electrical problems

[ggcton]

Hi all I am having a lot of electrical problems.
When I switch on the lights dim nearside headlight no rear light.
Various lights on the dash board that should not be there.
I have tried cleaning the earth between bonnet and body but no result.
I think it has to be an earth or short any ideas.Gary

 

[malcolm]

It'll be an earth. The earth that connects to the front of the RHS inner wing needs to make good contact with the inner wing as it's the main body earth. It should be a thick wire that runs to the alternator.

I'd start there - There is also an earth from the instrument panel that runs to the same connector on the alternator.

 

[ggcton]

Thanks for the help it turned out to be a dirty connection on a fuse.
Gary

 

[ggcton]

Spoke to soon out in the dark this evening ,went over a bump and lights gone again.
When I pulled into the drive and shifted the gear lever they came back on so more investigating required.
Gary

 

[Fidias]

take off the front pannel .. unscrew the pilot indicator.. follow the cables until you finde something rare.. i´ve done that. and its a true headake.. the only idea that i have in mind is loose powerd contact inside there.. how did it go?

 

[Sharkey]

Got problem with the rear light, think its short circuit somewhere. When I use right hand indicator, the light flashes in different order instead of the right indicator. When use break, some other light flashes, so i was told on the road. I hv cleaned the bits many times, but it come to the stage it do not work properly anymore. Tried the renault dealer for the bit goes inside (kind of circuit bit where the bulb goes in). Dealer told me that I will hv to buy the whole set of rear light. Any suggestion pls?

 

[malcolm]

The rear light problem will be caused by a bad earth. The body of the light needs to make a good electrical connection to the rear wing but the fixings get corroded. Try taking the light off the wing, cleaning the mounting points on the wing and the light, then refitting it with new bolts and ideally some petroleum jelly.

 

[iMacThere4iAm]

Got problem with the rear light, think its short circuit somewhere. When I use right hand indicator, the light flashes in different order instead of the right indicator. When use break, some other light flashes, so i was told on the road. I hv cleaned the bits many times, but it come to the stage it do not work properly anymore. Tried the renault dealer for the bit goes inside (kind of circuit bit where the bulb goes in). Dealer told me that I will hv to buy the whole set of rear light. Any suggestion pls?

The circuit bits inside my reversing lights rusted to pieces, so I stripped them all out and built a new circuit board with high-intensity LEDs instead of the original bulb. It's an alternative to trying to buy new bits.

I mean to put the information & photos here on the forum, but haven't got round to it yet...

...refitting it with new bolts and ideally some petroleum jelly.

Is petroleum jelly conductive, or is it just to stop corrosion?

 

[malcolm]

It's also known as vaseline. It doesn't conduct but it helps keep the water out. Especially handy on older cars where the scotchbrite you've used to clean up dirty connectors has taken the metal plating off the connectors.

 

[orsome]

loose ends for my R4 cabling

Hi !
There's just a few cables and i cannot understand what is the problem, maybe someone could advise me with my 1123 from 1977.

The problem is following:where the black thin cable besides alternator should go, if to nearest poist alternator, dont work because it will fire +pole current when ignition key is turned.I suppose that should happen to start solenoid thin wire.This wire doesn't have length enough to be connected anywher else-like to the start-up solenoid.And the yellow thick cable which is going to -pin of the alternator should be in rigth position(having a black gland) if connected to alternator +pole gives a shock


Next matter is the thin blackish wire now going to oil press switch.OK it turns red ligth on instument panel and its position on the panel is rigth.But, it has an joint which it should not have according to Ingo heitel's R4 wiring diagrams.

Two wires on the start motor side, i guess thse should go to water temp switch and the starter solenoid.But, longer wire gives all the time -pole current and the other nothing whith whatsoever ignition key position.

Fuse box, again this looks different than Ingo heitels book, location of the upper wire connections are totally different.

Wondering: cables are not changed on the ignition lock end, but maybe somebody changed upper wires on the fuse box?I mean my carage was rented for years to outsiders on 90's

Battery is new, and grounding cable goes from battery -pole to the gearbox, main +pole wire is connected between battery +pole and starter motor.

 

[angel]

The black cable goes to the EXC terminal visible on the alternator. Double check it: its other end should be on the EXC terminal of the control box. Triple check it: you should have battery voltage on it with ignition ON. It's for exciting the field windings.

The joint on the oil pressure switch wire is also correct, even though it isn't mentioned in many manuals. It's there to facilitate disconnecting this wire when you are going to remove the engine. I'm still wondering how a French engineer thought this!

You are right about these two wires, long one goes to the temperature switch. If you touch this one to ground with ignition on and oil pressure switch disconnected, you will see the red light go on. The other wire is for the starter solenoid. I suppose you have the later brake master cylinder without a hydraulic stop light switch. Otherwise you should also have two more wires there for this.

Your R4 and its wiring loom looks untouched. There were a lot of differences between wiring looms depending on country of destination, so don't be surprised to find differences between French or German spec R4s (that were used to publish the workshop manuals) and your R4 that is Finnish spec (you should have equipment no. 144 on the oval plate, right?).

