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Hello All,

After a bit of input from you all. Car has been off the road and in various states of together for years, final push to just get it going again.. I want to use it

All the wiring has been laid/ repaired as standard 1.8 Gti

Gone through the faq, things wired up and fused as correct.

Full run down of working

* Reverse lights
* Fog Lights
* Indicators Inc hazard switch
* Dipped/ Full beam
* MFA via stalk
* Interior fan on all 3 Settings
* Brake light (Only one side)

Now the curios …

* When you turn the lights on, the MFA and LEDs on the cluster go off, side or dipped lights. Switch off, clock etc reappears - power cut style, clock reads 00:00

* No interior illumination at all

* Fuel pump only springs to life if something seemingly shorts

* Wipers don't work at all via stalk, but if you use the washer jet they will come to life (tested, there is voltage at the plug)

I've some connectors left over, unsure if they will have some relevance to the above;

* Gry/Grn (main dash loom) into spade connector with Blu/Brn, blue block

*Brn/Brn from black/ rear of the car, loom like an earth, but tests as live?

*Single red from black plug, no end/ needs repairing

*Red/Wht & Red/wht from engine loom, butt connector

*Red/Blk & Red/Blk into spade, Grn/wht & Grn/wht into spade, one connector

*Red/ Blk from yellow block, single butt connector

*Cluster of wires around heater/ dash/ cig lighter.

Any input most welcome!

Thanks,
Adam

'83 MK1 Golf GTI
'02 Land Rover Discovery 2 Td5
'08 Audi S3 2.0 16v TFSI

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Browns are grounds.

What do Divorces, Great Coffee, and Car Electrics all have in common?

They all start with GOOD Grounds.

Where are my DIY Links?

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Re:

Briano1234 said

Browns are grounds.
Thanks Brian, I've added a terminal and earthed the brown near the dash.

I've also had a look through my wiring box and found another 'rear' wiring loom. Will swap and see the difference, hopefully the earth, is an earth on that one! That loom seems to take care of the double red/wht connector

'83 MK1 Golf GTI
'02 Land Rover Discovery 2 Td5
'08 Audi S3 2.0 16v TFSI

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That's a good list of things not working. Choose one of the items and diagnose/fix it following the wiring diagram (fortunately, these are easily available, unlike more modern cars). It might be that fixing one thing finds a common issue . It sounds from the description that you are missing some grounds.

                                

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1. plug for handbrake switch, find the wire in rear loom and plug in
2. looks like brown wires from dash loom, if so plug into white 4 way spade block on headlight loom
3. 2 pin is for cold start system, green/white side unused red/black side theres a plug on headlight loom C/18 that pops in. red/white plugs into male spade on rear wiring loom E/14
4. follow it back to source, could be anything and may not even be factory
5. plugs to red/black in 2 pin spade plug I mentioned above
6. radio

Hello my name is John and I'm a dub addict.



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Rewire gremlins

Thanks John, Paul,

Back on it this weekend, acquired a land rover which has been taking time … Also a plethora of wiring fun

'83 MK1 Golf GTI
'02 Land Rover Discovery 2 Td5
'08 Audi S3 2.0 16v TFSI

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Re:

rubjonny said

1. plug for handbrake switch, find the wire in rear loom and plug in
2. looks like brown wires from dash loom, if so plug into white 4 way spade block on headlight loom
3. 2 pin is for cold start system, green/white side unused red/black side theres a plug on headlight loom C/18 that pops in. red/white plugs into male spade on rear wiring loom E/14
4. follow it back to source, could be anything and may not even be factory
5. plugs to red/black in 2 pin spade plug I mentioned above
6. radio
Had an hour on the golf this weekend. I think all the loose connections are now taken care of!

The wire on image 4, single red goes directly into the white multiplug, I've checked the spare looms I have : they also have it, and cut/ terminal missing at about the same point

I'm still getting the interesting behaviour of, lights on, dash/ MFA off … Leave the lights on, cycle the key, fuel pump etc primes as you'd expect in normal operation

Is there a list of main earthing points? I assume I'm missing something entirely, as any and every earth appears to be hooked up

'83 MK1 Golf GTI
'02 Land Rover Discovery 2 Td5
'08 Audi S3 2.0 16v TFSI

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The lights on the Dash/MFA are using the LOOM ground as in Pin2 of the cluster connector (clocks).  It is attached to the Star connector on the fire-wall, and I have found that scuffing the area in-between the "X" brace and using a self drilling sheet metal bolt a good place to pick up a ground wire that I spliced in to the wiring side of the cluster connector about 4 inches back.  

