Discussion
This is really part of my ongoing full resto(S3) & power train conversion (Jag AJ30), but I thought it simpler to ask this on a separate thread.
I'm now progressing onto the new engine bay wiring including splicing it into the existing, and I'm amazed in what I'm finding...
Little growths appear at random points along the wiring loom (behind the dash).
These are some of the soldered joints as per the 290S diagram (which has 2.8 info mixed in !!). Beware of the old insulating tape, some of mine had either partially or totally come unwound leaving the exposed joints.
On my car it had obviously had a previously fitted alarm, now no where to be found, except stub ends of the old wiring, mainly around the steering column area.
Soldered onto the main feed red wire to the Ign switch there are x4 dead ends, that were taped up, soon to be removed.
You can see from the attached photo that my car still has the yellow connector (soon to be removed) which actually appears to be in very good condition. IE. No evidence of burning on any connector. Its still got to go.
Now to a question...
I'm doing my own thing with regard to the 'idiot' light panel between the speedo & tacho (S3).
I have identified that they currently serve...
Indicators
Ignition charging
Hand Brake light
Brake fluid level
High beam
Side lights
Rear fog lights
... Unless I'm wrong !
But on the black plastic covering lense, one is marked as M.I.L. ??
Another S3 related question...
On looking inside my door panels there are central locking solenoids, but I can't find a controller, so...
Do all S3 have central locking ?
If so...
Were they door key operated ?
Or fob operated ?
Maybe on my car they were part of the alarm control electronics ?
TerryB.
I'm now progressing onto the new engine bay wiring including splicing it into the existing, and I'm amazed in what I'm finding...
Little growths appear at random points along the wiring loom (behind the dash).
These are some of the soldered joints as per the 290S diagram (which has 2.8 info mixed in !!). Beware of the old insulating tape, some of mine had either partially or totally come unwound leaving the exposed joints.
On my car it had obviously had a previously fitted alarm, now no where to be found, except stub ends of the old wiring, mainly around the steering column area.
Soldered onto the main feed red wire to the Ign switch there are x4 dead ends, that were taped up, soon to be removed.
You can see from the attached photo that my car still has the yellow connector (soon to be removed) which actually appears to be in very good condition. IE. No evidence of burning on any connector. Its still got to go.
Now to a question...
I'm doing my own thing with regard to the 'idiot' light panel between the speedo & tacho (S3).
I have identified that they currently serve...
Indicators
Ignition charging
Hand Brake light
Brake fluid level
High beam
Side lights
Rear fog lights
... Unless I'm wrong !
But on the black plastic covering lense, one is marked as M.I.L. ??
Another S3 related question...
On looking inside my door panels there are central locking solenoids, but I can't find a controller, so...
Do all S3 have central locking ?
If so...
Were they door key operated ?
Or fob operated ?
Maybe on my car they were part of the alarm control electronics ?
TerryB.
Blue 30 said:
But on the black plastic covering lense, one is marked as M.I.L. ??
My S3C also has the MIL light (Malfunction Indicator Light?): bulbholder and bulb, but no evidence of there ever having been any connections to it!Perhaps TVR had given up on using the MIL functionality of the ECU?
According to Probst and others, as well as warning that the ECU is not happy, the MIL light should give flashes indicating the fault codes when you set the diagnostic function, so you can manage without a code reader.
Of course, the 'missing' warning light on TVR's is for low oil pressure. So I have a cunning plan to wire the inactive MIL light to my aftermarket oil pressure sender, (which has a warning terminal as well as a gauge terminal). I'll report on how well (or even if) this works.
Mine's an early S3, no door solenoids and no bulb behind the MIL symbol.
Now looks like this...............
Orange = oil pressure (not standard)
Red = charging
left green = indicators
blue = main beam
right green = sidelights
red = rear fog (no warning light originally)
two yellows = brake fluid level & handbrake on
green = front driving lamps
Now looks like this...............
Orange = oil pressure (not standard)
Red = charging
left green = indicators
blue = main beam
right green = sidelights
red = rear fog (no warning light originally)
two yellows = brake fluid level & handbrake on
green = front driving lamps
Apologies guys..
I should have stated my S3 is a late 'G' plate 2.9 V6.
Having now read some of your replies, I have quickly looked at the wires behind the MIL position's bulb. There is a single wire (not part of the loom & obviously added) that goes to the console rhs rotary switch, which is the rear fog light switch. So that clears that up in so much as I don't have any warning light connection with the ecu (which has gone anyway!) And I do have x7 (in theory) working warning lights.
But as I said above, I am changing both the visual appearance of the warning light display panel and what device has a warning light attached.
With regard to the central locking (on my car anyway) it does very much look that it is as old as the car (the door solenoids).
I was only give x1 door/ignition key when I bought the car, so no fob.
