Green/ brown wire near dynamo

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Emleyowl
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Green/ brown wire near dynamo

Post by Emleyowl »

I have a green / brown wire unconnected near the dynamo. The car won’t start and just gives a click when turning the key. Could this be connected?
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Shropshiremoggie
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Re: Green/ brown wire near dynamo

Post by Shropshiremoggie »

There can be a ‘ spare ‘ wire floating around in this area . It was for a warning light on the oil filter but to my limited knowledge was never used . Your problem could be a flat battery or bad battery connection .
oliver90owner
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Re: Green/ brown wire near dynamo

Post by oliver90owner »

Or dead starter motor, or starter dog stuck in mesh, or earth connection from engine to chassis. Possibly a few other options. You need a meter to check voltages under load. Do the headlights work brightly? might be a first check.
mogbob
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Re: Green/ brown wire near dynamo

Post by mogbob »

Are your indicators working ?
A Green / Brown wire supplies power from the Flasher unit ( Terminal L = lights ) to the indicator / flasher switch.

The other two terminals being B =battery green wire and P = panel light , in the case of a Morris Minor the flashing indicator bulb on the end of the arm.
It is the correct " end " of the wire i.e a Lucar connector ( the other end would be a straight bullet connector into the short indicator loom ).

No sign of your Flasher unit in the photo but check there first. Inspect the lucar connector to make sure that it is making a good connection.
If it a bit loose , vibration might help it loose it's grip. After disconnecting the battery for a moment you can squeeze the connector a little tighter
for firm electrical connection. Do it very gently , with standard pliers , a little at a time , checking the fit as you go. Re-connect the battery.

This advice assumes the wiring has not been "messed around with " i.e a previous owner has not used a bit of Green /Brown wiring for another
totally unconnected purpose ... just because they had a spare bit of wire that colour !

Like Shropshiremoggie I think your non start problem is another issue.
A "click" with no action / whirring sound of the starter motor could point to a number of possibilities.
Is the starter motor stuck in mesh with flywheel ? With everything switched off, see if you can turn with your fingers the exposed square ended shaft at the back of the motor.( occasionally you run across a little protective cap metal or rubber.. just to confuse you ).If it is stuck 2 options
move back and forth with a spanner or put car in 4th gear, handbrake off on level ground and rock the car back and forth until released.
Handbrake on , gear lever back in neutral. Try starting again. If it sticks again you can repeat but essentially the bendix gear set up is dirty and
will keep on sticking. ( Search for sequence for cleaning or return to the Forum , essential you don't oil the parts. Otherwise the oil picks up dirt,
the starter motor sticks again...OH we're back to square one again ! ).
Other reasons... poor connections. Disconnect both battery terminals. Thoroughly clean the terminal posts and clamps metal connection surfaces.
Check the solenoid connections and that the ignition wire White / Red from the ignition switch is sound.
Re connect the battery terminals , a touch of vaseline on the posts / clamps will keep contamination away and try again.
If unsuccessful the connection of the White / Red to the back of the ignition switch should be checked. It's a bit of a faff so last on my list.
That should get your Starter Motor doing it's job.
Bob
jagnut66
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Re: Green/ brown wire near dynamo

Post by jagnut66 »

As an aside, a duff starter motor is extremely easy to change out, I have even done it in a Tesco's car park with the car on it's wheels -- plenty of clearance underneath.
There are just two nuts/bolts going through the bell housing, one easily accessible from above, the other from underneath, and one large cable going to the back of the starter motor to remove. With the key out / ignition off this cable will have no power going through it to worry about.
I like to have a spare starter motor on the shelf, as it is not unknown for them to fail.
Best wishes,
Mike.
1954 Series 2: 4 door: "Sally" -- Back on the ground with (slave) wheels and waiting to be resprayed......
1970 Triumph Herald 1200: "Hetty" -- Driven back from Llangollen in Wales (twice.....)
oliver90owner
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Re: Green/ brown wire near dynamo

Post by oliver90owner »

The problem related by the OP is not related to the wires.

That there is an audible ‘click’ when the key indicates there is power to the solenoid. If that is the truth of the matter, the dead component simply needs identifying and the problem solved.

It could be that the solenoid switch is operating but not connecting the internal contacts. Unless checks are carried out, first, one could be replacing a perfectly good starter motor and still have the fault!

Do the diagnosis FIRST!
Emleyowl
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Re: Green/ brown wire near dynamo

Post by Emleyowl »

Thanks for your help. I charged the battery up fully overnight but it lost charge quickly. Ive ordered a new battery and will see what happens when replaced
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geoberni
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Re: Green/ brown wire near dynamo

Post by geoberni »

Quite honestly, if it goes 'Click' my first thoughts are always the battery as the likely culprit.

