Update! My wiring nightmare... where do I go with it?

[Rob Zaeos]

Thank you all so much. You've given me the courage to go for it! Today i got most of the stereo and alarm removed from the interior of the car! The engine bay (1st photo below) has an additional fuse box which it seems most of the extras were wired to. I'll re-use it later down the road but for now gonna remove it to lessen my confusion. Also a ton of relays and the battery was relocated to the trunk and is where the fuel pump is located.... which it looks like resulted in the use of the starter as a power distribution block (2nd photo below).

Engine bay Starter distribution block

 

I have a bunch of connectors, crimps, and stripper/crimpers as well as loom tape and shrink wrap i purchased in anticipation of the project but the suggestions are helpful and i like the techflex so gonna get some of that too.

 

So onto the blinker situation. It looks like it is wired correctly ( 1st photo below) for the wiring diagram ( 2nd photo below ) which i believe is for the euro model, which doesn't have the hazard switch or warning buzzer shown in the ( 3nd photo below ) where the turn signal switch only has 3 wires rather than 5. So maybe this was pieced together at some point from different harnesses?

Turn signal wiring Euro 6 fuse diagram of turn signal North america 6 fuse diagram of turn signal

 

The plan for now is to keep removing aftermarket stuff and get things organized.

Thanks again everyone for all of the advice! You guys rule!

[halboyles]

48 minutes ago, All Day said:

I have a bunch of connectors, crimps, and stripper/crimpers

If you want the connections to last, buy the best spade connectors you can afford.  3M makes a superior connector that can be shrink wrapped and contains a sealant that melts around the connection.  Also, throw away any cheap stamped-metal crimpers and get yourself two pro styles:  a ratcheting crimper and a pair of crimping pliers.   A good quality wire stripper (not to be confused with a pole dancer) is also invaluable.  Some dielectric grease will  help keep the connections corrosion free.  And finally, you can still buy color-coded striped primary wire and vintage connectors here:  https://www.ynzyesterdaysparts.com/home/electrical-supplies-catalog/.  

[ray_]

Cool, thanks Hal.

 

A link: https://www.cesco.com/3M-MNHU14-250DFIX-3M-MNHU14-250DFIX-Scotchlok-trade-Heat-Shrink-Female-Disconnect-Terminal-16-14-AWG-Blue-25-Bottle/p2103726

[Mike Self]

Yet one more thing...if you run up against problems with the emergency flashers and the turn signals:  as has been pointed out, all the power for both flashers and turn signals is  routed through the emergency flasher switch.  Since one operates with or without the ignition on, and the other only with the ignition on, there are two sets of contacts inside the switch, which explains all those wires attached to it.  I did a column on troubleshooting those switches, so PM me if you need a copy. 

 

The column was about the pushbutton switches used on later cars, but IIRC the wiring/terminal numbers are the same for the pull knob switch on your car.  Fortunately the pull knob switches rarely fail, unlike the pushbutton variety.

mike

[Rob Zaeos]

2 hours ago, ray_ said:

the way, that looks like an aftermarket electronic flasher relay for the turn signals at the left of your pic. There are articles in the tech section on how to properly fit one (tho my car rebelled against it).

 

https://www.bmw2002faq.com/articles/technical-articles/electrical-and-ignition/

 

Just saying your wiring diagram is not going to match what you see on that relay.

Thank you. This is what I followed when I replaced the old relay (see attached), but there was also another wire on the old relay that, when i traced it, was connected to the wires that go to the charge light on the dash and the back of the upgraded alternator, ( location circled in red on attached ),  which i believe is from an E30. I left that wire off of the new flasher unit, but to be honest not sure what the purpose was or if its necessary.

 

 

Edited October 15, 2021 by All Day

[Rob Zaeos]

1 hour ago, halboyles said:

If you want the connections to last, buy the best spade connectors you can afford.  3M makes a superior connector that can be shrink wrapped and contains a sealant that melts around the connection.  Also, throw away any cheap stamped-metal crimpers and get yourself two pro styles:  a ratcheting crimper and a pair of crimping pliers.   A good quality wire stripper (not to be confused with a pole dancer) is also invaluable.  Some dielectric grease will  help keep the connections corrosion free.  And finally, you can still buy color-coded striped primary wire and vintage connectors here:  https://www.ynzyesterdaysparts.com/home/electrical-supplies-catalog/.  

