Wiring diagrams or electrics information thread - Discussion

[Robsey]

If you want a simple wiring diagram or need any electrical info about anything Cavalier,
then feel free to post comments, questions and corrections on this thread.

Any responses will be added to the following thread

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=14652&p=150422#p150422

I might be tempted to put in links to other electrical threads and How 2's so that everything is easier to find.

[ilovedmymantas]

Great work Robsey.
"every day's a school day"- and long may it last !

[Robsey]

Thanks for your kind words -

I try my best...
As long as it gives someone the confidence to do a modification or repair,
and to do it correctly (to a safe standard), then it is all worthwhile.

[AndysMK3Cav]

Great info!

I'd like to add some ambient lighting to the footwells that comes on with interior lights but also when the ignition is turned off and key taken out, on a delay as you would find in modern cars.

What would the circuit look like or can I buy something to do what I'm after? I've got lights I want to use.

[Robsey]

Sounds like a basic interior light circuit with in-built delay.
Simple enough really.
Just use the circuit board panel from an interior delay light unit.
Instead of the festoon bulb, you fit your ambient lighting wires.

I did something like this to fit and modify a non-delay Omega B interior light with "bug-eye" map lights.



Or

For a simple electronic capacitor based circuit to control led strips etc.

LED circuit now added from "pcbheaven".
See the main thread.

[cavalier1990]

Any ideas about how to reduce or stop that annoying wiper cycle after you activate scooshers, think it's 3 cycles of wiper.


Cheers
Andrew

[Robsey]

Probably a matter of finding the wire that goes from the switch to the wiper relay, and fitting an in-line switch, so you can re-connect it for the MOT.

There is a black / red wire that goes from the washer pump switch S9.5 to the wiper relay (K8).

Look for the wire on pin 53C of the relay.
Like I said - putting a switch in on this wire will give you the option to turn the "after-scoosh" wiper function on and off.

If I remember correctly the wiper relay should be at the top of the main fuse box, so much easier to get at than the washer pump wiring.

[cavalier1990]

Any ideas on this one robsey. I'm at a loss as to where to look now for more info:

viewtopic.php?f=83&t=15403

I can't get any voltage to pump on my C18NZ project car, fuel gauge aint reading either. I don't know if that is related or not. I've also noticed that when cranking there is a light click click sound from relay at kick plate area, happens about ever second when cranking. Do you know if this is the fuel pump relay?

I done some work in that area with the little wing indicator and had to take the earth off the inner wing to remove it. It's all refitted now but there was another earth wire onto this earth point. Do you happen to know if this other earth cable is anything to do with an earth for fuel system or fuel gauge?

Thanks
Andrew

[Robsey]

The earth for the gauge is on the metal frame behind the instrument panel inside the dash... there are about 5 brown wires going here.

The relay wiring is linked to ECU loom, which has several earth tags along the back of the head near the injector rail.
most behind cylinder 2 ish... and on my NE, one more behind cylinder 4.
I think there is a bolt on the gearbox end of the injector rail that an earth tag screws onto.

[Robsey]

Chattering relay - possible causes
faulty relay,
weak battery,
damaged wiring
or dirty connector / socket.

A weak earth does sound plausible.

[cavalier1990]

The earth for the gauge is on the metal frame behind the instrument panel inside the dash... there are about 5 brown wires going here.

The relay wiring is linked to ECU loom, which has several earth tags along the back of the head near the injector rail.
most behind cylinder 2 ish... and on my NE, one more behind cylinder 4.
I think there is a bolt on the gearbox end of the injector rail that an earth tag screws onto.

Hadn't touched any earths on the bar behind dash but will have a nosey in case I inadvertently disturbed one or snapped the little cable clamp while I was musing about under dash. I know the ones you mean on the cylinder block. Those have been reconnected but had burst one previously when dropping engine to get box out so will have a look again and test for continuity.

I take it the fuel pump relay is the one located at the very bottom behind the kick plate on drivers side, in the little plastic cage with 2 nuts holding it to pillar? If so will try and test out the earth and supply on this too.

[Robsey]

The Fuel pump relay, looks like a normal black or grey relay... most of the wires will be Blue/red or red/blue. The big fat wire is the feed for the fuel pump.

There is a longer black block with a long connector on it - this is your central locking unit.

The power supply to the fuel pump transfers from the relay to the pump via one of the three square connectors attached in the frame on the front of the central locking unit.
Again this is a fat red / blue wire.
You have attached all three of the little connectors in the kick panel haven't you?

From here it goes through the dash loom to the fuse box - Fuse No 11.
The dash loom then goes to the big connector in the passenger side kick panel X6.
Then from X6 it follows the floor loom to the fuel pump itself.

When I did my engine swap, I had a real challenge, because the crank angle sensor always gets knocked...
it will not start until the engine spots the correct crank position so many times per second. When it sees enough revs per second, it will then energise the fuel pump relay, and away you go.

I undid my sensor's location bolt, wiggled the sensor about a bit and re-tightened the bolt again.
Make sure you have connected the plug on the top, back of the engine. It is located in a thin metal bracket.

