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TR2/3/3A TR3A mystery wires

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NutmegCT

NutmegCT

Great Pumpkin
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Could anyone identify these (disconnected) wires?

First comes from what looks like a condensor (?) at the side of the voltage regulator. One black wire (in my fingers) is disconnected - second black wire runs from the "condensor" to behind the terminal block under the regulator.

Regulator block


Second pic has two mystery wires. Dirty red with female spade connector runs up over heater box. (Heater motor runs fine). Blue wire with white tracer (bare end) runs through firewall; can't find its "exit" in engine bay. Also, note "drain hose" running from behind heater (?) to passenger footwell.

Underdash


Only thing that doesn't work on the dash is panel lights.

Thanks.
Tom
 
Tom,

The images don't show on my browser. Are they posted to the site?
 
Tom,

The drain hose from behind the heater to the passenger foot well firewall area is for the (fresh air) scuttle vent. As Paul said the link for the pics didn't show up.

Edited and added.
OK- Followed the links to the pics,

The condensor looking thing (I do not have) could be a noise suppresor for radio? Wires under dash? Could be power for radio? I'm not near a wiring diagram at the moment.
 
I guess the condensor is a capacitor-type noise supressor for the radio too.
 
Agreed on other guesses. More importantly, I'm "guessing" that all of this could (should?) be removed. It's likely of no value currently, and I wouldn't reuse it regardless. I admit, though, that I've never seen a noise suppressor wired in there before!
 
The Blue wire white tracer would be high beams, maybe the indicator light. The Red is your dash panel.
 
Thanks for the suggestions. And I edited so the image links work.

Can't find any evidence (bracket, hole, supports, etc.) for radio and/or speakers under the dash. My wiring diagram shows a red wire from the lighting switch to the panel light rheostat (?), then direct from the rheostat to the outside parking and tail lights, and *through the rheostat* to the dash and gauge lamps.

Does anyone know if their panel light switch/rheostat gets power from a spade plug at the end of a solid red wire? I can't get my head in the right position to actually see the connections on that switch.

Diagram also shows the only blue with white trace wires are from the headlight dimmer switch to the high beam indicator and high beam circuit.

Thanks.
Tom
 
I had some weird looking carbon tipped things on the end of each of the spark plugs and some type of anti noise suppressor attached to the primary wire. I also had something similar to that coil looking thing that's on Tom's car pretty much in the same location. I disconnected it all and it's now in a box somewhere in the shed. Tom, those wires coming out from under the dash should be left alone until you figure out why the head lamp switch doesn't work though.
 
Russ - you are *fast*. thank you sir!

Guess I'd better be careful now - maybe there's a reason those wires are disconnected. Thanks for the heads up Harry.

Any idea about that "condensor/capacitor/resistor" and black disconnected wire near my voltage regulator box? (first picture)

Tom
 
I would normaly say that would be a ground wire, but with the condenser hanging on there. It looks like the PO had his own ideas. So my guess is about as good as yours.
 
Russ - yes I've got that. I made a hard copy of those pages - thank heaven!

Is the panel light "switch" on your TR3 a variable intensity rheostat? Mine sure feels like it's just off/on.

Tom
 
Panel light switch suppose to just be on and off no rheostat. The panel light or head switch depending on how it's wired may not work unless the headlights are in the on position.
 
Thanks Harry. The wiring diagram (mentioned above) shows an on/off switch for TR2 and 3, and a variable intensity switch for 3A, 3B, and 4. For some reason mine is just on/off (pull-push).

I jiggled some wires up by the switch and now the panel lights work.

Still have that red wire hanging loose, and the blue/white one too.

Tom
 
Later TR3s have a rheostat for adjusting the dimness of the panel lights. I forget the change point.
 
Twosheds said:
Later TR3s have a rheostat for adjusting the dimness of the panel lights. I forget the change point.
Click to expand...

LOL I like the reference to dimness not brightness!
 
Tom... I think yours should have just the on-off switch and it would be top-most of the 3 push-pull switches.

Later, when they change to a rheostat they swapped the wiper & panel switch locations to have enough room for the rheostat.

Be that a condensor or whatever, I would remove it, certainly not anything your car had when it left Coventry. I too see no signs of a prior radio but these usually mounted on a bracket on top of the tunnel so a replacement of carpet along the way might hide any indication of a prior installation.
 
Tom,

Teri Ann Wakeman has some info on the original radio. She also has some other interesting info.

https://www.tjwakeman.net/TR/radiomobile.htm

As far as the Blue/white wire and the red wire under the dash. Is the high/low beam for the headlights working when you click on the dipper switch by your left foot. Is there a little indicator light on at the bottom of the speedometer when the high beams are on?
 
The panel light switch is just on/off. The only reostat sw is for the heater fan.

I agree with the comments above about the wiring colors.

Check the wires hanging down for voltage and wrap them before they set off fireworks. Some circuits were not fused and will burn up a harness if allowed to go to ground.

Also, is your dash support bracket removed?

Good Luck /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/thankyousign.gif
/bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smirk.gif
 
Good grief you guys are excellent. I wish I knew something worth posting here besides my questions!

Panel lights only come on when the side (parking) lights are on. Makes sense. But the speedo and tach lights never come on.

Discovered there is *no* bulb or bulb holder at the bottom of the speedometer for the High Beam indicator. High beams work fine when the floor button is pressed. Guess I'll have to go looking for a speedo high beam indicator and try to figure where the wire runs to. Wiring diagram shows the indicator has a wire from the dimmer switch, so I'll start down there on the floor and try to find the wire.

I did find a disconnected thin red wire near the heater; the wire is powered on by the panel light switch.

Then I noticed there was no red wire powering the speedo and tach lights, so I temporarily wired that thin disconnected red wire to the innermost speedo light contact - and now those two instruments have panel lights.

Also noticed when under the dash there's no "trip odometer" reset cable. Just a 1/4 inch stub sticking out of the bottom of the speedometer.

Dr. Watson - quick - the needle!

Despite all my carping I sure love doing this. Thanks for your patience guys. I'd really like to take my TR up to Stowe this year - never been there.

Tom
 
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