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80 Series Dash Warning Lights - Mysterious Relay...

bigtangonovember

New Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2020
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14
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uk
Hello everyone,
So i had the old classic 80 series dash waring lights on, read up on it through the forums and went ahead and ordered and installed a new alternator thinking this would solve it - it didn't. I noticed that the grey plug on the back of the alternator was a bit miserable so i ordered a new one and installed that thinking this must be it - it wasn't.

Scratching my bonce, i stumbled upon this relay mounted under the bonnet just behind the ABS valve, its screwed to the inner wing. It has a fuse on it. When i pulled the relay out, i could see right away that it was rotten. Started the engine and hey presto the warning lights are out.

Now, i'm not fully celebrating yet as i don't know what this relay is for and i haven't yet received the new one and installed that. I will only celebrate once the new one is in and the engine is running with no warning lights.

I don't have any wiring diagrams. Any ideas what this relay is for? Looks like somebody has been at it in the past, it has a bullet connector on the red cable. I can't work out if this relay is a standard fit or some sort of add on? So far as i know the car is standard, that's not to say some cowboy hasn't been at it before. Whatever it is it looks old, especially with made in W. Germany printed on it.

Does anybody else have this relay there?

Thanks everybody.
 

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Not a standard fitting in my opinion. Only way is to trace the output wires and see where thy go. It's 15 amp so if sized correctly it supplied something "big". Perhaps extra lights. Any none standard switches on the dashboard that would activate it?
 
Looking at my 1994 version I would say it is not a standard fitting as well. Look at the cables, are they bound into the the loom in the same way as there rest of the wiring?

In a similar area I have a larger relay and connector but it means digging out other stuff to get to it as it is tucked behind pipework. So the relay you show may have been used to replace something that was there but not done particularly well or with a heavy enough component?

Something else, look at the cables as that is burnt quite badly, see if they are heavy enough to carry 15a or more.


regards

Dave
 
I had the Christmas tree lights on my dash, fitted new alternator regulator, no change and still was charging only 12.5v so installed a complete new alternator, still no change so traced the wiring back. There is a fusible link coming from the left battery + which was broken, this stops the alternator getting 12v signal. Might help ?
I can’t remember if you should have 12v on 2 outside wires on alternator plug or all 3?
 
So after few hours of contorting myself into all sorts of uncomfortable positions tracing out the cabling, i can confirm that it is some sort of aftermarket lash up presumably for a trailer power socket. The cabling ends by the spare wheel underneath where it has been cut and is just hanging under the chassis there. Going to remove it all, relay holder the job lot this weekend if the rain gives off.
Am just so happy to have an instrument cluster that isn't lit up all the time. Happy days!
Thanks for all your help and advice on this one.
 
Yep, normally used to power up the fridge in a caravan or charge the battery if fitted. Glad you found it.

regards

Dave
 
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