356C Wiring Troubles (Instrument Cluster) & Rear Lights

Strictly · Post by **Strictly** » Sat Apr 04, 2009 3:58 pm

Well ive tried my best on this bit but i can't get any further. I need some help on a 64C with the rear lights/brake lights and the instrument cluster switch configration/wiring

---- Rear Lights

Ok how do these work? There is no seperate brake light and rear side light! Im assuming there should be? I checked the bulb and its a single fillament (6v), is the light next to the indicator the brake light or is it the rear side light? Or is it both? Ive no idea....

---- Instrument Cluster (LEFT HAND DRIVE DASH)

Ok nightmare, half the wires are unattached, and the books arn't much help....

my guage configeration is from the left (gen/oil/fuel, etc) then speedo then odometer then clock (in case its differnt for RHD)

starting with the left guage (near the key). It has 2 red lights, and two green lights (presumably). Should both the read lights work together and both the green lights?

I can get the red light (#1) on the left working (generator) and can get the green light (#2) just next to it to come on (oil pressure switch), but the ones on the other side dont do anything.....the one of the right has a black wire to it(#4), and the one just inside it #3 is missing

Also does anyone know how to connect the fuel guage and oil temperature sender wires??? do these green wires go to "G" at the top and bottom of the guage and the blue/yellow wire go to the "+". My guages (both oil and fuel flip to maximum as soon as i connect either wire...presumably my senders are shot???

Ok final question. Just to the right of the odometer, what is the order of the switches. Is it Headlight switch at the top, and wiper switch just under it, with the headlight switch over to the right of the ashtray????

-----

Any help appreciated...let me know if you need some pics, and i'll post some on monday (when im back in the workshop).

Thanks

Luke

40 scout · Post by **40 scout** » Sat Apr 04, 2009 7:40 pm

Luke - I can prob help with some of this - did quite a bit to my B - take ages to type 1 fingered on an iPhone - you can call me if you need - I'll pm you my number on Sunday ifbyou like

Steve

Strictly · Post by **Strictly** » Sat Apr 04, 2009 8:10 pm

hi steve, yeah bud spot on, and let me know a good time to call you.

Everyone else please feel free to post, ive done a lot of head scratching on this bit...

Rustbucket · Post by **Rustbucket** » Sat Apr 04, 2009 8:45 pm

Pr services said something to me about the rear lights- you need a double filament bulb and to run an extra wire or something?
If you take pics of this stuff in progress, Ill love you long time.

I have all this fun to come !

Graham · Post by **Graham** » Sat Apr 04, 2009 10:38 pm

Hope this helps,though I might be rusty as Ive just had a mad day!..

Rear lights,the brakes run through the indicator circuit,hence 1 wire,when you indicate and brake that side will flash and the other will light up,you can convert by running a separate wire from the master cyl switch to the rear lights,fit twin filament bulb holders/bulbs.

Combination guage 2 red and 2 green,1 red is the generator,the other is handbrake warning light,the switch is on the end of the handbrake tube where it runs through the bulkhead.
One green is oil,the other is...,well nothing,its just there to look pretty and balance things out,the bulb fitting behind it is for the guage illumination light,which will be on a long string of wire/bulbs coming from the light switch.

Sender wires yes the blue/yellows run to +,the greens to -,and the other wire from the tank sender (brown) should run to an earth on the back of the guage,to check if the senders/guage is at fault,wire them up and earth the wires out at the sender ends,see if the needles return back.

Switches,head light at the top,wiper over by ashtray,oh and rev counter in middle,speedo to right,combo guage to left.

Im doing this from memory and have had a crazy day,but I think all is correct!,any more problems just shout,Im in mid Devon and might be down that way soon,so could possibly help out with a once over for you.

40 scout · Post by **40 scout** » Sun Apr 05, 2009 11:04 am

hi luke - pm sent - in the meantime if you give me your email I' ll try to take any pics you need and mail em to you - send me or post a list and i'll give it a go - Steve

Strictly · Post by **Strictly** » Sun Apr 05, 2009 6:34 pm

thanks! thats is spot on and gives me a much better idea! I'll have a go at getting all those guages going during the week and report back, but that definatly puts me in the right direction for now!

Im a little unsure of the rear lights though, let me get this right. The rear lights are side light (i.e rear headlight) and indicator. Then when you brake the opposite indicators light up? What happens if you dont indicate?

