loose connector identification

[Dimi 7 1 Cars]

Hi Fellow Members,
My CDK2 engine has a loose connection, which I found between and below the alternator and intake manifold. See photo.

Could you identify it and let me know where to connect it! There is a sensor in the same spot but seems there is a connector already plugged on it and no other pin is bare.

Also, may be related, the oil temp on the dash gauge is sitting at the start and not moving.

 

Looking forward to your suggestions.

 

[PhilNW 40]

Is this charging light on the dash ON ?  looks like the one off the alternator that regulates the voltage

Edited May 16, 2020 by PhilNW

[Ryan 99]

The lowest mark on the oil temp gauge is about 70C, so it does take a while to start moving. If it never moves at all then the sensor is in the sump next to the drain plug and it should have a wire with a ring terminal bolted to it.

[Dimi 7 1 Cars]

Thank you PhilNW, that was it!

 

Ryan, the sensor is connected and I will have to check this further. Thank you too.

 

 

[Dimi 7 1 Cars]

A photo of the alternator wire connection for dash charing light. I had to stare and fomble for minutes and it was right in front on my eyes, of course facing the intake. The wire barely reaches.

Thanks again PaulNW

Off to the oil temp sensor troubleshooting :-)

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Dimi 7 1 Cars]

Hi Ryan,

 

Me again. So the wire is connected to the sump temp sender. I followed the wire up and in the beginning it is a soft rubber and later became hard plastic. See photo. That is thanks to the heat from the exhaust manifold. There was a crack in the rubber turned plastic insulation of the wire and you can see the wire inside. On top there were more cracks on the insulation. Finallt the wire goes with other two sensor wires to the Brown connector. I can only see it and have to dismantle some things to get to it.

Planning to get to it and spray some electric connection cleaner and hope for the best.

Should I unscrew the bottom nut and spary there too. May be some fine sandpaper to clean the connection surfaces.

While I was under, I sprayed some silicone grease on all the gear change joints.

Then, noticed that there is a sensor with two prongs at the back of the block that was not connected to any wires. What could that be? I did not find any wires hanging around. Looked from top too. Also referenced the parts catalog to see what that is, but seems that there are only drawings of the front of the engine.

 

[Dimi 7 1 Cars]

Photo of the wire from the oil temperature sensor. You can see the orange sensor on the top left of the photo and the wires with cracked insulation on the top right corner.

[Dimi 7 1 Cars]

Here is the photo of the sensor at the back on the engine, next to the oil dipstick pipe.

[Ryan 99]

The unconnected 2-pin sensor is the oil level sensor. It was only used on some very early GTIs (the oil temp gauge would show the oil level for a few seconds when you turned on the ignition). Most GTIs have it unconnected or a blanking plug fitted instead.

 

For the oil temp try earthing the ring terminal on the sump end of the wire. If the oil temp gauge goes all the way up with the ignition on then the wiring is OK. If not then it could be a broken wire or a bad connector. All the sensor wiring goes through that brown muli-way connector and it's a common fault for the terminals to corrode.

[Dimi 7 1 Cars]

Thanks Ryan, it is good I am not missing any connection.

I tried unscrewing the nut on the oil temp sensor and it spins freely and cannot be undone. Will fiddle with it more, so I can get the wire off to try the earthing you told me.

I found two empty sockets in the corner of the bulkhead and I guess one of them is for that oil level sensor that sits open as per your note. There is a second empty one. Mine is Ph 2 car. Do you know which one is for what or they are just leftovers from the past for the model. See photo

[Ryan 99]

Not sure. I've never seen those before.

[Dimi 7 1 Cars]

Hi Ryan, you can already guess that I found another single cable which was "hidden" on top of the engine. It is coming from the brown connector to the coil on top of the air intake. See photo. The wire is very short so it is puzzling where does it plug to? Or is it the so called cable for engine timing tune up at the factory.

Will appreciate your input.

 

[Ryan 99]

That one is for fitting a suppression capacitor. Some old car radios used to pick up interference from the ignition and make a buzzing noise that varied with the revs. You'd fit a suppression capacitor to try and fix it.

[Dimi 7 1 Cars]

Thank you, Ryan! I will tuck it away again.

On another note, I managed to unscrew the small 7 mm nut on the oil temp sensor, then cleaned and placed a washer behind, so to fill the space where the thread is destroyed. Then put back the nut on and it tightened well. Hope that will solve it.

[Dimi 7 1 Cars]

Hi Ryan,

the green connector in the above close up photo turns out to the Diagnostic 2 Pin Code reader connector  (a photo will also follow). It connects to a Dummy port. The other two ports are Dummies too (meaning there are no wires coming into them, just blank plastic connectors).

I am writing this so it may be of reference to others with Ph 2 LHD cars who may be wondering.