It will be many months yet before I get onto the refurb of the doors (electric windows & the central locking), but I do plan to introduce remote central locking (no alarm/immobiliser).
Many thanks
(Back in the cold garage tomorrow).
TerryB.
I should have stated my S3 is a late 'G' plate 2.9 V6.
Having now read some of your replies, I have quickly looked at the wires behind the MIL position's bulb. There is a single wire (not part of the loom & obviously added) that goes to the console rhs rotary switch, which is the rear fog light switch. So that clears that up in so much as I don't have any warning light connection with the ecu (which has gone anyway!) And I do have x7 (in theory) working warning lights.
But as I said above, I am changing both the visual appearance of the warning light display panel and what device has a warning light attached.
With regard to the central locking (on my car anyway) it does very much look that it is as old as the car (the door solenoids).
I was only give x1 door/ignition key when I bought the car, so no fob.
It will be many months yet before I get onto the refurb of the doors (electric windows & the central locking), but I do plan to introduce remote central locking (no alarm/immobiliser).
Many thanks
(Back in the cold garage tomorrow).
TerryB.
When you come to fitting warning lights, don't fit a driving lights warning light as you don't need one, you will know that the driving lights are working because there will be more light from the front of your vehicle when you switch them on. The only reason that cars have a main beam warning light is to remind the driver to dip when needed to, the driver already knows that the headlights are on because she/he can see the road at night
Common sense comes to mind
Common sense comes to mind
Penelope Stopit said:
When you come to fitting warning lights, don't fit a driving lights warning light as you don't need one, you will know that the driving lights are working because there will be more light from the front of your vehicle when you switch them on. The only reason that cars have a main beam warning light is to remind the driver to dip when needed to, the driver already knows that the headlights are on because she/he can see the road at night
Common sense comes to mind
Interestingly that doesn't work. My modern car has auto lights and does not have an indicator when they are on. Agree it is not a problem at night, but in lower day-time visibility where lights are necessary for others to see you rather than for you to see the road, I do not know if the auto sensing lights are on or not. Too many people do not realise that and leave their lights off in lower level light conditions, and you cannot see the car coming towards you Common sense comes to mind
against a dark background, and some feel that putting the parking lights (often called side lights) on is enough. This problem is also in fog when the auto sensing systems only react to brightness not visible distance.
Also whatever wattage bulb you have for the alternator (battery symbol) do not be tempted to change it - it's part of the excitation circuit for the alternator circuit (I could do with one of those!). Any attempt to change it for an LED or similar will most likely result in insufficient current and the alternator won't start charging.
I do remember someone doing some work with this and I think they did get the alternator to start charging at lower revs, but caveat emptor and all that. I used to have a V8S so I never had this issue.
I do remember someone doing some work with this and I think they did get the alternator to start charging at lower revs, but caveat emptor and all that. I used to have a V8S so I never had this issue.
Thanks.
Yes, I remember learning that lesson (re alternator warning light wattage) many many moons ago.
Going on my car only, the Tvr fitted idiot lights (my assumption that they are Tvr) is that the quality is pretty crap. They could have at least used ones where the bulb could be changed (ie. Lucas type), not those cheap soldered in bulb type.
I am going Led for most of the warning lights, but not the Ign charging light.
That will be a nice new quality fitting, connected to an 85 amp alternator..
Yes.. With a totally new & appropriately sized wire charging circuit layout.
TerryB.
Yes, I remember learning that lesson (re alternator warning light wattage) many many moons ago.
Going on my car only, the Tvr fitted idiot lights (my assumption that they are Tvr) is that the quality is pretty crap. They could have at least used ones where the bulb could be changed (ie. Lucas type), not those cheap soldered in bulb type.
I am going Led for most of the warning lights, but not the Ign charging light.
That will be a nice new quality fitting, connected to an 85 amp alternator..
Yes.. With a totally new & appropriately sized wire charging circuit layout.
TerryB.
Here's the thread on the ignition warning light, including a fabulous OTT solution by the great Penelope Stopit.
Yes, They All Do That, Sir; mine needs to go up to 2200 RPM before the light will go out, as I have to point out to the MoT tester every year.
I find it an endearing quirk: my neighbours, not so much.
Yes, They All Do That, Sir; mine needs to go up to 2200 RPM before the light will go out, as I have to point out to the MoT tester every year.
I find it an endearing quirk: my neighbours, not so much.
Edited by mentall on Monday 12th February 14:41
Nope.
Just a pair of headlights.
And 2 indicators, I've put the missing one somewhere !!
From memory they're not perfect, but yet to be decided what I'll finally do.
But that's a long way off yet.....
I've forgotten what the bonnet looks like, as its been in my neighbour's garage for the last 18 months... I think I owe him a drink.. Or two !
TerryB
Just a pair of headlights.