As your relay is clicking, we can assume that fuse 11 is fitted and is intact. It almost sounds like you are getting barely enough revs to trigger the relay - hence the chattering.

BUT - If your fuel pump supply is dead, check those three little square connectors that I mentioned above... the red/blue wire has a block all to itself.

Also - depending how long the engine has been sat unused... it may take several minutes of cranking to build up compressions etc in the engine before it will fire.
I flattened my battery twice with cranking before it fired up. My engine had been lay around for several months before I bought it and installed it.

I hope that helps.

[Robsey]

Minor correction about the fuel gauge earth...

The fuel gauge receives it's supply voltage from fuse number 2.
There are indeed several brown wires from the cluster to the metal frame behind the dash.
These are general earths, and not specific to the fuel gauge.

The fuel gauge is in fact earthed via the fuel sender unit.

So the circuit is as follows: -
Fuse F2 to instruments including the fuel gauge.
Wire then goes from fuel gauge to X6 connector in passenger footwell.
Wire then goes from X6 along the floor loom to the fuel tank sender unit.
The sender unit then has a wire to earth.

Thinking about things - have you checked your X6 connector and the whole floor loom to the fuel tank area below the rear bench seat.

This part of the wiring is common to both of your electrical problems.

You also had problems with your floor loom with the interior light circuit.

[cavalier1990]

Thanks for reply and detailed feedback robsey. Come to think on it my battery, while fully charged, didn't seem to be cranking the engine round as much as i would have thought although it held out cranking for about 30 secs without dying until i gave up thinking to preseve it until i could find other faults. The battery is a spare out of a friend's 1.2 3 cylinder corsa so maybe not getting the amps i need. What you say abou duff battery, or similar, makes sense, especially when trying to restart a rebuilt engine aftera year standing. Maybe try booster cables first to try help it turn more, once i get new tank in, then if that doesn't work i'll double check all those things you mentioned.

[Lowrider Dave]

Hello!
I want to wire up a volt meter that only comes on when key is turned to step 1, am I correct in thinking this is a black wire and I could jump connection off the stereo feed?
Cheers.

[Robsey]

I am going to sound a bit arsey, but that isn't my intention.
I am just going to give addition info about Cavalier wiring...

Position 1.
Strictly speaking Cavs don't have this as it is accessory live.

It is possible to add an accessory live if you add a wire to the correct (calibra / corsa-b style) ignition switch assembly.
(It is mentioned in either Gaz's or TurboDan's W.I.P.)

My 1994 LSi has the wrong ignition switch assembly and so cannot be easily modified)

Cavs have a position 2 - Ignition live
and a third momentary position for start.

So you are interested in ignition live (key position 2).

Most wiring set-ups for the Volt meter (usually in the form of Calibra addition centre gauges) are as follows.

Ignition live taken from the black wire of the cigarette lighter socket.

And ground to any piece of metal bodywork or a decent sized brown wire.

[Robsey]

The cigarette ignition live feed also feeds the heated seat switches...

But yes, the volt gauge will not chew much current (amps), and so can indeed be connected to black ignition live wire from the radio.

Bare in mind though that if you "like your tunes bangin' ", then you may find the needle regularly dipping towards low voltage when the radio is very loud or in time with each big bass beat...

[Lowrider Dave]

Position 1.
Strictly speaking Cavs don't have this as it is accessory live.

This I did not know, but thought I'd sound derp if I said position 2...which of course would actually have been right!

Cavs have a position 2 - Ignition live
and a third momentary position for start.

Thanks Robsey - all good to know!

I only ask as my voltmeter has three wires which I presume to be earth/live/ignition live.

[Robsey]

Is one not for illumination?
Usually it is.

Ignition live - Cav colour is black.
Ground - Cav colour is brown.

Illumination - Cav colour is grey / green or grey / black dependent upon if it dims from the dash dimmer switch.

[Lowrider Dave]

Illumination it must be! I couldn't figure out why it has three, need to test the theory out now!

[Lowrider Dave]

After some thought, it occurs I did not say this was a digital meter:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281850461957? ... EBIDX%3AIT

I now think the white wire goes to the battery (the place to test) and the red and black as normal power/earth.

[Robsey]

This is what the advert says...


The black wire connects the common negative,

the red wire connects the positive power,

the white wire connects the positive input of the detention.


What the hell is the "input of the detention"?

Detention to me was being kept behind at school after being a naughty boy.

[Lowrider Dave]

Yes, I was confused by that too. I think they mean detection which would be the battery I suppose. meh, if I blow it up it's fine, cheap enough.

[Robsey]

I would guess that the red is battery live for the "system voltage" (used to callibrate the test voltage against).

And the white detection wire is for the test voltage...
as in after any voltage drop due to wire length or items that consume voltage on the wire such as lights or radio etc.

I do love Chinese "pseudo English".

[ilovedmymantas]

well...
while concentrating on aesthetics ( rectangles for this era ) I seem to have got carried away.
I found a nice blue led volt/ ammeter, complete with shunt, to fit in with my cupholder mod & dash colour.
- but I didn't realise the shunt was the size of a small girder !
Is there anywhere I can tap a safe feed from without it ? Shunt is 100A/75mV