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Wire colors and function

Pomorza
Pomorza
in Electrical

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Posted
comment_671953

Hello everyone

At the beginning of November I started the restoration of my 76' 280z. The body is currently getting fixed and painted, engine is being rebuilt and I took on the task of rewiring the dash for the new gauges. My plan is to use the wires required from the original dash harness while getting rid of the ones I don't. Here is where the problem(s) start. I have a FSM and a colored wiring diagram but to be honest I'm having a hard time figuring out what wire does what.

I started with the speedometer, which in the FSM states has 7 wires (one spare pin). Mine has all eight used. The connector pins out as follows:

The connector is as follows:

  1. Red

  2. Red/white

  3. Green/white

  4. Green/yellow

  5. Red/Blue

  6. Black

  7. Green

  8. Green/red

 

I know that the green/white and red/blue are the dash lights - not sure which one is power and which one is ground - and black is ground. I'm also almost positive that the red is your 12V switched from the fuse panel. All the other ones I'm at a loss for. Could someone chime and help?

Thank you
Jan

Edited by Pomorza

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comment_671954
  On 12/2/2024 at 1:35 AM, Pomorza said:

Hello everyone

At the beginning of November I started the restoration of my 76' 280z. The body is currently getting fixed and painted, engine is being rebuilt and I took on the task of rewiring the dash for the new gauges. My plan is to use the wires required from the original dash harness while getting rid of the ones I don't. Here is where the problem(s) start. I have a FSM and a colored wiring diagram but to be honest I'm having a hard time figuring out what wire does what.

I started with the speedometer, which in the FSM states has 7 wires (one spare pin). Mine has all eight used. The connector pins out as follows:

The connector is as follows:

  1. Red

  2. Red/white

  3. Green/white

  4. Green/yellow

  5. Red/Blue

  6. Black

  7. Green

  8. Green/red

I know that the green/white and red/blue are the dash lights - not sure which one is power and which one is ground - and black is ground. I'm also almost positive that the red is your 12V switched from the fuse panel. All the other ones I'm at a loss for. Could someone chime and help?

Thank you
Jan

Green (12VDC+) and green/yellow are for the brake warning light.

Red and red/white are for the high beam indicator. (Right headlight circuit).

Green/white is 12VDC+ for gauge lights. Red/blue goes to the rheostat (dimmer).

Green/red (Yellow in the dash harness) goes to the BCDD cut solenoid.

Black is ground.

Edited by SteveJ

    • Like 2
    • Author
    comment_671955
      Quote

    Green (12VDC+) and green/yellow are for the brake warning light.

    Red and red/white are for the high beam indicator. (Right headlight circuit).

    Green/white is 12VDC+ for gauge lights. Red/blue goes to the rheostat (dimmer).

    Green/red (Yellow in the dash harness) goes to the BCDD cut solenoid.

    Black is ground.

    Steve.

    Thank you sir. How would I go about wiring the high beam indicator on my new gauge if its only one wire - should I just put the red + red/white together?

    Cheers
    Jan

    comment_671991
      On 12/2/2024 at 4:00 AM, Pomorza said:

    Steve.

    Thank you sir. How would I go about wiring the high beam indicator on my new gauge if its only one wire - should I just put the red + red/white together?

    Cheers
    Jan

    Considering you haven't said what gauges you are using, there is no way to tell for certain.

    comment_672020
      On 12/2/2024 at 9:18 PM, Pomorza said:

    Speed hut Z series. The speedometer has both the high beam indicator (one wire) and the turn signals (one wire each).

    I was thinking you were going that way. What I did for someone else was wire a relay as described below. (See https://fiddlingwithzcars.wordpress.com/2012/12/22/relays-simplified/ for a reference on the pin numbers.)

    Red - Wire to pins 86 and 87.

    Red/white - Wire to pin 85.

    Wire pin 30 to the high beam indicator in the gauge.

    Here's a link to relays on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/awlbed-Replacements-Waterproof-Automotive-Accessories/dp/B0CP1ZYWJZ

      On 12/3/2024 at 12:46 AM, Yarb said:

    Did they not come with any form of a schematic?

    They do, and the schematic is online, too. However, Speedhut never had the wiring modified to be plug-and-play for the Z.

    • Author
    comment_672029
      Quote

    I was thinking you were going that way. What I did for someone else was wire a relay as described below. (See https://fiddlingwithzcars.wordpress.com/2012/12/22/relays-simplified/ for a reference on the pin numbers.)

