator control light and the glovebox light.  That would seem reasonable when white/black goes from the alternator supply.

Of course the Haynes may be wrong but you could trace to the fuses.

On another note, reference was made to a sensor on the carb. I have a vague memory that there is a cut-off solenoid to stop the engine running on. But there is a possibilty that I'm misremembering that.

Doug

[peteracs]

Hi Doug

On the DATRA Weber there is a fuel cutoff solenoid.

Peter

[jreacock]

The fuel cut-off on mine is a red wire. Fairly sure I got this one right, as it seems to do the job when I turn the key. I'm thinking that I loomed this white / black wire so that it has ended up in the wrong place - which is misleading. The wire comes from the main circular connector that connects to all the engine related bits. Can anyone track it from the connector?
Thanks very much.

[jreacock]

Hi all. I just want to have one last go at identifying where this wire goes before I coil it up and tuck it out of the way. Doug - yes, you're quite right, the manual lists the black and white wire as going to the bonnet lamp, which is where I made a note of it going before I took everything apart. I don't think it gets 12V on it when the lights are switched on though - and the black and yellow wire that is close (but not close enough) to the lamp does. I need to go and check this again. I've used a spare piece of blue/white wire to extend the connection to the bonnet lamp from the black/yellow that gets power when the lights are on.



So - this other picture shows the main engine connector. The wire that I need to identify goes into the block as a white and black striped wire (equal black and white stripes running along its length), and emerges the other (engine) side of the block as a mainly white wire, with a narrow black band every 3 inches or so - shown in the first post. So - this is the one I would love to connect to something. Maybe it should go to the bonnet light, and the black and yellow I mentioned earlier is for something else.  




I've just got the exhaust and electric fuel pump to fit now, and 1.5 years of rebuild will be coming to an end.

As usual - any help would be very much appreciated.

[jreacock]

I checked the black and white wire, and it gives 12V when the ignition key is turned to the first position, so I don't think that it's meant to go to the bonnet switch and lamp. The black/yellow that I have connected to the bonnet switch gives 12V when the lights are on, which seems right.  This seems to be the universal colour used for 'sub lighting'.

So - it looks like the black/white in question is supposed to power something up when the ignition is on. The carb solenoid has a red wire which seems to do the job already - so it's not that. Can anyone think of anything else - most probably attached to the engine, that would fit the bill?

[hutch6610]

That wire goes to the back of the alternator, its for the charge light, don't be fooled by the 12v output, later cars have a white wire with a thin black stripe running length ways with those bands of black.
Believe you have accidentally wrapped it up with temperature wire and the overheat wire, easily done which begs the question what have you connected to the alternator?
I would suggest you disconnect what is connected to the alternator for now, put the ignition on and just touch that spare wire to the cylinder head, don't be scared and you should see the light come on.
I double checked today just to make sure.





   

[jreacock]

Okay - that's interesting. I'll give it a go.
Thanks for the info.

[jreacock]

Hutch - that does seem to be where the wire is from. There was a spare spade terminal next to the other 2 on the alternator (that come from the alternator), and it went there. Connecting it with a static engine does light up the battery symbol on the dash.

So - thanks very much. Closure at last on this one.