21 replies to this topic

[Mini Manannán]

Does anyone have access to decent wiring diagrams? The one in the Haynes manual is rubbish and confusing and I'm having a 'mare  with 38 years of bodging on my '76 Clubby estate 

[Tommyboy12]

The Haynes manual wiring diagrams arent rubbish at all. They are very useful if you take your time to understand and trace them out. Start from a know point (say the ignition barrel) and work outwards and you shouldnt have any difficulty with it. Especially as the older cars dont have much in the way of seperate looms.

 

Ive rebuilt an entire '73 Clubman loom from just the switches using the diagram in the Haynes manual and I absolutely hate wiring!

[matt050990]

I have a colour version of the Haynes ones?

[Mini Manannán]

The Haynes manual wiring diagrams arent rubbish at all. They are very useful if you take your time to understand and trace them out. Start from a know point (say the ignition barrel) and work outwards and you shouldnt have any difficulty with it. Especially as the older cars dont have much in the way of seperate looms.

 

Ive rebuilt an entire '73 Clubman loom from just the switches using the diagram in the Haynes manual and I absolutely hate wiring!

I've seen wiring diagrams set out much clearer than the Haynes jobbies.  They could be better IMO.

[Mini Manannán]

I have a colour version of the Haynes ones?

 

If you can get me a copy I'd appreciate it.  Can you email it?  I'll PM my email address if you can.

[matt050990]

yeah PM me your email mate and ill send over

[Mini Manannán]

Thanks Matt, you have a PM

[KSTANDSTEVE]

Whenever I am working on the electrics I use the Haynes Manual and draw up my own enlarged simplified diagram for that particular circuit (ie headlights for example). Makes things a lot easier and helps you understand how it works. Next time you work on the headlights you then have your own wiring diagram already done

[Dan]

Depends what manual you have. Older manuals have the BL diagrams in which are fine and show everything once you know how to read them. The latest books seem to have replaced these with their own design of wiring flow charts which are almost no help at all.

[Mini Manannán]

Depends what manual you have. Older manuals have the BL diagrams in which are fine and show everything once you know how to read them. The latest books seem to have replaced these with their own design of wiring flow charts which are almost no help at all.

Maybe that's it, I have the green version of the Haynes.

[Cooperman]

The wiring diagram in the old BMC Workshop Manual was very good and easy to read.

It is also a good idea to download a copy of BS-AU7 which has the full British Standard wiring colours.

[Mini Manannán]

The wiring diagram in the old BMC Workshop Manual was very good and easy to read.

It is also a good idea to download a copy of BS-AU7 which has the full British Standard wiring colours.

 

Downloaded.  I'll print it off later. Thanks

[dklawson]

Over here, Lucas wiring and wiring diagrams have a bad (and in my opinion unjustified) reputation.  With its nearly uniform wire color scheme, it is very easy for me to switch from working on an MG, to my Triumphs, or my Mini.  The old (1970s and older) wiring diagrams were not hard to understand at all.  I have a lot more trouble reading the diagrams for my modern cars.  I can do it... but it takes a lot more mental effort.

[tiger99]

I agree totally! Some of the modern stuff, once you have managed to get a copy in the first place, is dreadful, even worse than the later Mini diagrams. The early diagrams were quite logical and easy to follow.

 

It can be useful to get the page enlarged on a photocopier to at least A3 size, and then colour it in, or as suggested above, draw up the circuits that you are interested in, with the incoming feed (almost always a brown wire from the solenoid terminal) on the left, and your lamps, instruments, or whatever on the right, with the switches and fuses in the middle, so you can see the flow of power clearly.

 

Don't forget to put in the earths, at the bottom of the diagram, and when you come to the headlight circuit it will then become obvious why I always tell people to earth them seperately.

[Mini Manannán]

Matt's coloured version is much easier to get your head around.  I'll pop it up for reference later if that's OK with him.