I have a burnt out wire,

what remains of the insulation shows it to be a solid red wire and it is burnt out behind the dash (passenger side, and in the boot, where it runs to the rear tail light (dual conector).

The car is a 68 deluxe.

Won't have a chance to check a manual for a while but curiosity is killing me.

What is this?

Brake?
Tail light?

Thanks,

Matthew

_________________
68 Deluxe.... it's shiny..... I like shiny!!

It's easy to figure out?..what doesn't work back there?

_________________

Nope, it all works.... wire is still intact, just had most of the insulation burnt off it

Drove about 250km since last weekend when the smoke came out, no problem.

Did a quick check at the time and couldn't see a problem. Replaced the burnt out fuse and away she went, put the smoke down to a stuck needle and seat valve emptying petrol onto the extractors.

Checked it all at lunch today (about to drive to Toowoomba) and saw a tiny bit of burnt wire in the boot, had to look to find the rest but it is there!

_________________
68 Deluxe.... it's shiny..... I like shiny!!

Not game to plug the battery back in now I have 'disturbed' the wire, it is probably shorting again now.... with my luck it's shorting on the petrol tank....

_________________
68 Deluxe.... it's shiny..... I like shiny!!

The red one often burns out. I think its tail lights from memory. Two of my minis and a moke have had that wire burn out. You really need to repair the whole piece of loom because it often melts through the other wires and shorts them together.

Tim

Red is the park light circuit. Goes from the light to the front/rear connection plug, then to a splitter near the center dash hole and then to the light switch under the dash.

_________________
SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

Thanks guys.

Will have to pull the headlining and petrol tank and get it sorted properly...

Oh, well, at least it made it to the muster and back!!

Will check other wires in the loom too..... Hmmm, anyone have a spare rear loom?

Cheers

Matt

_________________
68 Deluxe.... it's shiny..... I like shiny!!

Removing the headlining sux. Remember you will have to take off the window seals, undo the glued bits and chance tearing it.

Why not try attaching some strong cable/twine/whatever to the boot end of the loom b4 you pull it out. Do the same for the interior light wires (purple-purple/white), push these wires thru then try pulling the loom (gently) from the engine bay end. Get someone to help pull back the feeder cables while you guide the new loom back in from the engine side

_________________
1967 Cooper S - new front bearings to do.
1965 Cooper S shell - Slow progress. No time or money!
1966 Deluxe- next rustoration!
Mk 2 & XJ6 Jags. Less said the better.

Hmmm, that may be the way to do it! I need to replace the headlining and front windscreen, but i can do that later if i can manage to change the loom the easy way!

Thanks!!

_________________
68 Deluxe.... it's shiny..... I like shiny!!

What are feeder cables?


Matt

_________________
68 Deluxe.... it's shiny..... I like shiny!!

the cable/wire/string whatever you attach to the boot end of the loom before you pull it out at the engine bay end.

_________________
1967 Cooper S - new front bearings to do.
1965 Cooper S shell - Slow progress. No time or money!
1966 Deluxe- next rustoration!
Mk 2 & XJ6 Jags. Less said the better.

Of course!

Thanks

Matthew

_________________
68 Deluxe.... it's shiny..... I like shiny!!

If you are running a new loom to the back of the car add some additional wiring for a 'spare' while you are at it. Use at minimum a 2 wire lead or get a length of trailer hookup wire with multicoloured wires in a sheath. Have enough to run from battery to front bumper but coil it up and stick it out of the way behind the tank and under the dash until needed. Never know when you may want to add driving lights, a new high powered hi fi or a reversing light or two

_________________
David L


My greatest fear in life is that when I die my wife will sell my Mini and tools for the price I told her I paid for them!

good thinking

_________________
1967 Cooper S - new front bearings to do.
1965 Cooper S shell - Slow progress. No time or money!
1966 Deluxe- next rustoration!
Mk 2 & XJ6 Jags. Less said the better.

Excellent idea!

muchos gracias amigo!

_________________
68 Deluxe.... it's shiny..... I like shiny!!