Extra wire needs a home (Update w/ pic 10/04/11)

[A_Whelan]

Didn't get a chance to look last night, going to follow it and see what it's connected to.

So hopefully the fuse box isn't getting power and that is my problem, thanks again and I'll post with updates!

[A_Whelan]

I just received an email from my father

"The wire I hooked up does not make a difference to the car.
The only fuses that have power (+ 12 vt )in the fuse box are 21,23,27
All the other fuses have no power going to them thus no fuel pump and the res tof the items. There has to be a + wire out of place or not hooked up."

What should be the next move?

[A_Whelan]

Just got a call from my father and he said there is a wire (a bigger one) on the right hand side of the engine that has power when the battery is hooked up. He is going to take a picture tomorrow but I am guessing this is the power for the E30 fuse box. Where is the terminal to hook up power to the fuse box, I did some searching but can't find anything.

Thanks in advance!

[MaxBell]

I'm interested to see what the outcome of this is.

[A_Whelan]

^ Same ahah

Okay, dear old Dad was out tinkering again and a new discovery popped up

"Update
With wire hooked up to the terminal and the KEY IN THE ON POSITION there is 12vt power to the following fuses# 1,5,6,8,10,12,16,17, 23,25, 25 ,27,28
The rest of the fuses have no power.

#9 and 11 have no power, these are for the fuel pump."

Forgot about the on position ahah.

Any ideas?

[A_Whelan]

Here is a picture of the wire, it's a #10 or 12 gauge wire coming out of the right side of the harness and it always has 12volts going to it.

[328ijunkie]

That goes to the fusebox on the E36.

[A_Whelan]

So I guess that's not my problem?

[Mr.SWISS]

Uh yea I pulled that one out it's pointless the E30 cable gives 12+ to teh starter just fine. The eylets that power your dme and FP relay et al is on the pass side and I am betting is hooked up to a ground on accident. If not put your meter on that hot eyelet and the body and see if it has 12+ If so you have other wiring woes, if not, put it on a pole that has 12+ not the mounting nut that most people (including myself almost 10 years ago) do.

[A_Whelan]

Thank you kindly for the post, we will check on the ground cables and make sure something isn't mixed up.

[Philo]

I don't remember the wire with the ribbed plastic cover going to the positive box. That looks like a wire that should run to the starter. Just a thought.

[evil_twin]

Do you have a chip in your DMM? Is it installed correctly?

[A_Whelan]

I don't remember the wire with the ribbed plastic cover going to the positive box. That looks like a wire that should run to the starter. Just a thought.

I think that wire comes out the passenger side of the harness so I don't think there is any way it can go to the starter.

Do you have a chip in your DMM? Is it installd correctly?

I assume DMM = digital multimeter? I'm not pretty sure that's working fine.

[evil_twin]

Sorry meant to type DME

[Philo]

I think that wire comes out the passenger side of the harness so I don't think there is any way it can go to the starter.

Must be an Auto thing that was left in. I would trace it back and see what it goes to. It doesn't look familiar to me.