Thank you! I bought ratcheting crimps and good strippers as well as some fairly quality spade connectors with soft rubber boots that slide on after crimping, but I'll get some dielectric grease as well. Good suggestion!

 

Also thanks for the link to the color coded wires!!!!

Edited October 15, 2021 by All Day

[Rob Zaeos]

Alright... so gonna purchase some correct colored wire but, apologies if this is a dumb question, what gauge wire does most of the loom use?

[John76]

Look at your wiring schematic. The number before the color code is the wire size in square mm.

Conversion is :

mm2        AWG

6                10

4                12

2.5             14

1.5             16

1.0             18

0.75          20

0.50          22

 

[Henning]

A couple of years ago these 6-fuse harnesses were reproduced here in Germany. If interested look here:

https://forum.bmw-02-club.de/index.php?PHPSESSID=6nh3rbm3imov31uh1bhnim6c9g&board=21.0

Search tag: Kabelbaum bis 71 neu

Also some years ago I gave two or three harnesses to 2002faq people. Maybe these have them not installed yet or have kept the old ones for referring.

And another member has let his harness made new, but it was north of 2 grand.

Just for info.

 

henn

 

[irdave]

15 hours ago, mgben said:

I am a Mechanical Engineer but figured wiring out,

 

 

Even in a thread about wiring, humor.

[TobyB]

Holy spaghettarini, that engine bay is spectacular. 

 

Sadly, you'll probably have to duplicate a function or 2 that 

has been added- if only to power your fuel pump.

 

That alternator's probably off a late E21 or yeah, E30 with an M10.

The added relay and wire may be to 'excite' it...  but the stock

dash alternator indicator ought to be able to do that.

(it provides 12v through the bulb, and then when the

alternator's running and 'excited', it returns 12v as well,

so the light goes out)

 

Carry on.  Hockey tape, if no- one's yet suggested it, is a 

great way to lash things back together in a period way.

Friction tape works too, but is sticky and attracts grit.

 

t

 

[Rob Zaeos]

10 hours ago, John76 said:

Look at your wiring schematic. The number before the color code is the wire size in square mm.

Conversion is :

mm2        AWG

6                10

4                12

2.5             14

1.5             16

1.0             18

0.75          20

0.50          22

 

Learning so much! Thank you for this!

 

27 minutes ago, TobyB said:

Sadly, you'll probably have to duplicate a function or 2 that 

has been added- if only to power your fuel pump.

 

That alternator's probably off a late E21 or yeah, E30 with an M10.

The added relay and wire may be to 'excite' it...  but the stock

dash alternator indicator ought to be able to do that.

(it provides 12v through the bulb, and then when the

alternator's running and 'excited', it returns 12v as well,

so the light goes out)

Agreed, planning on fuel pump, megajolt, and fog lights as additional circuits for now.

And thanks for the info on the alternator light! Explains a lot about how it works!

 

-Rob

[Rob Zaeos]

As I'm considering all of the work to clean this wiring up I'm considering going with a bulkhead connector so that I can divide the engine bay and cab into two separate looms to help make it more manageable.

Wondering if anyone has installed one and has an opinion on it and the difficulty in doing so?

They seem fairly inexpensive at around $50, and I figure it would save me some of the splicing I would need to do in the middle of some of the wire runs.

[Conserv]

15 hours ago, ray_ said:

Cool, thanks Hal.

 

A link: https://www.cesco.com/3M-MNHU14-250DFIX-3M-MNHU14-250DFIX-Scotchlok-trade-Heat-Shrink-Female-Disconnect-Terminal-16-14-AWG-Blue-25-Bottle/p2103726

Disappointed, Ray, ?

 

I double-clicked your link cuz I thought it would get me to the pole dancer… ??

 

Best regards,

 

Steve

 

 

[ray_]

47 minutes ago, Conserv said:

Disappointed, Ray, ?

 

I double-clicked your link cuz I thought it would get me to the pole dancer… ??

 

Best regards,

 

Steve

 

 

Oh, sorry. PM sent 

 

?