Mk 4 Cortina gremlins

[stupiddad]

Hi again the sun has woken me up and I just renewed my sub so Hi everybody.

Bob, inspired by reg. OHY 808R,  short for bucket of bolts.

Update is she still need a paint but makes a stirring noise when the second choke opens, not much else happens because I am keeping the original gearbox. so although  the induction roar generated by the vw pancake on the dfth makes me smile, first gear is disposed of very quickly since I am not towing a  caravan.

I took the modified head off because first was a joke, I didn't see the funny side of with cold oil, and she didn't want to pull away in second on any gradient, anybody with a longer diff feel free to help me spend my pension, cheap five speed box might be considered as a temporary fit.

This spring's wake up gremlins were electrical, well they still are really although fiddling a bit allowed everything to work as it should except the hazard switch, rear screen heater, dashboard lights and coolant temp.

When I was puzzling over the  dash I removed, and later replaced, a metal lump held on by two spring clips which reduced the backfeeding through the indicator tell tales and also reduced the amount of wires showing live ign on on the adjacent multi connector. Not clear what its actual function or connections should be from my wiring diagrams.

Still not sure what started or stopped carrying current but it is driveable which is good and dash telltales correctly show indicator , headlight state, generator and oil pressure with all exterior lights operating and correctly switched.

Any of this sound familiar or anybody who understands the plastic film business or has a replacement film to play swap outs with I would be pleased to hear from them.

No hurry as I am currently rebuilding the front end, engine included, of the bouncy castle which is a renault kangoo. converted for wheelchair transport. Job would be difficult with the whole vehicle on a lift  and is a worthwhile challenge at ground level.

However I would like to gather information and form a plan of action for later in the summer when I will, hopefully,  find time to refresh the bronze and airbrush some rust back on .

If any of this is of interest or anybody wants to contribute help or sympathy I would be pleased to hear from them.

[Vista]

If you were having problems with your rear screen heater and things playing up on the dash, and now aren't having removed a large cylindrical type object under the dash, that sounds like the rear screen demist relay you've removed maybe? Can you post up a pic of it?

[stupiddad]

Thanks for the reply, but the object I removed and replaced was attached to the rear of the instrument cluster  on the left as you look from the driving seat and held on by metal clips each end, I didn't think to take a pic at the time.

It sits between the fuel and coolant gauges and seems to correspond to component 9 in the Ford wiring diagram of the instrument cluster but I haven't been able to find a reference for it let alone specs for testing.

I am reluctant to disturb the dash electrics at the moment, given that they seemed fragile last time I was brave enough to fiddle, as I rely on Bob to take my wife to work and shopping until I have the work on the kangoo completed, she won't do pillion since she hurt her hip.

Next time I work on the electrics I intend to work on the cabin loom and replace, but not remove, the original fuse box, mounting a blade fuse box under the dash. This will keep the wiring out of the temp variations in the engine bay and dryer, then I can replace fuses for pennies so it seems like a good enough reason to compromise.

Ebay Australia had a listing of what it described as the printed circuit for the cluster but sold out at about £250, the original shows whitening in places on mine perhaps from excess heat and I have no idea of how to even approach a repair.

[stupiddad]

I now believe my mysterious object to be, in fact, th Voltage Regulator which would of course explain why it cut current to a number of wires when removed.

As you may guess I have been doing some research for when I get the multimeter out again. I have a Mk 4 GL and poring over the wiring diagrams has resulted in the list below.

Cortina dash cluster wiring

Indicators black/ green and black/ white

Dimmer switch grey/yellow to fusebox, grey/ red to panel (panel bridge grey/ yellow)

Light power therefore grey/ red or grey/ yellow 

Coolant temp to sensor red/ white

Fuel to tank black/ yellow

Oil pressure telltale blue/ green

Main beam telltale blue/white

Alternator signal blue

Earths brown

As always there is no guarantee that this is accurate as it was obtained from a Haynes book of lies.

Should have done this before I opened it up first time probably.

[katana]

If it was the voltage regulator, none of your 'electrical' dash guages would have worked afterwards. This regulator should have no effects on the greater loom. The wire colours quoted sound about correct for a Ford of that era, only fuel sender seems odd.

[stupiddad]

Hi again Katana

Thanks for the contribution, you're probably right about the VR and definitely right about the wire colour.

I'm glad I replaced it .

I checked on the sender colour , as it originates on sender unit listed as blue/black to terminal numbered 1 at instrument cluster

Thanks for that, could have saved me a wild goose chase.