 

[orsome]

The black cable goes to the EXC terminal visible on the alternator. DONE-OK
Double check it: its other end should be on the EXC terminal of the control box.DONE-OK
Triple check it: you should have battery voltage on it with ignition ON.DONE-OK I CAN LIGTH UP MY TESTING PEN WHEN CONNECTING THOSE CABLE ENDS ON THE CHARGUNG RELAY. It's for exciting the field windings.

The joint on the oil pressure switch wire is also correct, even though it isn't mentioned in many manuals. It's there to facilitate disconnecting this wire when you are going to remove the engine. I'm still wondering how a French engineer thought this!

You are right about these two wires, long one goes to the temperature switch.DONE-OK
If you touch this one to ground with ignition on and oil pressure switch disconnected, you will see the red light go on.DONE-OK OIL PRESS RECD LIGTH WILL GO ON(LEFT CORNER UP)
The other wire is for the starter solenoid.DONE-OK
I suppose you have the later brake master cylinder without a hydraulic stop light switch.CORRECT-I HAVE ONLY THE CABLE ENDS-NOWHERE TO CONNECT.
Otherwise you should also have two more wires there for this.

Your R4 and its wiring loom looks untouched. IN AGREE
There were a lot of differences between wiring looms depending on country of destination, so don't be surprised to find differences between French or German spec R4s (that were used to publish the workshop manuals) and your R4 that is Finnish spec (you should have equipment no. 144 on the oval plate, right?).

CORRECT

summary::eek: oil pressure lamp is the only one i get ligthed up when ignition key is turned and nothing else happens.i think one must test the starter motor solenoid operation first with separate cable.

 

[orsome]

instrument panel ligths photo requested

Hi !
There's just a few cables and i cannot understand what is the problem, maybe someone could advise me with my 1123 from 1977.

Anyone having a photo of instrument panel, which ligths should appear when ignition key is turned to outmost free position(not starting)


this would help me imagine what is wrong with my electrics?

 

[angel]

Only the red "too late" light should come on, the fuel gauge should register instantly and the voltmeter needle move very slowly.

There is also the blue high beam lamp, the green turn indicator lamp, if you have heated rear screen there should also be a yellow lamp for this, and another red lamp, either as "spare" or for the hazard indicators.

 

[orsome]

ligths

1 Only the red "too late" light should come on,OK on the left upper corner
2 the fuel gauge should register instantly, dont move-maybe no fuel
3 and the voltmeter needle move very slowly. ????????????
4 There is also the blue high beam lamp,-this is OK
5 the green turn indicator lamp, this is not OK, maybe because all lamp wires are off, also earths
6 and if you have heated rear screen there should also be a yellow lamp for this, -dont have it
and another red lamp, either as "spare" or for the hazard indicators-hazard ok
7 instrument pane OK

ps it's -30C outside and garage is not a pleasant place to be.......

 

[angel]

3 and the voltmeter needle move very slowly. ????????????

On the bottom right corner of the instrument panel there should be the voltmeter, similar to the fuel gauge. If not, you have a pre-'76 instrument panel.


5 the green turn indicator lamp, this is not OK, maybe because all lamp wires are off, also earths

This one earths via the instrument panel body, and its feed is from the "P" or "REP" terminal of the flasher unit.

 

[orsome]

instrument panel

3 and the voltmeter needle move very slowly. ????????????

On the bottom right corner of the instrument panel there should be the voltmeter, similar to the fuel gauge. If not, you have a pre-'76 instrument panel.

** see the pic?

5 the green turn indicator lamp, this is not OK, maybe because all lamp wires are off, also earths

This one earths via the instrument panel body, and its feed is from the "P" or "REP" terminal of the flasher unit.
**flasher??

 

[angel]

Ah yes, it's a 1976 instrument cluster and the voltmeter is the needle visible on the lower right corner.

 

[orsome]

instrument cluster age

Ah yes, it's a 1976 instrument cluster and the voltmeter is the needle visible on the lower right corner.

**Thanks Angel, again
Yes, its most probable so because i have some register documents stating the registration date to be 1.1.1977 so it will be from 76'

 

[orsome]

won't start

Ah yes, it's a 1976 instrument cluster and the voltmeter is the needle visible on the lower right corner.

now i can rotate the starter motor, healigths all are OK, turn ligths are OK front and rear, standing ?ligths are OK front and rear, wipers OK, heater OK.

Brake ligths do'nt work-i do have that hydraulic switch wioth two cables, regiter back ligth not working.

also voltmeter seem tro be moving.OK

I just wonder should i have two red ligths on the instrument panel when inginition is turned on -or just one?

I doubt the alternator ?

Earthing-should i have a wowen widw cable going from gearbox to RHS FRAME BEAM?- SEEN SOME OF r4'S HAVING SUCH
I'll have tomorrow net points+capasitator(condensator?) plus new candles.

changed the remaining 23years old gasoline
to few liters fresh one.

whre to searh ?