Electrical: Tailgate loom..........again!

[Paul240480]

Arrgh! If only photobucket hasn't lost all my pics most of your queries would be answered in photo form

The earth straps on my 89' model were thick black coated wire. One either side. Just a short wire to earth boot lid to body I think .

Yours being later has the stronger braid I think , as the black ones snapped really quickly.

Once you get 'under way' Stephen , it will become clear it's one of those jobs this one good luck and keep updating

[Stephen Edwin]

Originally Posted by Paul240480

Arrgh! If only photobucket hasn't lost all my pics most of your queries would be answered in photo form

The earth straps on my 89' model were thick black coated wire. One either side. Just a short wire to earth boot lid to body I think .

Yours being later has the stronger braid I think , as the black ones snapped really quickly.

Once you get 'under way' Stephen , it will become clear it's one of those jobs this one good luck and keep updating

Thank you Paul. Ah yes, the photobucket loss. I'm sorry you had that disappointment

So I take it your connections were in the lower tailgate and you have no central brake light. Is that right? What sort of connection terminals behind the panel please? Ordinary blade terminals or specific loom type connections?

Someone must have done this job with a later tailgate, and/or with short looms. Please?

In my situation I can't go undoing the hinges, disconnecting the tailgate, without being as prepared as possible. And iI was taught that "Time spent on reconnaisance is never wasted."

[volvo always]

Originally Posted by Stephen Edwin

Yes. Edit: I don't knowwhat the different type of connectors are to look for inside the panel low down on the tailgate.So I might eventually have to start undoing the hinge(s).
However as a clue, there are different looms depending on whether the car has a central brake light. See Brookhouse. https://classicvolvoparts.co.uk/part...les_and_Wiring.

James, what year is your 240 estate please and does it have a central rear brake light please

.

1989 pre facelift, so small glass, non bonded in. Yes centre brake light as automatic.

James

[Paul240480]

^^^mine was as James 's

[Shaggy33]

Mine is 1989 and has a central brake light. This shares an earth with the license plate lights and there was my problem....the brake light would work but not reg plates or vice Versa. The earth was running through a very dirty/rusty looking black single blade connector (unlike the rest of the wiring this actually looked oem to me) so I cut it out and hard wired it.
I can also confirm the following
O/S windscreen wiper and central locking
N/S reg lights, centre brake light and heated windscreen

[Stephen Edwin]

Thank you all.

It is likely that:

1. Short looms are for the later large window tailgates. Short looms are short indeed and their connections on the tailgate side of the hinges must be very high, in the tailgate and/or in the hinges.
2. Long looms are for earlier tailgates and some of the long looms have wiring for a central brake light.

Time will tell. Hopefully someone who has done short looms will post some time. I might start judiciously easing the fixing bolt[s] on the tailgate side of the hinges and see what I find. I ain't gonna undo those fixings until I can set the tailgate up supported securely.

Thanks again for all the posts which are very helpful

[Stephen Edwin]

In case this helps anyone:

Re the T40 torx drive bolts or machine screws that do not aim directly at the hinges. This image on the internet http://cdn2.bigcommerce.com/server38...0.1280.jpg?c=2 shows a black later model hinge with a spur going downwards to take that screw inside the tailgate. So the torx drive bolts or screws do, with the hex nuts, secure the hinges to the tailgate. There are similar images of earlier chrome finish hinges.

Re extra flexible wire. This listing on eBay offers extra flexible copper tinned 6amp 149/0.08 wire at what looks like a reasonable price. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5m-149-0-0...item4d1ec19047

[Stephen Edwin]

This could be useful. 19amp test lead wire. http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/test-lead-wire/7481973/ For the heated rear window I think. Takes less bandwidth through the hinge compared to using more than one thinner wire for the heated rear window.

*****

I'm going to ask further re the current capacity of the 149/0.08 test lead wire in my previous post. RS sell that specification but only in 50 metre reels and larger.

6amp would work. The light bulbe use very little. I bet lots of these repairs are done with 5amp wire. And when the original wiring is part damaged it is used for ages at a very low cross section area, current capacity.

BUT the fuse rating is 8 amps.