Some time ago, I had problems with my master cylinder that led to me disturbing the wiring under the steering wheel/dash area. This has resulted in a refusal for the engine to turn over and I suspect a serious loss of energy to the starter motor. Let me describe the electrics which had been got at at some time in the past. Slightly to the right of the steering column, I have a double black lead that is not connected to anything, Then there is a green and brown wire that is connected to another green and brown wire. Next comes a green and purple wire that is connected to green and purple. Then there is a double green and white that goes into a single green and white. Next there is a double faded red that goes into a single faded red. Then we have a single faded red into a single faded red. Now we have a double purple and white that is not connected. Further we have a double purple that feeds to a single red that leads into the sill and appears to run toward the back of the vehicle! Then we have a single purple and white that is taped off and is not connected. A single purple follows - not connected. Then I have two very thin wires in a white/faded to yellow colour that are not connected. To the left of the steering column all appears undisturbed but for a an unconnected red and green wire. There is another single purple and black wire that is detached from the main loom and appears to have been added subsequently to the main loom. I have taken photographs of this lot and will try to upload them!!!! ANY AUTOELECTRICIANS OUT THERE? Alec G.
SPELLING

 

I'm in the process of connecting my new main loom throughout the car and the wire colors you described above are (from memory) all related to lighting and turn signals. Purple and purple/white are interior lights. Red is the parking lights, It is a little concerning that you have a purple connected to a red. I don't think there are any instances where color A connects to color B in the loom connections. You really need a wiring diagram to sort that all out.
Having said all that, the wires you identified above should have nothing to do with the ignition switch, starter button, starter solenoid or the starter itself. I suspect you have something going on elsewhere that is causing the car to not turn over. Does it even click? Is there power to the ignition switch? If so, is there power on the starter button? If power there, does it make it to the starter solenoid in the engine bay? I assume that the lights are working and it is not a really dead battery or bad chassis ground.
I think I have seen wiring diagrams duplicated in this forum somewhere. The Jaguar repair manual has a diagram as does the Haynes repair manual. SNG Barrett sells a handy book that breaks down each circuit in more detail so it is easier to follow.

 

Lets get logical in your fault finding rather than chasing colours.
Will the engine turn over if you manually depress the starter solenoid? If not you may have a bad battery terminal. By the way is the battery charged? Check by turning on the headlights.
When you turn the key on do you get a generator warning light?
Is your car manual or automatic? Automatics have a selector switch which only allows the engine to start in Park or Neutral. If that is out of whack it won't start.
They are some points to follow up and get started.
I am among other things a licenced aircraft engineer in electrical and instruments.

 

I will go back to the beginning. I drove my car 3 miles and had brake failure! This entailed renewing the seals in the master cylinder! It would not pull out although it was loose. I had to remove the brake pedal and mounting bracket to get at it. This exposed the wiring which I have described. There were assorted bits of tape which fell off whilst accessing the master cylinder. Now, I have replaced the starter solenoid on the bulkhead and the starter motor. The battery that was on the car has suddenly failed, don’t know why. A replacement battery is fully charged at 12.6 volts. When I press the start button in my automatic Daimler there is an audible click from the starter relay on the bulkhead but nothing else. When I turn on the lights or wipers they operate but at a very much reduced level as if the battery was flat, which it is not! The fuses are intact!

 

A click from the starter and slow wipers would indicate a bad earth or ground.

 

Thanks. I will install an extra earth and get back! AlecG.

 

Make sure the braided earth strap is in good order that jumps the LHS engine mounting. i.e. Body to block

 

I have checked the current engine to body earth strap and all seems well and I have continuity! I have ordered another strap which I will fit elsewhere on the vehicle when it arrives!

 

I have now added another earth strap and get continuity. I have acquired a new battery that is giving 12.5 volts. When I turn on the ignition, the ammeter shows a discharge of a quarter of a division which increases to three quarters of a division when I press the starter button. Is this significant? Also, the headlights and the screen wipers work. Is there a start inhibitor on this automatic and where is it located? Thanks. AlecG.

 

Still nothing except the click from the bulkhead relay! AlecG.

 

If you are getting a click from the solenoid on the bulk head when you push the starter button your problem does not lie with the Auto gear box inhibitor switch. If it was the inhibitor switch you would get nothing as it cuts power from the button to the solenoid. Just for your information though with the DG250 box the inhibitor switch is located under the dash behind the steering wheel. On the BW35 it is on the side of the gear box.

