wiring woes

[islander]

hi there, Newbie here. been putting 1970 510 2door, back together after being apart for 30+ years.Previous owner took it ALL apart. Many missing parts.Anyway got it mostly together,just having wiring trouble, with headlights, signal lights. horn & brake lights work a couple times then both stop working @ same time. 4-ways work & all marker lights. Tried cleaning contacts, switching swtiches,repaceing relays,changeing flasher units,ect. There were many good ideas but haveing no luck. the lastest though is that maybe i am useing engine harness from a wagoon.Seems there is slight differance? Question is can they be inter-changed ? or is the cause of my greif? Should i seek out another harness/ or is there a fix. Posting pictures is a difficult as i am Very low tech. Any suggestions would be VERY apreciated !! Can not fix this by myself. Thanks All. Richard.

[datzenmike]

If they work, even temporarily then they must be wired ok. 

 

Wagons have a different brake and turn signal set up from the sedan so I don't know how you got that to work. Sedans have a brake light and a separate turn signal bulb. Wagons have a single bulb and the turn signal switch disconnects the brake to the side that is signaling.

[islander]

Well then, i probable m useing harness from a wagon on my 2dr. Will try and sorce out an nother harness. THANKS for your reply & this site!!  Have a great day.

[datzenmike]

You said it worked intermittently. If everything works, no matter how shortly, then it must work. 

[islander]

Electric stuff is very confusing to me. it only worked for the first few times.had stuff un-plugged & was trying random stuff.Maybe something to do with bad alternator or maybe the way i have my coil wired? M useing a 2 liter with electronic ignition & no resistor.might have dash wiring from a wagon too ?? ALL very confusing to me. Just graspping @ straws.

[banzai510(hainz)]

Dont use a wagon harness!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! but dont know if the engine side harness if different.  and hooks up under glove box.

 

if it works then then its wired correctly just soemthing loose.

 

 

work the healights first. since this dont use a relay, only the lamp switch on the panel. This is ezest to work on first.

maybe your fusable link at the starter is loose or dirsty since it affects all right now.

 

maybe datsunmike knows but isnt there a ground by the hood pull cable inside and ,one by the volt reg,

 

 

maybe Mika can help you since you live on the same Island but to me must people cant rehook up their wire bundles correctly.  If the harneess is not trashed only difference is the fuse boxes between the years and soem minor stuff at the alt but most seem to be common. Light relays are diffent throw the years but not enought not to get the car running

Edited March 3, 2021 by banzai510(hainz)

[islander]

thanks for the advice. Going to get another harness.U R right about all the above. The headlights did work, butr only on low beam.When i get another harness, will get FRIC-FRAC to fix me up with new headlight relay.Thanks again and keep u all posted.

[demo243]

 

This will be your best friend! I suggest you print one out - if you have access to legal or bigger paper even better!

 

This way you at least have some idea of what your plugging what into.

[Crashtd420]

16 hours ago, islander said:

thanks for the advice. Going to get another harness.U R right about all the above. The headlights did work, butr only on low beam.When i get another harness, will get FRIC-FRAC to fix me up with new headlight relay.Thanks again and keep u all posted.

You might try just unplugging the harness you plan to replace and plug it back in or even wiggle it little, those connectors have a habit of being the fault..... they get corroded sometimes unplugging and plugging them back in gets a better connection or even better unplug and try and clean the tabs best you can..... 

A simple test light would also tell you this.... check both sides of the connector when plugged in.... if you have power on one side of the plug you should have power on the opposite side.....

 

[banzai510(hainz)]

works on low then the Highbeam is not getting a ground. to the relay or relay bad.  or your steering wheel isnt hooked up right with the tab or you get a different steering wheel and the ground from the lever isnt reaching on the steering wheel

 

I think your harness is fine just Corroded somewhere.

