Maverik Posted November 22, 2013 Share Posted November 22, 2013 Hi folks, Still a tad in shock, but the mother of all big smoke got let out my wiring yesterday evening... not a total loom loss but from initial investigations its enough damage for me to think hard about what options I now have to get the truck back on the road. 86 LR90 with 200Tdi. As always it hasn't happen at the best of times, but I'm lucky in that I've got 3 weeks from now before I need her for my new job... So options... + replace with a 2nd hand bulkhead loom I have from a 89, 110, quality unknown yet as it needs removing from old truck. + replace with a new (old stock) type loom, found various military ones on fleebay that I could probably get to fit with some modifications + Autosparks latest model 200tdi loom... nice shiny and new... coming in at £375.53.... I'm not entertaining the thought of repair just now, I don't think its worth the risk of it now happening again due to other damaged wiring... So would have to sit down a draw it all out, but this would allow me to wire up all the small ancillaries into the main fuse box area etc... Anyone any thoughts/advice.... Just when I thought I was due some Happy times with this machine... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eightpot Posted November 22, 2013 Share Posted November 22, 2013 If you have a look from an 89, that will fit fine. Assuming you've of only lost the front part of the loom, should be a days work to swap it. A military loom will fit too, just unplug the light switch loom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted November 22, 2013 Share Posted November 22, 2013 Is building it yourself from scratch not an option? It's what I'd do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CwazyWabbit Posted November 22, 2013 Share Posted November 22, 2013 Do you know the exact cause of failure? I would be searching that out first as otherwise you may be burning up your replacement loom as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazzar Posted November 22, 2013 Share Posted November 22, 2013 Exactly - where did the smoke get out from? Unmolested looms are fairly robust, it's the older cloth looms, and where someone has been mucking about, where trouble comes from. G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted November 22, 2013 Author Share Posted November 22, 2013 I still need to remove the lower dash to get a proper look at it, but from what I can see its confines to the sections between side light switch and fuse box. Initial inspections of engine bay loom and wiring seems to keep the damage in the cab... but aye, need to look for the problem properly before plugging new in. The notion of making my own up briefly passed through my mind, but its a lot of faff re terminating plugs etc. I'm very much a fan of standard components and enhancing them when possible. To be fair the original loom design has done well to last 27years when heaven knows how many folk cutting into it with scotch blocks... I think I'm settling on an autosparks loom, they're pricey, but at least I know where I am with it, and it will be newly made, so the wiring will be as good as it gets. Does anyone have an idea what PRC8243 is? Hobson have got them online, so I presume they're military...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazzar Posted November 22, 2013 Share Posted November 22, 2013 Scotchblocks are the work of the devil. I'd use them, but only if I was actually at risk of death if I couldn't get going otherwise. Mind you, with a good crimp tool, good quality conectors and non sticky PVC tape you can refurbish most hacked about looms. But, as you say, a new loom is a small investment for a good vehicle, afterall what's £400 compared with the cost of a set of tyres, or a timing belt change for a modern car? G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbs Posted November 22, 2013 Share Posted November 22, 2013 Is this what you're looking for? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-Land-Rover-Defender-2-5D-Turbo-Wiring-Harness-PRC3969-/291015134085 John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted November 22, 2013 Share Posted November 22, 2013 Does anyone have an idea what PRC8243 is? that according to the parts book it's for a 90 from chassis FA424038 to FA455945 if your chassis/VIN is within that range then it'll fit or see page 736 in http://www.retroanaconda.com/landrover/parts_books/90/8_body_electrical_p719-793.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted November 22, 2013 Share Posted November 22, 2013 Spend the money Mav, no point in mucking about. Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulMc Posted November 22, 2013 Share Posted November 22, 2013 I would suggest that the PRC8243 from Hobsons, is the better choice. It'll fit a pre-FA424038 TD, and has blade fuses, rather than the glass fuses of the earlier (and more expensive) PRC3969 on eBay. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roverdrive Posted November 23, 2013 Share Posted November 23, 2013 Mav Good to meet you. Bad news about the loom. You get back north in one piece, or was it on the way up? Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted November 25, 2013 Author Share Posted November 25, 2013 Hey Mike, Nice to meet you too although it was a tad brief! I just got home luckily, had the bonnet up looking for a fan belt squeal, went to check the temp gauge, but couldn't see it in the dark, put the lights on, noticed the dash lights didn't come on then fizz, rather lucky it didn't happen while I was on the road... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damanic Posted November 25, 2013 Share Posted November 25, 2013 sounds like you just burnt out your headlight switch... that can happen when there is no relay! Happens a fair bit. You may not need a loom after all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted November 25, 2013 Author Share Posted November 25, 2013 After some digging around this evening, I found most of the damaged wires and I've been quite lucky with the lack of residual damage, from what I've found I've decided to repair in the short term, but order up a new loom to plan to replace is come summer time and more light and warmth!... From what I can see, I've had a short circuit somehwere close to the instrument illumination bulbs clse behind the dials, its burnt out the supply wires from the switch down to the side lights down to the fuse box and half the wiring to the instrument supply, still trying to get my head around where the short must have been as it seems to have taken out some rather random wires. Using the Haynes circut diagram and looking at the damge, there isn't any fuses in the illumination spur which would have saved the wires. I've got a few spare fuse slots and already spotting a few weakness' in the loom which I can correct easily which should give me some piece of mind for the mid-term. A blessing in disguise of sorts I guess as I've actually found some cracks and splits in some other rather key wires, so I'll get them fixed too... Note: not overlaoded switch as only the side lghts run through that switch as I previously built in relays for the Main and high beam circuits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted November 26, 2013 Author Share Posted November 26, 2013 I traced in red the bits that have frazzled, the blue represents a crimp connector in place of the old instrument illumination switch Orange is some added wiring from me to run the clock illumination and I found a rub mark through the insulation where the purple dot is, but this hadn’t melted… Only the red colour melted, You’ll also see the wire that connects the two fuses together which I found odd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete3000 Posted November 26, 2013 Share Posted November 26, 2013 If you didn't get as far as switching on the main beams then you may be lucky and get away with the red sidelight circuits. if your side/lights still work front and rear, then whip the fuses out and get the clocks out. Mine went in the same place just after I bought it. I recon it was a dodgy bulb on the clock illumination as you say there are no fuses. I think it had shorted to ground and done a good job of the red wire getting v hot. This in turn turned it into a hot knife cutting into several other colours at the back of the dash. Just check where the melty bits are haven't cut into the rest of the loom then cut out the ofending wire and replace with 5a? cable, you could add a 3-5a fuse for good measure? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted November 26, 2013 Author Share Posted November 26, 2013 If you didn't get as far as switching on the main beams then you may be lucky and get away with the red sidelight circuits. if your side/lights still work front and rear, then whip the fuses out and get the clocks out. Mine went in the same place just after I bought it. I recon it was a dodgy bulb on the clock illumination as you say there are no fuses. I think it had shorted to ground and done a good job of the red wire getting v hot. This in turn turned it into a hot knife cutting into several other colours at the back of the dash. Just check where the melty bits are haven't cut into the rest of the loom then cut out the ofending wire and replace with 5a? cable, you could add a 3-5a fuse for good measure? Funny you should mention dodgy bulbs... 2 days before it happened I noticed the light in the cigarette lighter had stopped working I got it to flash on with hitting it, but then nothing - I've experienced a short from a small switched bulb before when I had the old style hazard switch (as opposed to the Td5 type). I'll be doing some careful circuit testing before I start it up again... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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