    Red - Wire to pins 86 and 87.

    Red/white - Wire to pin 85.

    Wire pin 30 to the high beam indicator in the gauge.

    Here's a link to relays on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/awlbed-Replacements-Waterproof-Automotive-Accessories/dp/B0CP1ZYWJZ

    I was worried that this would require more than just plug and play. Simple enough though, I was planning on adding relays to the headlights anyway.

    Just to make sure I have everything correct here.
    From the Speedhut schematic
    1. Red (pwr) -> Green power wire on Z car (12V)
    2. Black (gnd) -> black on z car (ground)
    3. White  (lights) -> green/white on Z car (dash lights)*
    4. Blue (high beam) -> pin 30 on said relay
    5. Green/orange (RTS) -> white/black on Z car (12v turn sign right)
    6. green/red (LTS) -> white/red Z car(12v turn sig. left)

    *Or do the dash lights also have to go through a relay since there are two wires. I don't plan on using the dimmer (was actually planning on removing it all together). 

    All the other gauges are just three wire + sensors which I can figure out pretty easily.

    Thank you for all the help!

    Cheers
    Jan

    comment_672032
      On 12/3/2024 at 9:24 PM, Pomorza said:

    I was worried that this would require more than just plug and play. Simple enough though, I was planning on adding relays to the headlights anyway.

    Just to make sure I have everything correct here.
    From the Speedhut schematic
    1. Red (pwr) -> Green power wire on Z car (12V) - That will work
    2. Black (gnd) -> black on z car (ground) - That will work
    3. White  (lights) -> green/white on Z car (dash lights)* - That should work. Red/blue does not need to be connected.
    4. Blue (high beam) -> pin 30 on said relay - Still going strong
    5. Green/orange (RTS) -> white/black on Z car (12v turn sign right) - That should be green/black
    6. green/red (LTS) -> white/red Z car(12v turn sig. left) - Yes

    *Or do the dash lights also have to go through a relay since there are two wires. I don't plan on using the dimmer (was actually planning on removing it all together). 

    All the other gauges are just three wire + sensors which I can figure out pretty easily.

    Thank you for all the help!

    Cheers
    Jan

    Now if you haven't cut the connectors off your dash harness, you can de-pin the wires you need, and pin them into new connectors. Then you can put female connectors on your gauges to make it where you can plug and unplug the gauges from the harness.

    Here's a source for the YPC connectors. You have to buy the pins separately.https://www.hi-1000ec.com/product/1135

    If you want to go down that path, I can advise you.

    I attached the latest update to my LED light list. Note that sometimes bulbs disappear from Amazon. I usually find out when I hear from someone trying to buy from the list. Here is a suggested source for the H4 housings:  *Link removed by SteveJ* Cheaper option: https://tinyurl.com/mr66wfd2

    I don't use the relay wiring kit that comes with it, but you could repurpose one of the relays for your high beam.

     

    LED bulb list 2024-12-03.txtFetching info...

    Edited by SteveJ

    comment_672034
      On 12/3/2024 at 11:09 PM, Yarb said:

    Don’t know if it’s just me, the last couple of days eBay links are erroring out on this site.

    How about a non-ebay link? https://www.google.com/search?q=81110-60P70&sca_esv=427fd9fc564ca397&sxsrf=ADLYWILMGej8UneOeVTFsc1VBYcwYqWibw%3A1733268603748&source=hp&ei=e5RPZ9OcK_iIwbkPqPbayAQ&iflsig=AL9hbdgAAAAAZ0-ii2PzxIsi6K-RZX6yIH85AzsXThiC&ved=0ahUKEwiTxrLb4IyKAxV4RDABHSi7FkkQ4dUDCBo&uact=5&oq=81110-60P70&gs_lp=Egdnd3Mtd2l6Igs4MTExMC02MFA3MDIEECMYJzIIEAAYgAQYogQyBRAAGO8FMgUQABjvBTIIEAAYgAQYogQyBRAAGO8FSIVeUABY_ldwAXgAkAEAmAFfoAG6AaoBATK4AQPIAQD4AQL4AQGYAgKgAmCoAgrCAgcQIxgnGOoCmAMDkgcBMqAH1AQ&sclient=gws-wiz

    Edited by SteveJ

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