 

then one from a Automatic is diffent also and then your car wont start

Edited March 4, 2021 by banzai510(hainz)

[Icehouse]

70 is the change over year for the harness.  Did you use all the wiring that came with the car?  some items don't swap over such as headlight switch, although if you had the low beams working Hainz is right, the relay is most likely bad.  Which is an easy fix.  Did you soak your fuse box in vinegar and check all the fuses?  Also pay very good attention under the dash where the dash harness connects to the engine room harness.  You can plug things in wrong.  Make sure the colors line up.  Get yourself a test light and see where the power stops.  That will help you solve some issues.  Then get someone to help you upload pictures.  That would be a big help. 

[islander]

U guys sure do know your Datsuns and all of your advice seems to b right on !! Anyway been a few days now, stupid work keeps getting in the way, but had a fellow Ratsun dude drive an hour & half each direction to come have a look. First he read numbers on harness, looked in his book & this was good. Then turned on headlights,low worked, then tried high, something didnt work. After that he said most likely fuse box,even thou look clean.Did the vineger & salt bath,rinsed with disteled water, dried. Next day sure enough all worked great !! 5min. & 25years experence is all it took him. You guys are the best. All is good now, or for now. THANKS ALL.

[banzai510(hainz)]

save you from ripping out a good harness.

Well Bless him for fixing it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[yenpit]

All three of the 510 harness sections (engine compartment, dash & tail) had a white plastic "tag" on them, with the part # & a date code.  The engine compartment harness tag USUALLY fell off, cuz it is out in the weather............the dash & tail tags were usually intact.  Post all of the numbers & letters on the tags, maybe we can help!  If the engine compartment tag is missing, try to plug it in to the dash harness, AND THEN triple check that the wire color codes match to each other in every plug!  If they match, then you should have a matched harness set.  If so, the part # & date code will guide you to the correct wiring schematic (like pictured above).

 

There are 1969 model year cars TITLED as 1970, cuz they did not sell until after Jan 1970, thus titled as such.  Is your car a 1969 or 1970 model year?  Does it have the 1969 "sweeper speedo" or the 1970-1973 "round speedo"?  What is the PRODUCTION DATE on the B pillar vin tag?  It is tricky to narrow down the model year by the actual vin #. 

 

1969 with the "sweeper speedo" had its own unique wiring harness.  The Sedan differed from the Wagon.  The manual differed from the auto.

 

Early first 6 months of production 1970 with the "round speedo" had its own unique wiring harness.  The Sedan differed from the Wagon.  The manual differed from the auto.

 

Late 1970-1972 the wiring harness was basically the same, with some added Federally mandated emission stuff wired in, but easily bypassed.  The Sedan differed from the Wagon.  The manual differed from the auto.

 

The 1973 2dr Sedan (no 4dr or Wagon for 1973) had its own unique wiring harness.  The manual differed from the auto.

 

You can ultimately install any 1970-1973 manual trans Sedan harness, but you might struggle with minor details.........you already stated you don't like electrical!

 

Yup, some footwork to do, but with patience, we can help!

 

TJ

 

 

Edited March 16, 2021 by yenpit

[yenpit]

On 3/3/2021 at 6:07 PM, demo243 said:

 

This will be your best friend! I suggest you print one out - if you have access to legal or bigger paper even better!

 

This way you at least have some idea of what your plugging what into.

 

I don't see a model year or date on this schematic, so don't count on it being correct for a 69-70!  See my previous post as to model year applications!  If I was to GUESS, I would say this one is the most common late 1970-1972...........it does clarify it is for the Sedan (not Wagon) & that it is for the MANUAL trans.

[demo243]

48 minutes ago, yenpit said:

 

I don't see a model year or date on this schematic, so don't count on it being correct for a 69-70!  See my previous post as to model year applications!  If I was to GUESS, I would say this one is the most common late 1970-1972...........it does clarify it is for the Sedan (not Wagon) & that it is for the MANUAL trans.

 

I believe it works for a '71 Manual Sedan Specifically - But sounds like it should work for '70-73. As with everything Datsun "your milage may vary" - I thought I mentioned it in my earlier post but looks like I didn't. 
 

