If anyone has recently removed an engine wiring harness I sure would appreciate the wire that runs from the driver's side of the harness down to the brake distributor block. I have a connector up on the main harness with a brownish, tan wire that I suspect is where I make the connection. For some reason, my car is completely missing this wire. Need the wire and connectors on both ends. I can pay with PP friends if that is acceptable. Or if someone knows of a place that would sell this part new. Many thanks in advance.

 

I think I have that let me check condition and I will send you a PM

 

So here is what I found. I do have the wire in good shape but it does not go to the connector you mentioned. It goes directly to the bulk head connector.

 

That is correct. The wire for the differential pressure switch is built into the engine harness.

 

Now, I don't know how to proceed. I suspected the brake wire would plug into this brownish wire socket at the firewall shown in my attached photo, but according to what I see and hear now that is not the case. Anyone know the purpose of this wire shown? Now that someone is offering the wire to me where does the wire carry the signal, to the dashboard from the distributor block?

 

There is no attached photo, but I'm going to guess that you are talking about the pigtail that feeds the optional under hood light. You do not want to plug the brake wire into that. The drawing you posted shows the brake wire as part of the harness, which it is.

 

 

Photo attached. Got it, hood light connection. I guess at this point I need to trace down tbe wire; it may have been cut and pulled through possibly as I don't see a trace of it on the engine side of the firewall.

 

The brake wire ends at a terminal in the firewall connector. You can't "pull it through". Either someone physically removed the terminal and wire from the firewall connector (extremely unlikely) or the remains of that wire are still wrapped up in that harness bundle. The brake wire is more tan than the brown of the underhood lamp wire, but it may all look black by now.

 

Could it be for an under hood light?
Edit: Took to long to respond.

 

I think we already determined that.

 

I would suggest, as Joe has already, the brown wire is your under hood lamp wire. It would emanate from that wire loom/harness. Is there a wire already attached to your under hood lamp? Or is there even an under hood lamp installed?

 

Never be too certain about anything.

 

Thanks everyone for the information. I'll spend more time looking for the rements of the tan wire now. No, there is no light under the hood.

 

I can't imagine someone electing to cut the warning light wire from the distro block and removing it completely - that would be bizarre. I'd expect someone at a minimum to wrap it up in tape or zip-tie it off and leave it if they hadn't planned on using it for any reason.

 

Those are my thoughts too. The chase is on!

 

With conclusions like this one there is always pie, fresh apple pie from a tree in my yard; yes I baked it! Thanks again everyone.

 

I just walked into the man-cave to review my wire. Unfortunately, I have not reviewed my wiring diagram or yours. And, I believe my 1971 was the first year for the A-Body to use a combination valve and your valve is a distribution block not the combination valve. But, low and behold, the wire on my combination valve is in fact brown and runs from the wire loom harness (with no plugs) directly down to the combination valve. I just found it surprising mine is actually brown.

 

The wiring diagram in the CSM shows it as tan (as it is in the photo in Post #3), but that wire is close to the exhaust and is half a century old. In any case, it doesn't matter if it's a distribution block or combo valve, the wire in the harness is the same.

 

Yeah, the bloody bugger in my CSM shows it as tan, also. Darkens nicely in 50 years.

 

See what happens when you eat pie?

 

Wow...they did cut it right out of the system. *******!
Lesson learned is what....eat more pie?

 

You can probably grab that one from 4speed, the one end should fit the distro block then fashion the other end to attach to the remaining tan wire.

 

If you pull the bulk head connector you can remove the old wire and install the new one good as new. I’ll get you shipping tomorrow morning.

 

Thanks for that tip 4speed, I had already pulled out my box of wire nuts. I'm sure I have one for that gauge wire

Seriously though, it makes me wonder why the wire has been cut. I assume there were issues from the distributor block and blaming the wire was the easiest and quickest solution to get rid of them.. I want it correct so I'm stepping through this to get the wire reinsalled as it should be.

By the way, you can't go wrong with pie.

 

My guess would be maybe it got melted on headers, or the wire was damaged some other ways so it was cut off.

 

The bulk head connector is just held in with the center bolt. Once that is removed the connector is two pieces one for the forward light harness and one for the engine harness. The brake wire is part of the forward light harness. When you have them removed you can see the terminals inside, these terminals need to be squeezed to be able to be pushed back through the connector. Then just slide the new wire into the connector, reconnect it and plug in the distribution block.

 

Post #27 has been duly noted, printed and will be at my side when I replace the wire. Muchisimos gracias.

 

Thanks for the explicit directions 4speed. Installing the wire into the bulkhead was the way to go; install went smoothly.