I have a choice between all red OR red and amber lenses. Im guessing that i want to use the all red lens if im running single filament, but red and amber if im running dual filament (do they make a duel filament 6v bulb?). I also think you need red/amber lenses for the mot if a car is 1959 or later (cant remember), so maybe i should look at that.

Sooooooooooooo good having so much support

, i can start on the guages now, and have a crack at the rear lights as i get filled in on how they are suppossed to work.

Dakota · Post by **Dakota** » Sun Apr 05, 2009 10:57 pm

Hi
they do make a dual filament 6v bulb and 6v Halogen headlamp bulbs too so yo may be able to see in the dark a little better, don't worry about a conversion to the indicators as red ones are perfectly legal up tp Jan 65, I am not certain on colours and I do not want you to fritz your wiring so I will stick to principals , the instruments work with a live feed from the ignition switch that runs to earth via the senders so with the ignition on you need a wire that is live and with a circuit tester check you have found the one that connects to its sender , for the guage to work they have to be connected the right way round Tthis should be Live switched wire to the terminal marked positive and the wire to the sender unit to the terminal marked G , if you connect a live wire to the positive and the needle swings to full or red hot you have a straight short to ground which will damage the instrument , so be carefull, on the internet you should be able to find a colour pictorial copy of the wiring diagram you can print off, I think its under Dr White's, or someone on here will have it, as for the stop lamps/ indicators the current for the stop lamps is routed via the indicator switch thats why it has so many wires poking out of it, with the indicator switch in the cancelled position the current goes to both stop lamps if you indicate to the left the current flow to the left indicator from the stop lamp is broken and the contacts for the indicator circuit closed so it flashes , with the right hand stop lamp remaining on , once you get a decent colour diagram all will become clearer, if you dont have one get a little multimeter to test continuity etc or at least a circuit tester though it may not light up too bright on 6v , go easy on your guages you don't want to fry them,
yours Bill

old_skool · Post by **old_skool** » Sun Apr 05, 2009 11:35 pm

http://www.hillmanimages.com/912/early_912_wiring.pdf

louis356 · Post by **louis356** » Tue Apr 07, 2009 1:10 pm

Hi, I have Joe Electrics book and will look up and see if there is anything that will help.

But If I may hijack your thread. I have a car that has electrics that are a mess with a botched 12 volt conversion ( I should really start again) but time and money dictate not.

I had no wires to a sender for the fuel so I'm starting from scratch. Replaced the sender. Now I need to connect it to the Guage. you talk of brown and green wires connecting here and yellow connecting there. I have nothing!

Do I connect one wire from the sender to the Guage direct? would that work? where does the power come from?? The old sender had a earth attachment for a wire (is this aftermarket or should it have one?)

Sorry for the hijack but I will help you out if I can.

I have a T5 Colour wiring diagram if you need it!

I will post my fuse box problem later

Strictly · Post by **Strictly** » Tue Apr 07, 2009 2:27 pm

feel free to hijack the thread, i'll help if i can, and vice versa im sure!

Im working on the electrics today, so have just printed out the thread and going to get started with the guages, thanks everyone, i'll up date if i get any problems.

L

Strictly · Post by **Strictly** » Tue Apr 07, 2009 7:20 pm

Do I connect one wire from the sender to the Guage direct? would that work? where does the power come from?? The old sender had a earth attachment for a wire (is this aftermarket or should it have one?)

Dont quote me on this, as my electrics not exactly working, but from what i can see, you connect the green wire at the sender, and the earth wire at the sender (brown), you then run the green wire to G on the back of the fuel guage, and earth the brown wire on the instrument body or perhaps near the fuse box; something like that.

There should be a blue/yellow wire connected to the "+" on the fuel guage. This is the switched feed from the igniiton, the green wire is the guage to sender wire, which earths through the brown wire to complete the circuit. i reckon thats it, but not 100% on this as you know.

Winston Teague · Post by **Winston Teague** » Tue Apr 07, 2009 7:37 pm

Hi chaps, This is not a trade plug/hard sell. In my day job I make, fit & commission 1 off looms for classic/historic cars and have a '61 BT5. There are many pitfalls and my own car is a bit of 'cobblers shoes' so i have plenty of good and bad experience. Also i'm not the northerner Helen talks of, and as far as i know none of the 600 or so cars i've rewired in the last 10 years have resulted in unhappy customers! If you want i can probably talk you through what goes where and i have a colour B diagram. This would of course be FOC. I could however take it on and rewire it for you if you wish! PM me and i will give you my contact details. All the best, hope i can help, Winston