Heres the link where it came from.

https://www.z-car.com/blog/cars/datsun-510-wiring-diagram

It came in handy for me - I have a '71 Manual Sedan... It also came in handy for me when I did my re-wire as it helped me to better understand how things tied together and how to re-use some of the stock switches and what not. 

[yenpit]

1 hour ago, demo243 said:

 

I believe it works for a '71 Manual Sedan Specifically - But sounds like it should work for '70-73. As with everything Datsun "your milage may vary" - I thought I mentioned it in my earlier post but looks like I didn't. 
 

Heres the link where it came from.

https://www.z-car.com/blog/cars/datsun-510-wiring-diagram

It came in handy for me - I have a '71 Manual Sedan... It also came in handy for me when I did my re-wire as it helped me to better understand how things tied together and how to re-use some of the stock switches and what not. 

 

A guy named Paolo drew up those killer cool color schematics, I think back in 1996...............he still sells them.  I bought his complete set.  None of the aftermarket manuals ie Haynes Chilton's Clymer's etc, had the correct USA spec schematics.............close, but not all together correct.  However, Paolo never drew up the early 6 mo 1970 production with the round speedo & it is different, cuz I had one.  The dash harness had a meltdown, I tried the later 1970-1972 dash harness, did not plug in.  I tried the 1969 sweeper dash harness, did not plug in.  I finally found the correct PART # dash harness & it plugged right in & works to this day.  He also never drew up the 1973 2dr Sedan (again, no 4dr or Wagon in 1973) & it too is different than the late 1970-1972.  I had a 1973 model year, that I had to repair the hacked up engine bay harness & it did not match up to the 1972 schematic.  That was a guessing game, bub I figured it all out, loosely based on the later 1970-1972 & worked out great!  Ahhhhh, old classic cars! 🙄

[banzai510(hainz)]

He has about 25 cars in his yard half smashed by Trees in wind storms and he dont sell nothing so other people can save.

But yes the drawing are nice. But the Haynes manual one works also. page 181

[yenpit]

3 hours ago, banzai510(hainz) said:

He has about 25 cars in his yard half smashed by Trees in wind storms and he dont sell nothing so other people can save.

But yes the drawing are nice. But the Haynes manual one works also. page 181

 

Paolo has that many junkers??!!  My biggest beef with the "aftermarket" wiring schematics ie Haynes, is I don't think they had the USA spec emission wiring crap in them, thus our cars have wiring that is NOT in the schematic, thus confusing to me!  For electrical work, I want to see what I DO need & what I DON'T need without question!  🥴 

[datzenmike]

The Haynes I have is printed in Somerset England UK. Distributed in US from Newbury Park Calif. The diagrams are listed for US and Canada but the years are not. I suspect they are for the earlier late'60 cars.

[banzai510(hainz)]

I swear I seen the dual point and the 3rd gear switch on the drawing but otherwise than that how much harder can it be.

I know the ealry ones might used different Volt reg and alt T connecotr or soemthing like that. Fuse boxes different.

Edited March 17, 2021 by banzai510(hainz)

[yenpit]

On 3/17/2021 at 3:08 PM, banzai510(hainz) said:

I swear I seen the dual point and the 3rd gear switch on the drawing but otherwise than that how much harder can it be.

I know the ealry ones might used different Volt reg and alt T connecotr or soemthing like that. Fuse boxes different.

 

Me be an electrical dummy!  As long as I have a good diagram in front of me, I can stumble thru it & be successful!  Even redundant wires that are there but no longer used, makes my brain hurt!  Iirc they changed plugs & color codes throughout the years, thus making my brain hurt more! One of our techs is really good at electrical, so at least I have somebody to fall back on.............🧐

[banzai510(hainz)]

  The 3rd gear switch and the one on the throttle lever up there , they just go to the relay to kick in that second set of points. Otherwise it was a sigle point anyways.   just route a wire from dist to minus side coil your done. Leave the Power side as stock.  then the res maybe not be used. Usually by the coil where that funky relay is is ezist to pull those wire. the others are wrapped up in tape so makes no sence pulling them out.

 

Its simple believe me me

I tell the supervisor at work I only look smart if Im surrounded by dumb coworkers