Next question is with the ignition on can you push the button on the solenoid on the bulkhead under the bonnet and start the engine. If the button under the bonnet does not turn the engine over then I would suggest the solenoid on the bulk head is not working. Try using a jump lead direct from the battery terminal to the cable going to the starter motor. If the starter motor works it is the solenoid. If the starter motor does not turn then it is the starter motor that might be seized or needs rebuilding.

 

[QUOTE=Cass3958;2747143]If you are getting a click from the solenoid on the bulk head when you push the starter button your problem does not lie with the Auto gear box inhibitor switch. If it was the inhibitor switch you would get nothing as it cuts power from the button to the solenoid. Just for your information though with the DG250 box the inhibitor switch is located under the dash behind the steering wheel. On the BW35 it is on the side of the gear box.

Next question is with the ignition on can you push the button on the solenoid on the bulkhead under the bonnet and start the engine. If the button under the bonnet does not turn the engine over then I would suggest the solenoid on the bulk head is not working. Try using a jump lead direct from the battery terminal to the cable going to the starter motor. If the starter motor works it is the solenoid. If the starter motor does not turn then it is the starter motor that might be seized or needs rebuilding. Pressing the bulkhead solenoid does not turn over the engine! I have already replaced this relay and the starter motor and the battery and added another earth strap! I fear, as stated a while ago, that the problem is with the underdash wires! I have a diagram, but it is not easy to relate it to the physical positions on the vehicle! AlecG.

 

If you think it is a problem with the wires being detached from their correct positions or not being connected you will have to get hold of the wiring diagrams and a continuity tester and run some tests. If you are not capable of doing this you might have to employ a mobile mechanic who specialises in auto electrics to repair it for you.
The wiring on a 1960s car is pretty basic. No relays, no control boxes, no ECUs. You basically have a wire that goes from the battery via a switch to the object that is being turned on and an earth going to the body of the car. You just need to find, using the colour wiring diagram, which colour wire goes from the ignition, to the starter button, to the solenoid, to the starter. You can do this using the diagram and testing it with the continuity tester before connecting it together.
Our problem trying to diagnose your electrical problem is we can't see it and follow the wires from where they come to where they go and the fact you have stated that they have been messed with in the past so might not be the correct coloured wires in the correct places. Continuity here is your friend.

 

I have installed a new battery that has been connected since Friday, four days. Checking its voltage today gives 12.6 volts, so I am happy that there is no battery short or drain with the ignition turned off. However, as stated above, I get only the relay clunk on attempting to start. Using the bulkhead relay - nothing happens, nothing! A confused AlecG.

 

Have you tried jumper leads direct from the battery to the starter motor as Cass suggests above?

 

I did and again nothing happened. I have therefore decided to remove the newly installed starter and check out the wiring to ensure that the current is getting to the motor. AlecG.

 

Get the starter motor on a bench and use a set of jump leads to turn it over. Might be a faulty starter motor even though it is new. Been there and had that done to me before. Check that the starter motor you have installed is the correct one for your car. I was sent a new high torque starter motor for a manual car. Mine is an automatic. It installed ok but the ring gear would not engage when the starter motor turned over. Only by measuring the throw did I eventually realise it was the wrong one. The company I had bought it from swapped it for one for the Automatic and everything worked fine.
Below is a photo of the three starter motors I had. At the top is my original starter for the Automatic. In the middle is the high torque automatic starter motor and at the bottom is the high torque starter motor for the manual engine. You can clearly see that the middle starter has the same length spindle as the top one so when I fitted the one on the bottom for the manual engine into my Automatic the cog was not throwing out far enough to engage with the starter ring/flywheel.

 

At last I hear the gentle gurgle of my V8! I had fitted a hi torque devil. The forth fitting instruction says “Retain the black insulated link wire which is fitted between the ignition trigger terminal and the main battery stud” I took this as keep and do not fit. WRONG. I fitted the short link, crossed my fingers and she fired up instantly! So, many thanks to one and all who contributed to my saga, it has been a saga, but we can concentrate on the dodgy wiring now. AlecG.

 

Nice one Alec. It had to be something really simple so well done on finding it.
That Turner V8 is such a sweet engine and sounds beautiful. They did a 4.5 ltr version of it for the Majestic Major but I bet there are not many of them lying a round any more. According to https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/?q=Daimler+Majestic+ there are only 57 left on the road and another 21 tucked away in garages possibly being restored.

 

My mate has one. It is roadworthy but could do with a restoration job!