And 2 indicators, I've put the missing one somewhere !!
From memory they're not perfect, but yet to be decided what I'll finally do.
But that's a long way off yet.....
I've forgotten what the bonnet looks like, as its been in my neighbour's garage for the last 18 months... I think I owe him a drink.. Or two !
TerryB
My S2 with a similar bonnet had a pair of rectangular driving lamps in the lower opening. At least the beam pattern looked like driving lamps, although I seem to remember the switch indicated they were fog lamps. 
In any case their main use seemed to be to improve the chance that somebody coming the other way would notice me - can't say they provided any actual illumination.
In any case their main use seemed to be to improve the chance that somebody coming the other way would notice me - can't say they provided any actual illumination.mentall said:
Here's the thread on the ignition warning light, including a fabulous OTT solution by the great Penelope Stopit.
Yes, They All Do That, Sir; mine needs to go up to 2200 RPM before the light will go out, as I have to point out to the MoT tester every year.
I find it an endearing quirk: my neighbours, not so much.
I'm convinced you missed a word out after "great"Yes, They All Do That, Sir; mine needs to go up to 2200 RPM before the light will go out, as I have to point out to the MoT tester every year.
I find it an endearing quirk: my neighbours, not so much.
Edited by mentall on Monday 12th February 14:41
This below topic includes several methods that will lower the cut-in speed of an alternator
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Of all the different possibilities for a fix, this following topic contains the ultimate solution
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
In utter dread of going where others fear to tread, surely the 'ultimate solution' is the simplest !
In this case, & in common with any other fault(s), the best thing is to actually get yer hands dirty and identify/find the fault & eradicate or repair it. That's rather than introducing over complex and totally unnecessary workaround(s).
With this problem, looking at the real parts in situ, rather than the math's/physics/whatever. The Bosch model of alternator as used on the S series, has also been used on many thousands of cars worldwide in many & varied makes and models, seemingly with none of the issues that the S exhibits !
Therefore one can conclude that the alternator isn't the source of the problem. The S wiring warning light circuitry also follows convention. So that leaves the execution of the wiring installation and the remaining component... That being the actual warning light bulb & assembly. If you've thoroughly checked the wiring and its connectors including security of such, then logic points to the warning light itself.
On my car (as that's the only S I have worked on) it uses one of those 99p mass produced warning lights where the only quality control is probably that the manufacturers box contains x1000 units and they're all the same colour.
The pea bulb (glass envelope) within the warning light has probably never been tested at all, let alone for accurate wattage/current flow. Me thinks that's the weak link !!
So in my opinion that's why S owners repeatedly raise this phenomenon of warning lights that won't go out until around 2k revs are reached.
Consider this... Buy a decent quality warning lamp assembly, one with a removable bulb feature, buy a good quality 2.2 watt bulb to suit the assembly. Remove your cars warning light wire on the alternator, replace this with one leg of the new warning light attached to the alternator, the other leg going to a temporary connection to an Ign fed 12v. Then start the car, and see what happens.
If/when that fixes the problem, install the new warning light where it belongs, & dispatch the original Tvr warning lamp to xxxxx (insert your choice).
Enough said.
TerryB.
In this case, & in common with any other fault(s), the best thing is to actually get yer hands dirty and identify/find the fault & eradicate or repair it. That's rather than introducing over complex and totally unnecessary workaround(s).
With this problem, looking at the real parts in situ, rather than the math's/physics/whatever. The Bosch model of alternator as used on the S series, has also been used on many thousands of cars worldwide in many & varied makes and models, seemingly with none of the issues that the S exhibits !
Therefore one can conclude that the alternator isn't the source of the problem. The S wiring warning light circuitry also follows convention. So that leaves the execution of the wiring installation and the remaining component... That being the actual warning light bulb & assembly. If you've thoroughly checked the wiring and its connectors including security of such, then logic points to the warning light itself.
On my car (as that's the only S I have worked on) it uses one of those 99p mass produced warning lights where the only quality control is probably that the manufacturers box contains x1000 units and they're all the same colour.
The pea bulb (glass envelope) within the warning light has probably never been tested at all, let alone for accurate wattage/current flow. Me thinks that's the weak link !!
So in my opinion that's why S owners repeatedly raise this phenomenon of warning lights that won't go out until around 2k revs are reached.
Consider this... Buy a decent quality warning lamp assembly, one with a removable bulb feature, buy a good quality 2.2 watt bulb to suit the assembly. Remove your cars warning light wire on the alternator, replace this with one leg of the new warning light attached to the alternator, the other leg going to a temporary connection to an Ign fed 12v. Then start the car, and see what happens.
If/when that fixes the problem, install the new warning light where it belongs, & dispatch the original Tvr warning lamp to xxxxx (insert your choice).
Enough said.
TerryB.
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