Your description of
Emleyowl wrote: Tue Mar 01, 2022 3:35 pm I charged the battery up fully overnight but it lost charge quickly.
doesn't really make sense to me, electrically. What do you mean by 'lost charge quickly'?
Did it start the car or not?
Did it start the car and then wouldn't an hour later?
Did you measure the terminal voltage and then again a few hours later?

Many people do not understand the difference between Voltage and Amperage; you can have a battery that has a good terminal voltage but has lost it's Cranking capacity, it's ability to turn the engine over.

As oliver said, electrical faults require diagnosis, not rushing to change components (unless you're really flush with the readies).
We see it here far too often, people changing most of the ignition system 'on spec' as the saying goes, when in reality the symptoms are indicating something else.


I would really tidy up those wires in the engine bay; then you'll know if and when one comes adrift, instead of guessing where it might be from if you hit a problem.
Basil the 1955 series II

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Bill_qaz
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Re: Green/ brown wire near dynamo

Post by Bill_qaz »

Is it just the angle of the picture or is only one side of the coil connected? 8)
Regards Bill
oliver90owner
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Re: Green/ brown wire near dynamo

Post by oliver90owner »

Bill_qaz wrote: Tue Mar 01, 2022 5:15 pm Is it just the angle of the picture or is only one side of the coil connected? 8)
IF a wire was off the coil, the engine would not start. BUT if the starter motor is not turning the engine over, THAT is the first problem to fix. Checking for a spark at the plugs, or coil HT terminal, is such an easy first ignition system check.

Red herrings do not help the OP solve his problem. It seems very much like there is only sufficient battery power/voltage to (part?) energise the solenoid, or the solenoid is duff, or there is a problem with the starter motor (or bendix) or a poor connection either on the live or earth side. A simple test meter would soon determine whichever fault it might be, if used by someone with only a modicum of common sense/experience.

Buying all new parts would be ridiculous, if it happens to be a simple fix - which might cost nothing.
Chipper
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Re: Green/ brown wire near dynamo

Post by Chipper »

If it is a 1098cc Minor, the solenoid will often have a rubber button on top, which can be pressed firmly to spin the starter (with ignition on).

Or you can run a thick wire direct from battery live to the terminal on the starter motor.
Maurice, E. Kent
(1970 Traveller)
mogbob
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Re: Green/ brown wire near dynamo

Post by mogbob »

Has your new battery solved your starting issue and have you found the correct home for the unattached wire ?
Bob
Emleyowl
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Re: Green/ brown wire near dynamo

Post by Emleyowl »

I am still waiting for the new battery to arrive. I will post the results when it does
Emleyowl
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Re: Green/ brown wire near dynamo

Post by Emleyowl »

Update. The battery Has arrived( finally) and she started up fine. Im still at a loss where the Green/brown wire belongs as I haven’t noticed it before.
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Re: Green/ brown wire near dynamo

Post by mogbob »

Well done on getting it started.
Green / Brown wire , still work in progress. So the indicators are working fine ?
We can't rule out it being for something else , when a former owner used a Green / brown wire to power something ,
just because that was the only bit of spare wire he / she had laying around in their tool box !
No signs of any unoriginal accessories ( e.g. radio , alarm ,cigarette / power socket , map light , etc. ) maybe still in situ or
fixing holes where removed from the car ?
Bob
Shropshiremoggie
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Re: Green/ brown wire near dynamo

Post by Shropshiremoggie »

What year is the car ? I have a 1970 1098 two door that has the ‘ spare wire ‘ floating by the dynamo . It was for an oil filter warning light that to my ( limited ) knowledge was never used .
Emleyowl
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Re: Green/ brown wire near dynamo

Post by Emleyowl »

Its a 66. I also have the floating wire you mention. The Green /brown one isn’t that👍
Shropshiremoggie
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Re: Green/ brown wire near dynamo

Post by Shropshiremoggie »

Ah ! Thanks for clarification .
Emleyowl
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Re: Green/ brown wire near dynamo

Post by Emleyowl »

Ive had a look around for anything that isn’t working and found the rhs side light(lookout from the drivers seat isn’t working. It isn’t the bulb as I tried it in the other light,and it’s fine.everything else is working fine.
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geoberni
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Re: Green/ brown wire near dynamo

Post by geoberni »

The only Green/Brown that I'm aware o runs between Flasher Unit and Indicator Switch, so if it were that, the Indicators would be dead.

There's Brown/Green to the Dynamo, and there's Green/purple on the brake Lights, but that's it.

So it must, by elimination, be something a past owner has installed. It could be anything. Trace it, simple as that. Not a difficult job, it's only a Morris Minor after all, not a Boeing 747 which has approximately 140 miles of wiring, depending on the customer's specification. :o
Basil the 1955 series II

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