'73 fusebox problems, need help

[gogriz91]

replaced the fusebox in my '73 with the MSA upgraded one. There was the infamous extra wire plugged in to the back of my old fusebox on the lower left hand side. (Pic attached). This wire was run through the middle back of the fusebox and screwed onto the back of it. (Pic attached)

Any ideas what this wire was for? Do I need to put the old fusebox back in? Is there a workaround for whatever this was for?

[Arne]

That's the main power lead to from the battery to the fusebox. Gotta have it. Doesn't the MSA box have a place to attach it?

[EScanlon]

That White/Red wire is either the direct connection from the Alternator or the one that connects to the Ammeter. So it's not really an "infamous" wire.

Without it you won't have Dome or Engine bay lamp, Instrument Lamps nor Parking Lights. The MSA Box should have some provision for receiving that connection.

FWIW

E

[EScanlon]

Arne, the main connection for the battery to the fuse box is through the Fuse Link (it's the only connection) and that wire is the White visible in the lower right of the inverted fuse box.

E

[gogriz91]

I'll pick through the back of the fusebox but didn't see anything obvious. When I say infamous, I mean there's always something left over that won't fit into the replacement part...back to the worn out old fusebox, thanks guys.

[EScanlon]

Check the wiring at / by the connector. There MUST be a connection for that wire, if not, send it back to MSA and explain the omission.

You can determine where it should connect to if you compare the old to the new fuse box and see where the wire connected to the old and then look for a connection on the new that leads to the same area.

HTH

E

[gogriz91]

It looked like the wire placement on the old fusebox was an afterthought. There was a piece of plastic at the top center of the old fusebox that had been cut so this wire could be run through it then attached to the back of one of the fuses. That screw hole on the left side of the back of the fusebox was where this thing was screwed in to. I'll call MSA next week and see if they have a workaround.

[Darrel]

Can you take a pic of the new fuse block?

The new fuse block should have a cut out at the top right for the power wire to go through and attach to the fuse(front) right side of the block. I would take a pic but my cam batteries are dead.

[Darrel]

Here's the image from msa. The white with red stripe wire attaches to the threaded lug show. There should be a cutout on the wire side(top) of the fuse block case.

[Arne]

It looked like the wire placement on the old fusebox was an afterthought.

Well, sort of. The early long-pigtail fuseboxes for the Series 1 cars did not use a screw connection for the white/red wire, but used male and female blade terminals instead. Apparently Nissan felt these were not as reliable for critical circuits, and starting with the 1/71 production they moved to the short pigtail fusebox with the screw connection instead. So I guess you could call it an 'afterthought' on Nissan's part. I choose to think of it as an improvement.

[gogriz91]

Well, upon looking at Darrel's picture and looking at my own fusebox I have now correctly wired the new fusebox in, thanks for all the help, what a huge relief!

[GILDIA]

Hi, looking at the picture, where does the terminal (circle in red) connects to?

I am having problems figuring it out

Thank you