The MFA also needs a ground from the valve cover left rear corner to the Coil Bracket.

If the Bulbs aren't working which is usually the case, then they are probably burned out.  I have gotten to replacing them out of hand when ever I play with the cluster.  I have opted for Bulb sockets from a 89 Honda, and the Warning lamps from the same year of honda as they are 3-watts over the 2 watt OEM VW.  I have also taken out the Green Film from the Lamp housing by removing the cover and replacing the reflector with Aluminum Foil Glued in to place on all 3 sides of the cover to increase the reflectivity of it.  I tried using Super Bright LEDS but was never a fan of the Pattern of the things so I opted for regular incandescent  bulbs, and the higher wattage 3watt didn't hurt the housing at all.

The addition of the Honda Bulb Sockets made the bulbs easily replaced if they ever failed again, and I didn't have to look for the typical bulb/socket of the vw, but could source new bulbs at any good Auto parts place.

What do Divorces, Great Coffee, and Car Electrics all have in common?

They all start with GOOD Grounds.

Where are my DIY Links?

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with the red wire pop the white plug out the fusebox and check which pin it is, they are numbered on the end.

for dash cluster on MFA equipped cars the earth goes to a male spade near the fusebox, then a female spade plughs into it from engine harness which goes to the head. This is the only earth the clocks have, so make sure its good

non-MFA cars the cluster earth is tapped into the main dash earth which should be plugged into the white 4 way spade block on the headlight loom, and shouldn't be plugged into the round earth claw above. it will work fine here as long as the earth from the back of the white 4 way earth block is attached to the earth claw, this is how the claw is earthed NOT through the chassis

the above is correct for Euro cars, US may be different but I see no reason it would be for karman made cabrio for example.

As a rule of thumb, if you have a thick brown earth wire with a brown or black spade housing then it needs to go to the white 4 way earth block on headlight loom. if spade is bare or has clear plastic spade housing then it goes to the claw

on the white block you should have a wire from D plug, wire from dashboard, wire from fuel pump. out the back of the plug is a wire which goes to the claw providing the earth for that. if you have 2 claws there should be a looped wire between them to allow 2nd claw to piggy back off the earth to the 1st

Hello my name is John and I'm a dub addict.



My wiring diagrams and other documents have moved here:

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Rewire gremlins

Thanks Brian, John,

I'll get on finding the number as soon as I'm in. Car is an MFA/ Gti equipped

I'm definitely missing the head to body strap/earth - overlooked and forgot that. Sounds like it could be a contributing factor

You've lost me with the clocks earthing though! I'll have to familiarise myself with what I've got and where at the moment - any earth I've found I've stuck on the claw

But I've used that rule of thumb so far for the black/brown housed earths .. reassuring click. I think their all accounted for.


'83 MK1 Golf GTI
'02 Land Rover Discovery 2 Td5
'08 Audi S3 2.0 16v TFSI

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more engine earths will never hurt, but if the gearbox to battery earth is in good condition the extra strap wont made a difference. Mine was missing for several years and when added back on no difference. I believe its for additional radio interference suppression.

in a nutshell have a look near the fusebox on your dash harness for a male spade housing with a brown and a brown/white wire in it. in the engine harness you'll find a female spade housing with a brown white wire which should be plugged into it, this wire then goes off and earths onto the side of the engine block.

Hello my name is John and I'm a dub addict.



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the brown wire in the male spade plug comes from the dash clock plug, the brown/white from the MFA button(s) on the wiper stalk :)

Hello my name is John and I'm a dub addict.



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Re:

rubjonny said

the brown wire in the male spade plug comes from the dash clock plug, the brown/white from the MFA button(s) on the wiper stalk :)
I was just about to logon and ask was it the brown and white one - my only recollection of a brownish female/male connection :D

As an aside I've a brown and white with no end floating in the engine bay, assume this goes to be an earth also?

Edit; if I remember right it's on a plug near the vaccum wires and reverse light wires .. if that makes any sense

'83 MK1 Golf GTI
'02 Land Rover Discovery 2 Td5
'08 Audi S3 2.0 16v TFSI

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that wire could be the very one you need for your MFA clocks, if so it should have a ring terminal on the end and be earthed to the head somewhere :)

Hello my name is John and I'm a dub addict.



