Where Does This Wire Go?

[humanz 3]

Starting wiring back in my Xu engine in my 205 gti now that the bodywork has been completed. So working by the alternator, I reconnected the wires for the two oil sensors, the single spade for the alternator, and a ring terminal for the alternator. Also connected the ring terminal to the starter solenoid. Then I realize I have a ring terminal wire left over, and no idea where it goes. Any ideas of something I might have missed? Can't think of anything else at the front that takes a ring connector. Any help you can give me would be appreciated. Cheers.

[Tom Fenton 1,548]

Should be three ring terminals to the stud on top of the gearbox for earths.

[humanz 3]

Thanks for the input Tom, but it doesn't seem likely. Should have mentioned that the ring terminal is part of the group of wires in the loom that ends up over by the alternator and the oil sensors. So it's a bit too far from the gearbox to be grounding there. Any other suggestions?

 

I should also note that the car's been fitted with a relay that sends a strong live feed to the starter solenoid instead of the signal from the ignition switch. I think I figured out all those connections and wires as well, but I figure I should mention it as it's the only other thing I can think of in the area of the alternator/oil sensors.

[Slo 283 1 Cars]

Probably goes to the alternator then and will be the starter relay feed but a picture to confirm would help before you go blowing things up!

[humanz 3]

Don't think it's the starter relay feed. I've pretty much figured out the wires relating to the relay. Plus, I figured it would really confuse the issue, when it's just this one wire from the loom that's not connected. There's one from the alternator to the relay. Then one from the relay to the starter solenoid. But in the original wiring, were there two ring terminals connected to the alternator (one from the loom, and one from the positive battery terminal) as well as a spade connector? I've only got the positive from the battery connected, plus the wire to the relay (not original to the wiring). If there's to be a wire from the loom running to the same positive post on the alternator, this could be the mystery ring terminal wire that's just floating around.

 

Will try to take some photos this afternoon when I'm by the car again. Cheers.

[Slo 283 1 Cars]

What xu engine is it?

Edited June 23, 2013 by Slo

[humanz 3]

It's a D6A engine. 1905cc. XU9J

 

Here is the pic I took. You can see the +ve from the battery, the live feed then going from the alternator to the battery, the excitor (I think that's what it is) with the spade terminal to the alternator, as well as the loose wire that presently has no home. As I said, it's coming from the same loom as the wires for the oil sensors. It's not the wire from the key, as that wire's aleady connected to the 4pin relay I've used (prior to the accident) to cure my starting problems. I'm thinking the loose wire should be connected to the same positive post as the feed from the battery. But don't want to make a mess of things. It's the only wire I've left to sort out before I can start my car up.

[Anthony 1,003]

Are you sure that's not the original starter solenoid wire?

 

It's the correct colour and located in the same place as what you've got, and if you've fitted a late model starter motor it would have required a ring terminal like it has crimped on the end.

[humanz 3]

I don't think so. In fitting the relay, the original starter solenoid wire runs to the relay and a wire runs from the relay itself to the starter solenoid. Will recheck tomorrow but pretty sure it isn't the starter solenoid wire. Does any wire run to the other post on the alternator (the one that's partially hidden by the homeless wire)? According to the Haynes, how many wires are to be connected to the alternator?

[ORB 227 1 Cars]

It certainly looks like the original solenoid wire!

[Slo 283 1 Cars]

only two wires, battery cable and alternator warning light

[humanz 3]

So Slo, if I am reading you correctly, then it's only two cables on the positive post, plus the spade terminal, or is it two cables, one of the two being the spade terminal? In any case, came across a photo I had taken a few years ago of the original wiring, and I think the blue cable in the photo is the same blue cable that I've been trying to place. See below.

 

This image shows two wires on the positive post, and a brown wire with spade terminal connected to the original alternator with the original starter setup before I replaced the alternator, starter motor and added a relay. That's the same brown wire in the newer shot as well. Once Slo (or anyone else) can confirm that there should be two wires on the positive post then I'm going to go ahead and attach the loose wire and try to start the car.

[Anthony 1,003]

There should only be two wires connected to the alternator - a thick positive cable that goes to the battery (attached to the M6 screw terminal) and a thin brown wire (7A) that goes to the warning light on the dashboard (attached to the spade terminal).

 

Clearly there is a 2nd wire attached to the positive terminal in that picture, but that's not there as the car left the factory and thus it's unclear what it's there for.

[humanz 3]

Ok, well for now I'll attach the wire and trace it back to the fuseboard to see where it leads. Thanks for the help Anthony and Slo.

[welshpug 1,666]

I would not attach the wire before you know where it should go!

[Slo 283 1 Cars]

It could just be a way to get a live feed to something easily rather than having to cut/join the battery wires but its definitely been added as everyone else has stated. I'd hazard a guess it had a volt meter in the car at some point, pure guess though.

[ORB 227 1 Cars]

Just trace it back, see where it goes!

[humanz 3]

Just to let you know: traced the wire but couldn't find where it leads. It enters the car by the fuseboard, but promptly gets lost. I've checked the fuseboard and the instrument panel but I've had no luck. Will try again but for now it'll stay disconnected and tycked away. When the car's done, we'll see if there's anything that stopped working because of it. Cheers for the help.

[humanz 3]

Update: finished setting up the car and went to start it. It wouldn't start. No lights on dashboard. Apparently, that added on wire leads back to where my tachymetric relay should be but isn't and is needed for the car to start. I connected it to the positive post of the alternator but had no luck. Connected it to the smaller post, and the dash light up and the car starts. I don't know why this worked, and I wonder if it explains why tachymetric relays don't work in my car (it's currently wired to bypass the relay). Going to have to get a pinout for a tachy relay and see what's really going on with my wiring.