Mucus72 Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 Hi all,The assembly guide is no good at this point. I assume that if you have the 6-speed box, then your reverse light connection to the loom is through a circular hole I don't even have in my chassis. I see where it would have been, as the heat shield still has a circular cut out on the RHS of the tunnel.Anyway, back to my query. Pease could someone identify what each of these cables in the photo is.I am pretty sure the rear most one is for hand brake. Then I have two spade connectors exiting the loom near the gearbox, and two sets of connectors coming out of the gear box. The first white plastic connector blocks come immediately out of the top of the box just left and in front of the gear stick.The furthest away black connector is heat shrink wrapped and comes around the left side of the front of the box from directly underneath.I don't know what to connect to what, or even how...!Thanks in advanceMarcus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Jonathan Kay Posted June 12, 2016 Member Share Posted June 12, 2016 It might be possible to deduce some from the "standard" colours. Do any of the wires have secondary colours? Have you found the fuel level sender wire? Where's the speedometer sender on the car?JonathanPS: Does your Assembly Guide mention that box at all? if so please can I have a copy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR400D Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 That looks like the reverse light switch with the two females which will connect to the two males shown Doesn't matter which way, it just allows that pair of males to connect. I think the forward connectors on the box are for a neutral light which you don't use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR400D Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 Thinking a bit more, and doing a bit of on line searching, it may be that the forward switch is the reverse switch. Also, though I can't see it that clearly, the two white connectors in your image look like males, so they wouldn't connect to the two spades anyway? Do the two spades reach and fit in the forward gearbox connection? If so that would be the best bet.I also see on P72 of the latest assembly guide a photo that indicates that the forward switch is the one to use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Jonathan Kay Posted June 12, 2016 Member Share Posted June 12, 2016 ScottR400D: Private Mail sent.Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mucus72 Posted June 12, 2016 Author Share Posted June 12, 2016 This is fascinating Scott. When I printed out the full assembly guide I realised that the engine sections kept repeating themselves and this is due to the fact that there are many build variants here. So what I did was printed just the pages in the egine section related to teh 420R with dry sump, which starts from page 109. Which means that I never printed page 72 because this section relates to Sigma install. However, and with your assist here, on closer inspection, Caterham don't repeat the common pieces accurately, so therefore no picture or words relating to the Mazda 5 speed reverse switch in my print out.I have now gone back in to my garage anf fitted the loom reverse cables to the forward most black female connectors and you and page 72 (and the picture) shows. Easy. I suppose I ignore the other connection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mucus72 Posted June 12, 2016 Author Share Posted June 12, 2016 btw Jonathan Im just using the latest Version 02.2015.b guide as per Caterham web site download page. The box is mentioned in all engine sections w.r.t. chassis mounting plate, and the Sigma only section wr.t. electrical connections. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Jonathan Kay Posted June 12, 2016 Member Share Posted June 12, 2016 Yes, I've just downloaded a copy following Peter's advice.... Caterham don't repeat the common pieces accurately...Yes, not exactly a textbook example of knowledge management. Fortunately we have each other.:-)Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mucus72 Posted June 12, 2016 Author Share Posted June 12, 2016 It's also damn annoying because I torqued the small bolts that hold the spring gasket to the top plate of the gear stick to 20NM according to the guide, but then on the P72/P73 pages for Sigma only, it recommends 10NM for the Mazda 5 speed, and I have rounded the damn Allen key bolts, but never mind, its not going to come off in the next 5/10 years, and its somewhere between 10 and 20 NM.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR400D Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 I would think you can ignore the other switch but as soon as you can, put the ignition on and l check that the reverse light works as it should. (Before you fit the tunnel cover, perhaps?). If it's the wrong switch your reverse light will be on all the while you're in neutral. (Or all the while you're in any gear?)I guess you could prove the point by connecting up the other switch and seeing if it does the above but that assumes that both switches will actually connect to the harness spades. About the manual, I found lots of confusing instructions, though persistence and patience usually got me through. I put an old PC in the garage and put the manual on that. Makes it easy to search for pages etc. Ref. the gearbox top, if you've rounded off the screws tightening, then they may unscrew easily and you could get replacements so that you can fit with the correct torque?Peter Scott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Jonathan Kay Posted June 12, 2016 Member Share Posted June 12, 2016 Is access to the damaged heads better now than it will be in the future?And the one that only you can answer... will you be happy knowing that the heads are damaged? (Do you know the story of the shim in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance?)Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim 123 Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 On my build the forward most connectors exiting the gearbox are for the reversing light. The other loom connector on the 5 speed box is surplus to requirements and should just be tied out of the way with no connection into the main loom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR400D Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 Haha! Good question JK! I don't think I would rest easy even though it's no issue practically. (probably!). Is it the 3 M6 button heads visible in the pic? Should be easy to get replacements locally, nothing special needed for 10Nm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mucus72 Posted June 12, 2016 Author Share Posted June 12, 2016 Yes it's those three little set screws Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigyb Posted June 13, 2016 Share Posted June 13, 2016 Easy to test with your multi meter. Just pop it into the fuse test mode, I showed you, where it beeps when a connection is made, onto the 2 connectors near the front and you should get a beep when you put it into reverse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mucus72 Posted June 14, 2016 Author Share Posted June 14, 2016 Looking for a little bit of advice still on the same topic. The 3 M6 X 12mm button head hex screws are soft crappy things. I can't get them out. For a while I thought I would try and ignore this but it so transpires that later in the build this spring gasket rubber topped gear stick gaiter seal has to come off again to add some oil. Damn and drat. So tomorrow I'm working from home and will pop into the garage to try and sort. My plan is to get out my Dremel and cut a slot in the top of each and unscrew via a flat screwdriver. But access may stop me from getting my Dremel down and into the transmission tunnel. I guess I could try a junior hacksaw...Any smart options would be lovely before I hack and chop my way out of trouble!ThanksMarcus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Jonathan Kay Posted June 14, 2016 Member Share Posted June 14, 2016 I'd go for a Dremelled slot first. And you can get a flexible shaft. It's not essential to make a full width slot to get purchase.http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NTAwWDUwMA==/z/LZsAAOxyGwNTF0kB/%24_35.JPG?set_id=880000500FCan you wiggle the whole thing to improve access?Experts weld something on or drill and use extractors etc...Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mucus72 Posted June 14, 2016 Author Share Posted June 14, 2016 Didn't realise there were quite so many Dremel accessories. I've just lost half an hour of my life watching mini videos on their main site, great fun. Have acquired the flexible shaft, I mean who wouldn't want one of them ;)I should be ok with that, as welding or drilling out is outside of my comfort zone...Thanks for your thoughts.Marcus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Reeves Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 Mucas you are fortunate as one member damaged the threads in the box because of that mis information! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mucus72 Posted June 16, 2016 Author Share Posted June 16, 2016 Jonathan. You will be pleased to know that I really enjoyed the shim excerpt from Zen and the Art of Motorcycle maintenance. I had a think about this for a few days, took on board the shim like options confronting me, and didn't walk away and leave the problem. Assessment and conversation led to 5 potential solution scenarios. 1. Hammer a slightly larger Torx bit into the rounded hex hole. 2. The Dremel attachment acquisition and use thereof. 3. Drill out the heads4. Weld on something else 5. Hammer and chiselThe mulling process was time consuming. I had a crack at number 1, but not enough room to swing a hammer and get any result. Which removed option 5 too. Option 2 did the trick, thank you. Again the satisfaction from a job well un-botched was palpable. Even an early onset goth pre-teen daughter thought something miraculous had happened that was worth her looking up from an iDevice for more than a tenth of a second. That too was the longest interaction this week with her. Wonderful heady stuff this car assembly malarkey. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR400D Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 Now, be careful putting the new screws in. Button heads look right but the sockets are always shallow and easy to damage, especially if your keys are a bit worn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan T Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 And I still need to fix it.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Reeves Posted June 16, 2016 Share Posted June 16, 2016 ooops I thought you had got it sorted... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Jonathan Kay Posted June 18, 2016 Member Share Posted June 18, 2016 Again the satisfaction from a job well un-botched was palpable.See also lost sheep, lost coins and lost sons.:-)JonathanPS: I gave one of my daughters a Dremel for her birthday... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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