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Rewire gremlins

Awesome I'll get that sorted as soon as I can and report back .. That and the earth strap from the rocker cover/ engine to body

So far as i could tell it also bumped out the dash lighting.. that said I can only vouch for the cluster bulbs … Which seemingly are the same unit/circuit as the MFA. Thanks John.

Cheers,
Adam


'83 MK1 Golf GTI
'02 Land Rover Discovery 2 Td5
'08 Audi S3 2.0 16v TFSI

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well there is only 1 earth for the clocks, so if the head earth is missing the cluster will do all kinds of strange things as it will attempt to earth thru other things instead such as oil switches, dash lights etc ;)

Hello my name is John and I'm a dub addict.



My wiring diagrams and other documents have moved here:

VAG Documents & Downloads

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Re:

rubjonny said

well there is only 1 earth for the clocks, so if the head earth is missing the cluster will do all kinds of strange things as it will attempt to earth thru other things instead such as oil switches, dash lights etc ;)
Sorted John, thanks! It was that single wire - all works as expected now!

I just need to wire up fully and entice the fuel pump to prime now

Thanks again!….. One wire .. one wire ha

'83 MK1 Golf GTI
'02 Land Rover Discovery 2 Td5
'08 Audi S3 2.0 16v TFSI

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Rewire gremlins

Right.. I'm back :)

Wipers.. they aren't working at any setting

Washer jet rear, works pushing the stalk forward (wiper arm wiring needs checking for action)

Washer jet front, doesn't work, contact pad is touching. I bridge with multimeter probe, washer jet works

Wiring to the motor, constant 12v , earth ok. Other pins show minimal voltage 0.08 - 0.25.

Switched relays with a spare, same behaviour - nothing

The confusing part, before the previous earthing of the dash cluster .. the washer jet would work and the wipers would 'wipe' constantly (with lights on) until I switched ignition off, fuel pump would also prime. That said it was hit and miss with that even, but it has worked

The above suggests to me, a layman, wiper motor/ spindle not seized, voltage getting through, assume relay ok if working in the above scenario .. fuse also ok

 Is there any way to test the stalk for functionality?

Should the fuel pump prime when ignition on? I can't remember if it should or not. However before the recent earth fix, it would

Also, the red single wire… Was the black plug/rear loom… Worked it out to be the interior light :)

Thanks again,
Adam.

'83 MK1 Golf GTI
'02 Land Rover Discovery 2 Td5
'08 Audi S3 2.0 16v TFSI

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if the rear jet works then you have power to the stalk, does the rear wiper relay click?

any clicky noises from the front wiper relay on intermittent setting?

check the brown wire out the back of white plug D, make sure it is connected to the 4 way white earth block I mentioned earlier.

I take it everything else is working ok? maybe the stalk is just dirty or worn out.  at the base of the wiper stalk double check the contact pads for the front and rear washers are clean and shiny as well as making good contact.

should see good ignition live at the common pin then the other 2 pads go out to the pumps. fact the front washer works when you bridge the pins with the multimeter suggests the stalk wiring is good, so it doesn't really make any sense that the rear works but the front does not? unless the feed is a bit weak and the rear pump is a little better condition and works with lower amps than the front needs

Hello my name is John and I'm a dub addict.



My wiring diagrams and other documents have moved here:

VAG Documents & Downloads

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I cant say I've noticed a click for a relay when operating the wipers, either front or rear.

I need to fully check the rear loom wiring, as I hastily swapped out one loom for another when testing earlier on in the thread - I dare say ones a later loom with differing connectors.

No click when moving the stalk for the front wipers, with either of the relays I have.

Ill check the earth tonight - pads looked dull last night, will give them a buff. But they were firmly making contact regardless

Everything works, bar a fuel pump prime, but from what I read it doesn't always prime with ignition. Both washer pumps are new & the same make etc, ill start with giving the contacts a clean, as they were dull.

Is there a dependency on the front and rear wipers being wired up/ working? Assume not being off different plugs/ relays
 

'83 MK1 Golf GTI
'02 Land Rover Discovery 2 Td5
'08 Audi S3 2.0 16v TFSI
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