Wire Hanging Down / Dash Problem ?

[lemmingzappa 75 1 Cars]

I bought my 205 GTi (1.6 1991) last night and today I discovered a wire hanging down underneath the car.

It's a thin wire inside a rubber tube/sheath.

 

The part at the top right of my dash panel (picture of a thermometer with a drip of liquid) doesnt seem to ever move, are these two related ?

 

What do I do with the wire ?

 

Thanks.

[GLPoomobile 958]

The gauge is for the oil temp, and the wire hanging down will be the wire to the oil temp sensor. If you get underneath the car and look at the back of the sump you'll see the sensor screwed in to the sump. The wire usually has a ring terminal on it, so you'll probably find the terminal still screwed on to the sensor, and the wire has pulled off.

Edited January 27, 2009 by GLPoomobile

[lemmingzappa 75 1 Cars]

thanks for the reply, I'll have a closer look later on.

[lemmingzappa 75 1 Cars]

Well I fitted one of those blue snap connectors to join the two wires together, and it was a bloody nightmare only having the car up on the curb.

Didnt seem to work, obviously I cant tell if the snap connector has actually penetrated the plastic coating on the wire so maybe this is the issue ? (I couldnt seem to squeeze it any tighter)

 

The wires were a bit oily (hopefully not a fire risk) but I didnt think it would matter too much as the metal piece of the connector is supposed to cut into the core of the wire anyway.

 

Any tips or suggestions ?

 

 

 

P.S - I wish I had a car ramp/pit

[Anthony 1,000]

The oil temperature gauge typically won't move much (if at all) bumbling around in this weather - normally need several miles of motorway driving to get it to register. That said, those snap-connectors are rubbish at the best of times, let alone on dirty and no doubt oxidised wire...

[lemmingzappa 75 1 Cars]

Turns out I fixed it.

 

I just hope the voltage on those gauges are low otherwise the wires covered in oil will burst into flames.

[nick 3]

Unless your car is running on 240v I doubt you will need to worry.....

 

Nick