Another wiring loom question.

[Bitsilly]

I have built up quite a few classics now and have never had a problem using the wiring diagrams.
However, the loom that came with the car , although it seems correct shape bears little resemblance to anything BS or in the Haynes manual.
Is it possible that I am reading the colours wrong or something?
For example, best as I can make out this spur should go to the speedo binnacle:

rsz_img_4216.jpg

But I can find no colours like them going to the dash in the Haynes (e.g. a bulb with a white and a yellow).

Here is another spur

rsz_img_4217.jpg

With one braided yellow, one plastic hello, and what I think is yellow/green which is the colour for an overdrive!

But the colours seem correct as this is a picture from the web and is similar:

IMG_20140224_212117.jpg

I know I seem to be flooding the forum with questions, and I am sorry, but I'm stumped.

If anyone can explain any of this please help!

[Bitsilly]

Well after two days of this I have just realised that the earliest wiring diagram Haynes has titled 850 pre 96 would of course cover my car, except for the fact the Haynes is for 1969 to 2001 cars
Back to the drawing board.

[woodypup59]

Bulb holders (top picture) Yellow and white should be oil pressure light, blue/white and black is main beam warning light, red/white and black is inst lighting (x2) . Cant quite make out the others.

The lower picture looks like the dynamo control box wires :- heavy gauge, cloth covered, with 3/8" spades

[Bitsilly]

Using the link on the other thread I have found a far more relevant diagram!
Isn't this a great forum!!

And thanks Woody, it all helps when you are as thick as me!

[bwaminispeed]

The green ones in the top pic go to the voltage stabilizer on the back of the speedo.......

The black wires with the loops, hook onto instrument hold down screws.....

[Bitsilly]

Panic over.
The reason my British Standards stuff was confusing was because BS only formalised the wire colours in 1963!
I found the correct 1960 colours and diagram on the other Mini forum and everything is now accounted for.

[GraemeC]

Lamp with one white wire and one brown/yellow is ignition warming lamp

[Spider]

A diagram such as you have might be more comfortable for you to work from, however, I found learning the colours and their function easier and faster and once you know the system, there actually is a logic to it.

The colours used in the Mini are to a British Standard;-



The one exception to that is the Wiper Circuit colours.

The 'logic' to the system is, at least in the Mini' there's only 7 groups of colours;-

Brown Direct unfused 12V
Purple Direct fused 12 V
White Key unfused 12 V
Green Key fused 12 V
Red Park Lamp Circuit
Blue Headlight Circuit
Black Earth

So, if it is a plain colour wire you are looking at, it'll be the first feed of that type in the circuit, eg Blue is the headlight feed from the headlight switch.

Then functions of that colour will have a Trace Colour on it, eg Blue / White is Hi Beam (headlight related)

These are all quite easy, the Green function wires (Green with a trace) are the most predominate and perhaps just have a quick reference cheat sheet on those may help. There are a couple of circuits though that you will still need a diagram or picture for, being the Wipers and probably the Fuel Gauge, though, that will be of no interest to you here !

I just use a 'dummies picture' for the wiper motor connections, but otherwise, it would have to be 25 - 30 years since I've needed to refer back to a schematic.

[Bitsilly]

Absolutely agree and that was what was causing my confusion, as those standards were only formalised in 1963, until then, and as with my loom, anything went!
I also know the rules about solid colour to the load/switch, then tracer following, as I said and had relied on that in the past, but my 1960 loom did not follow that convention, hence my headache!

[mk1]

Great Info Spider!

[Spider]

Absolutely agree and that was what was causing my confusion, as those standards were only formalised in 1963, until then, and as with my loom, anything went!
I also know the rules about solid colour to the load/switch, then tracer following, as I said and had relied on that in the past, but my 1960 loom did not follow that convention, hence my headache!

That has me scratching my head a bit. Granted, they aren't always accurate, but I just had a cursory glance over a 59 - 63 schematic and it follows the same convention. Wonder what's going on with yours ????

Great Info Spider!

Cheers Mark, but sadly, it's not helpful here !

[Bitsilly]

That makes me feel a little better!

[Spider]

Have you considered getting a new loom ?

Blasphemy I know,,,, but just to ask,,,,


My own experience with old looms is that while the wires themselves rarely give trouble, it's the crimps, soldered connections and molded plugs (that that yours would have any of them !) that give trouble. Short of replacing them all, they give never ending trouble.

[Bitsilly]

Panic over.
The reason my British Standards stuff was confusing was because BS only formalised the wire colours in 1963!
I found the correct 1960 colours and diagram on the other Mini forum and everything is now accounted for.

[Peter Laidler]

During the 80's a couple of us used to buy old stripped out cop Triumph 650 Saints and Norton 750/850 Commandos cheap from the auctions to make a few ££ on. The wiring looms were absolutely horrendous. There were wiring combinations that didn't seem to relate to, well....., anything! Red with black traces were one odd-ball I recall, Yellow and blue on a Commando was a 2-tone horn relay but was something completely different on a Triumph...... But it did stand me in good stead when I bought my Mini to restore. It was from the wiring loom that told me I'd bought a real pup! It was an ex bloody cop car!

I agree with Spider (above) that it's rarely the wiring that gives any trouble, but the terminals and attachments at the ends of the wores

[Spider]

I don't suppose you have this in pdf form you could post/send to me

MS

I do. Let me see if I can work out how to link a pdf here.

[Spider]

So that worked ?

Great

You got yr diagram and I'm starting to get my head around this IT junk !