Sources of replacement wiring looms for EU2 K-series

[JP]

As part of my rebuild, I'm thinking of replacing the entire loom.  There is nothing wrong with the electrics now, but the car is over 20 years old and electrical gremlins are likely to be a potential source of unreliability in the future.  It would also be relatively easy to replace the loom now.

I cannot see a suitable loom on the Caterham parts site and no-one seems to be answering the phone in Dartford today.  Can anyone suggest sources for replacement looms?  I do not really want to cobble one together myself, but would prefer an exact copy that I can simply replace.  Mine is a supersport.

Also, I might upgrade to an Emerald in my rebuild.  Is that a direct swap for the std ECU, or is there some wiring modification required that I should factor in now?

[Jonathan Kay]

Andrew Revill's notes on the EU2 engine loom.

Discussion of potential (!) suppliers.

Jonathan

[JP]

Thanks Jonathan - I'll review...

[JP]

So...I spoke to Dartford today - they haven't provided replacement k-series looms for years I was told.  Something about the plugs not being available, I was told...?

Spoke to autosparks who I have used for rewiring my Land Rovers.  They are not really interested. 

No answer from ST - I will keep trying.  Any other sources for looms that anyone can recommend?

[John Vine]

Have you discussed this with Andrew Revill?

JV

[JP]

#5 - No, I haven't I'll BM him.  Many thanks

 

[John Vine]

You could also try Motorcycle Electrical Services (MES) in Warwick on 01926 499756.  They make looms for CC and may well have made your original one.  If so, they might still have the drawings.

JV

[TomB]

Would be a great opportunity to add lightness and use modern thinwall wiring throughout.  When I replaced some wiring from the rear right wheel area for all the rear lights, fuel pump, the difference in the size of the wrapped loom was noticeable over the original wiring. With hindsight, doing something simlr when I rebuilt would have been worth doing, but theres only do many hours in the day!      

[anthonym]

Hello, this sounds painfully familiar. Andrew replaced mine for me a while ago. Trying to think where I got my new loom.

edit: no the Emerald (K6) is not a direct swop and is a VERY complex rewire, made by Andrew.

If you do this also consider cleaning, if not replacing the "grey plug" that connects the engine loom to the main loom, also the "famous purple wire connector" ( a spade as it is famous for halting the car; it is the 12v feed from the engine loom to the ECU. 

Loads more on this subject should you wish to chase it - assuming we have the same (e.g. replace all connections esp various ones)

ant

[JP]

Cheers...I'm investigating some leads and I'll report back...

[Jonathan Kay]

"... I'm investigating some leads... "

Are you meeting any resistance?

; - )

Jonathan

[anthonym]

if you have a Stack dash that loom can be bought from Andrew on P: +44 (0) 1869 205 160 (Originally Stack UK) to replace the CC integrated version.

I think my loom came from CC, being probably the last one.

[Tony Whitley]

edit: no the Emerald (K6) is not a direct swop and is a VERY complex rewire, made by Andrew.

Are you sure? It's a number of years ago but I remember swapping to and fro between my Emerald and the old MEMS on my old EU2-engined car when debugging a starting problem.  I have even vaguer memories of changing a wire on the connector but I think that was just to add the Emerald's map switch input.

[7 wonders of the world]

I would look to have a thinwall version made, the OE K series looms were modified Rover looms and they were not without their faults - which is why on my rebuild I built my own.

If you have the old loom you can make a pin board and copy it, or simply run them around the bare chassis from your pre mounted relays / fuese etc

 

[JP]

Thanks all.  I do have the old loom.  I managed to remove the loom fully intact and still connected to the dash / ecu etc.

I am in discussion with Caterham  / MES and I have reached out to Andrew to see what might be available.  If not then my options are to carefully refit the old loom or make a new one myself.  Whilst the car is stripped it seems daft to refit the old one, even though it works.  I can see it becoming a source of problems as the years go on...

[Wrightpayne]

My 25 year old EU2 loom is still fine. 
 

I'd either check all the connectors and replace any that look frail / green OR make a copy loom.

There are several wires in the loom that are redundant - one of my 'to-do' tasks is to strip these out.

Econoseal plugs are available from Polevolt.

[TomB]

Mine is too. What I’ve done is stages is to peel off all the original tape, and clean the wiring with a toothbrush and gentle spray cleaner, inspected and replaced any cracked plugs/sockets, then rewrapped in proper loom tape - NOT insulation tape.

[revilla]

@JP - Email received and replied to.

@Tony Whitley - Anthony's rewire did indeed turn out to be rather more complicated. Yes an Emerald ECU is a straightforward replacement for a regular EU2 ECU, but Anthony had bought one of the last R400/500 looms from Caterham, and it was for an MBE ECU with a completely different connector, different scheme for the injectors etc. We had a bit of a conversion job to do. Being 5000' up in the Alps in a single garage with the door open for light in heavy snow made it all the more challenging!

[JP]

Thanks everyone - I'll keep you posted when I hear further from Caterham...