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Leeboo
13-07-08, 06:22 PM
I've had some problems with my 1.0 OHV Nova lately, it began to chug and cut out and got worse and worse. I took it to work one morning earlier in the week and it died altogether. As I towed it with the ignition on, smoke rised from the dashboard. Anyways, I got a guy to come to work and look at it, he got it started by just holding the key til it fired up properly. I got it home, and found damaged wires in the engine bay, they had shorted.

The first sign of damage was here, below the wiper motor. The burnty wire is clear coated, and seems to join to a black wire, indicated by my finger:

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd139/leeberto/SP_A1551.jpg

Here's the offending wire, split from its clear coating:

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd139/leeberto/SP_A1552.jpg

Ans so the wire runs through here...

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd139/leeberto/SP_A1553.jpg

To the inside of the car:

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd139/leeberto/SP_A1555.jpg

And follows this batch of wires:

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd139/leeberto/SP_A1556.jpg

And continues up to here, where the wires were more badly burnt:

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd139/leeberto/SP_A1557.jpg

The wire seems to back on itself a few times:

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd139/leeberto/SP_A1559.jpg

And connects to the black wire again here:

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd139/leeberto/SP_A1560.jpg

Does anybody know what these wires are for? It looks like a previous bodge? Does anybody know the cause of the shorting?

I thought I'd ask on here before stripping any further.

Thanks in advance!

Leeboo
13-07-08, 09:11 PM
Any ideas? Someone on here is bound to know! :D

AlexW
13-07-08, 09:35 PM
That looks like a pervious bodge... but try and find out where each end leads... Multimeter would be a good place to start. But as its a 1.0 i would suggest finding another loom, otherwise it just makes it worse.

It could be looking at it... Anything, but heater motor? Did it work? did it make any noises etc?

mowgli
13-07-08, 09:48 PM
the clear wire is the coil feed wire for the 1.0 ohv. a plain black wire will be some aftermarket thing... maybe someone tried fitting a different coil to your car in the past.

Leeboo
13-07-08, 11:26 PM
Thanks guys, help and advice is greatly appreciated.

Mowgli - why does the clear wire run up past the wiper motor? The coil wires run down the passenger wing direction? So, if its the coil wire feed, why did this happen? If i fixed it, it might happen again? Or is it a one off?

AW06 - The heater worked fine! It only works on the top setting, but thats due to a resistor or something I think?

I was hoping I could repair this loom? Instead of sourcing a new one.

Thanks a million...

AlexW
13-07-08, 11:39 PM
In most cases its better/easyer to replace. But try and find out where the wires goes. If it does connect to the heater motor its prob shorted on the curruant running through it too get the motor working... I dont know im just going on what ive learnt off my brother over the years.

Leeboo
14-07-08, 12:06 AM
Thanks AW06, I will scratch my head at it tomorrow and report back lol, cheers lad.

Leeboo
14-07-08, 05:26 PM
I traced the wire today. One end goes to the starter motor, and the other end joins to several wires which go on to the ignition barrel area.

I am going to replace the damaged length of wire, as it has not really damaged any sorrounding wires.

Is there any particular grade or type of wire I should be using?

Thanks.

AlexW
14-07-08, 09:50 PM
Try and use what was there already (same thickness)... Check the right size fuses in the fuse box just to make sure, iirc its on the back of the cover.

Cant think what could have caused it to go though... Only things that i can think of is a sticky igniton but even that dosnt seem right.

Leeboo
14-07-08, 11:17 PM
Yeah I'm gonna take in some of the wire and get more at a motor factors tomorrow.

Yeah I don't know the cause! But all I can do is fix it and tidy the loom up again. The reason I think its been messed with before, is because that clear wire kind of went back on itself a few times (excess wire - not factory like), and that is where it had burnt the worst, it all melted together. So I will replace the length of wire with new stuff, make sure its tidy this time, and bolt my little fire extinguisher in the car lol.

Thanks for the help, you sir are a legend.:thumb:

AlexW
14-07-08, 11:24 PM
Fire extinguishers are great in nova's.. lol

I know there are some of that excess on standard looms but i cant remember, long time since ive seen a nova loom in all its glory lol

Do you run your car without a dash? If so check it for a while after (Once a day or so)

Also while i remember... Check All the fuses, time costing but makes sure it "Shouldnt" happen again.

Leeboo
14-07-08, 11:31 PM
I'm off work allllllllllllllll this week fella so mincing will be done on an overdose level!

Yeah well I can run it without a dash for a day or two, but I will have to secure the indicator stalk temporarily until I'm happy to put the dash back in.

Yeah I will check the fuses aswell. The car starts/drives 100% when its not shorting, so fingers crossed.

Thanks again, I'll report back! :thumb:

AlexW
14-07-08, 11:32 PM
Indicator stalk? that just slots into the bit around the collum.

Leeboo
14-07-08, 11:34 PM
Aye but it doesn't slot in anywhere til you have the dash in?

I'll work something out anyway mate! lol

AlexW
14-07-08, 11:35 PM
Does.... the black thingy around the collum.... er.... hmmm

jimbob-mcgrew
15-07-08, 01:14 AM
if it is the coil wire, most probably the cause of the fault is that the ignition was left on while you were towing it. ive heard that its not good to leave the ignition on for more than a few minutes at a time cos the coil overheats and can explode, i suspect somethings given at some point and the wires started to smoke and caught lite, providing its not razzled any other wires in its path, and the coils not damaged.. just replacing the wire should sort it, might wanna check the fuse carriers in the fusebox for heat damage too, and as far as testing the coil to see if its ok, i not sure about that one, multimeter on it somehow, hope u get her running good again soon, looks like a pain in the **** job tracking that wire thru the loom.

DAN-F
15-07-08, 02:02 AM
looks to me like someone has put that clear wire in place of where the black used to be, maybe its shorted before and thats where the clear wire came from, if it is id want to know why it was doin it before just replacing the wire just for it to do it again

Dod
15-07-08, 10:20 AM
Replace the Damaged wire, check all other wires while you're at it. Take the car for a run again and see what happens. Sound likes somethings earthing.

Leeboo
15-07-08, 01:42 PM
Its definately the starter wire. Anyway, the ignition was on for no more than a minute whilst towing (just up the street).

I've replaced the damaged wire with similar wire from a motorfactors this morning. No other wires are badly damaged. I joined the wires with little crimp terminals and then a little bit of insulation tape. At least now there is no excess wire (the old wire went back on itself a few times and melted together, this is where it burnt the worst, as there was alot of heat in one place).

Yeah DAN-F it did look like it had been repaired before. But the original sticky black tape was still on the loom?? So maybe not?

I started her there before lunch and she went pefectly after the current built up in the new wire. I'm gonna fire the steering wheel back on now and drive round for a while with the dash out, to see if everythings ok.

Thanks for all the heplful advice dudes! Be lost without yous! :thumb:

Dod
15-07-08, 01:58 PM
I have 1/2 an idea whats wrong if it isnt the wiring but if you've replaced all the damaged items there shouldnt be anything wrong. Was there any signs of burning anywhere on the metal work on the car?

mowgli
15-07-08, 05:48 PM
[quote=jimbob-mcgrew] ive heard that its not good to leave the ignition on for more than a few minutes at a time cos the coil overheats and can explode,[quote]

what happens when you are driving normally when the alternator is giving 14.4v instead of the normal 12.5v battery voltage? there would be explosions everywhere!!!!