1985 diesel rats nest wiring

[aisha]

I have a 1985 diesel westfalia, and I'm trying to trace a few electrical gremlins, the main one being the alternator light coming on, secondly leisure battery not charging.

Firstly, when I started diagnosing this issue I did replace the brush pack on the alternator. When doing that I found a severed connection - I have a bosch multiplug connection, and a loose wire (which is red/black, but goes back to a green wire beside the battery)




Evidence of lots of bodged wiring in here, there has been a relay fitted to power the starter motor, this is a live wire exposed




Wire dangling over gearbox... Doesn't look like the work of vw.


Then I moved onto the fuse box - I have the early style with (mostly) ceramic fuses, and a few blade fuses thrown in for good measure.
When I inspected the back of the fuses, I noticed on possibly two of them the connectors had shorted either side of the fuse, so had effectively bypassed the fuse...



Also, these don't seem to correspond to what I've read on reference pages (eg: http://www.brick-yard.co.uk/vehiclespec ... /fuses.htm)


There's also been at least a central locking bodge, maybe an alarm bodge too - here's an electronic shock sensor...?


My first question is, what is the green/ red&black wire supposed to go to on the alternator, if at all? I've tried W, and that makes the alternator light dim with revs, and I've tried the + terminal and that means it stays brightly illuminated (as opposed to dimly illuminated unconnected)... (Those symptoms might be related to faulty circuitry elsewhere)

Also, those burnt through terminals on the fuse box kinda worry me, could that have caused a short elsewhere? Does anyone have a more accurate guide for what these fuses do? Why are they all different sizes when the brickworks reference says all 8A fuses?

Am hoping to start pulling out some of the unnecessary stuff (what's left of the central locking that has already been disabled but not removed) etc, but any pointers would be good,

thanks in advance!

[aisha]

Now with pictures inline for anyone that can cast their eyes over

[aisha]

Started tackling this mess at the weekend - here's the details:

Have decided to leave "spare" wire to alternator unplugged for now, I can't see it mentioned in Bentley or online anywhere for diesel CS engine.
Decided that the problem to the leisure battery not charging probably had something to do with the mess of wires around the fuse box.

I pulled down the fuse panel and found a mess of wires - including an ancient alarm system

This old alarm system had been partially removed, and no longer had any effect, but it was made a mess of the wires, so I decided it had to go.


After that was removed I managed to find the housing with the blue and black/red switching wires that go to the leisure battery relay. The black/red had been cut, explaining why the leisure battery wasn't charging.
I connected that back up and am now getting a current to the black/red wire to the leisure battery relay.

In removing the alarm system I also loosened what seems to be a crucial black wire (fuel pump?) - this caused about an hour of panic as I thought the removal of the alarm system had an effect on starting.
Found that loose wire, connected it back up, and now it starts! However it still doesn't seem to be charging the leisure battery.
I am charging up the van now, and will have a look at the leisure battery charging next
At least the mystery of "no circuit in the black/red wire" is solved!

[Hacksawbob]

Hi I'm not sure if the early westfalia battery charging is the same as the late but here's my diagram for it https://club8090.co.uk/wiki/Ca ... y_charging" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
slightly strange (but clever) as the relay doesn't activate with the starter motor turning to reduce the amps potentially going through the puny relay.

check the relay under the drivers seat, a good place to start as it usually melts under load and age.

[aisha]

@hacksawbob - since posting this I have set into the wiring system properly and have made a lot of use of that diagram.
Here's a small update: https://club8090.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=124233" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I've figured out what happened - there was a starter relay fitted in the engine bay, so instead of the red/black wire triggering the coil in the starter directly, it now goes triggers a relay and sends a positive feed straight from the battery.
So when I connected the leisure battery relay (as per your diagram), the charge coming from the alternator light went to the non-standard starter relay and tried turning the starter motor...

When I try to remove the starter relay (going back to original system) I don't get enough current going to the starter to fire it.
I've bought a length of 17A wire and will replace the red/black wire to starter. I was asking in that other thread why the current from the alternator light wouldn't trigger the starter, but i guess the current from that isn't enough to energise the coil in the starter... (however the newly added starter relay is sensitive enough to get triggered by it)

I was asking an auto electrician tonight but didn't seem to have any suggestions (I think the new wire from ignition to starter should work though?)

[aisha]

Fixed this now - hacksawbob's diagram is invaluable! Thanks

[Hacksawbob]

Fixed this now - hacksawbob's diagram is invaluable! Thanks