Hi Guys

I'm just in the process of installing my new magnolia Cooper S 3 guage binnacle.

It's a new wiring loom I have in the car so I'm a little unsure, I'm not a mechanic or an auto electrician

As I was wiring the Mk2 loom to the speedo, I noticed on my old 90mph speedo that I pulled out of the car, had 2 black earth cables coming out of the nut just to the right of the voltage stabiliser.

My new loom does not have a black earth to connect direct to that nut. So my question is, do I need a black earth straight off the speedo or is it earthed somewhere else?

My loom is from Classic Wiring Looms (when they were around)

Any help would be appreciated

Thanks!

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I wish I had some sort of witty quote in my signature

Although the speedo is also earthed by the speedo cable you should attach a `black' wire as before .Earth the other end. If you have no good earth, the instrument lamps won't work.
If there is no stud there, put a screw into the back, use an existing screw hole, or attach to a lug on one of the 2 speedo mounting screws.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

Awesome thank you for clearing that up.

Does that mean my temp gauge and oil pressure gauge will also need earthing separately for their panel lights to work?

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I wish I had some sort of witty quote in my signature

I can't tell from my manual whether the panel lights earth thru the gauge bodies or a separate wire.
If their lamp holders have only 1 wire, the gauges need to be earthed.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

Yep the small gauges need to be earthed too. Dont make my mistake and fit the globe holders into the gauge without a globe fitted. The centre pin shorted to the earth side of the holder and fried the wiring first time I switched the lights on

Cheers, Richard

Oh okay cool thank you

Where do you actually earth the small gauges from though? There's no studs to mount an earth cable from like there is for the speedo. :\

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I wish I had some sort of witty quote in my signature

If there a earth cable off the other gauges join them together and run them to the back of the speedo then to your main earth. Just make sure it has good clean contact. Unlike the previous owner/bloke who sprayed my car and just put earths onto a painted surface..

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64' 850 1275cc

There's no earth cable off of the gauges, it just has the red with white tracer with the globe on the end.

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I wish I had some sort of witty quote in my signature

You have to run a new wire from the gauge body to earth , off one of the attaching nuts is the normal

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1965 Morris 850
1966 Morris Mini Minor
1967 Morris Cooper 'S'
1977 Leyland LS

The black will be terminated around a gauge retainer screw thread on the if there are not terminals for it on the gauge.

Couple them to the easiest common point, usually on the voltage stabilizer like you said. But any place will do as long as it eventually gets back to the chassis.

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

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

So, if I have this right - I put say, a loop terminal around the screw that holds the gauge in to the chassis?? (see pic)

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I wish I had some sort of witty quote in my signature

If there's no other fixture onto the body of the gauge, then that will do fine. Use a forked crimp connector however. Looping copper around and under the screw will only see it come loose. Copper creeps out over time from under nuts, and the gauge will also become loose.

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

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

Argh I hate wiring, it will be the death of me. I am no auto electrician

Thank you all yet again for you help!

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I wish I had some sort of witty quote in my signature