35DLM8 dizzy earth tag and wiring

cappers · Oct 10, 2020

Noticed today that the earth tag ? to the body of the 35DLM8 distributor had corroded badly and it broke off on moving it to see if I could repair it.

It is a wire mesh around the blue and red wires to the ignition amp on the side of the dizzy, and was attached to the male tag on the body with a female blade.
Photo of the male tag on dizzy body below the ignition amp.
The engine starts and runs fine without this earth but is it important and should it be replaced?
I assume it is a screen for the ignition amp wires but maybe it a dizzy earth? Just guessing. And where does the other end go? Can I solder a mesh strap to the remnant in the wire to attach to the tag?
Any advice much appreciated.

discool · Oct 10, 2020

Clear photo showing the items u mention would be handy, what’s the black stuff? To solder anything will depend on the type of metal,

cappers · Oct 10, 2020

discool said:
Clear photo showing the items u mention would be handy, what’s the black stuff? To solder anything will depend on the type of metal,

Not easy getting a camera down there!

The blue and red wires enter the ignition amplifier on the side of the distributor.
These wires are sheathed in braided wire mesh within an outer black sleeve and go to the coil. I assume the braided wire goes to ground somewhere?
The braided wire diverts from the red and blue wires going to the amp and was attached to a spade on the side of the dizzy (circle in the photo).

The black stuff is some oil spill I couldn't get to to mop up.

As said, it starts and runs fine not attached but will this cause problems? I suppose it was there for a reason.

discool · Oct 10, 2020

If wires are placed in a braided sleeve is usually to stop any possibility of interference only, that’s why it was earthed to the engine.
so if your radio isn’t crackling etc forget about it

cappers · Oct 10, 2020

Thanks @discool , just found this on the Cobra Forum:

Q....there is a spare spade on the distributor next to the black box, I assume this is an earth connection.
A. Some of the black boxes had three spades in the connector, one was for an earth screen around the two wires that go to the coil. If the dizzy has another spade somewhere else then I guess its an earth, I would have thought that the fact that the dizzy is bolted to the block would make a good earth connection anyway!

As mine is the two pin module with the braided wire I guess it is the screen for the amp-coil wires.

discool said:
so if your radio isn’t crackling etc forget about it

Haven't checked that, although the reception is hit and miss anyway (cheapo Halfords jobby).

I was more concerned that the lack of shielding earth might affect the ECU or other electronics sensitive to interference?

Edit ..And this on the Classic Rover Forum:

The terminal on the side of the distributor body is almost certainly a additional earth. Would recommend using it to protect your module from burnout due to a spike or leak from high KV from the secondary ignition (leads, cap etc..)

So I will trace the wiring back and see if there's enough slack to pull it closer to make a joint to join to the spade. Unfortunately the braided wire snapped about 2 inches away from the spade and I need some length to cut back to the braiding.

Cheers.

discool · Oct 11, 2020

Okay, firstly well done with you research and finding that information. I can’t remember seeing any braiding attached to the dizzy of my 3.5 which had the amp attached. Disco amp is fitted remotely by LR, links below of a kit similar, is below... expensive

In my experience individual ECUs, etc are grounded independently one way or another as required.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/362041721987
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/121396572713

cappers · Oct 11, 2020

discool · Oct 11, 2020

So So clear now

the easy way to solve if not the best way is to crimp a patch... so 2 x crimps and a length of wire to suit in between, that is of course if u have access to to that, if not then replace the whole braid with wire + new tags and screws what ever to suit.
Or forget about it, until you find u want something to do

35DLM8 dizzy earth tag and wiring

cappers

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cappers

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