The pink wire

[pushingMACH8]

Hey all

so i have a really dumb problem...ive put my 308 back into my VK, everything went smoothly until this point. but now theres a wiring problem which wasnt an issue before the engine was pulled out. theres a pink wire (one of many) that leaves the fuse box connecting from port 12 and goes thru the firewall behind the dash, them returns thru the firewall near the brake booster (as part of the engine harness). under the dash it pretty much supplies all the systems with power ( guages, reds, accessories etc) but when i go to turn the key it just blows the fuse or melts the wire, and starter wont kick the motor over...so iv screwed up somewhere with putting the wiring back in, i just dont know where.

i know its a long shot but does anybody know where i couldve gone wrong? or where i should start looking? considering the wire being affected wasnt at all touched when the engine was pulled out. im hoping not to have to pull all of it back out...fingers crossed its only something earthing out where its not supposed to. ive looked at wiring diagrams but to no avail. help.

 

[Jonno]

could be earthing out somewhere and blowing the fuse?

 

[pushingMACH8]

yeah thats what im hoping, iv just gotta try find where. no idea where to start looking either...could start from the battery and work back to the firewall i guess.

 

[Brett_jjj]

Ive got a VH wiring diagram, Im not too sure if its similar to the VK,so I dont know how much help it will be to you (if any), but the pink wires that are shown in the diagram that come from the fuse box are for the following -
Fuel gauge tank sender unit.
Ignition switch.
Dash wiring connector.
Vacuum advance solenoid.
Idle stop solenoid.
Electric choke.
Theres also a Pink wire that goes from the ignition switch, and joins the Yellow wire that goes to the ignition coil. This wire is a special internal resistance wire that drops the voltage from 12 volts to around 6. The ignition coil will get its power from the Yellow wire that goes from the ignition switch to the ignition coil when starting. Once the car starts and the igntition swich is turned back to the on position from the start position, the coil will then get its power supply from the Pink resistance wire,which lets the coil run on 6 volts once the engines running.
So basically the coil uses the Yellow wire (12Volts) when the engines starting, but once the engines running, the coil uses power from the pink wire (around 6 volts). Most older cars that run a coil/distributor setup, run a resistor wire like this, or a ballest resistor,which does the same job. Ignition coils tend to get hot and burn out when left constantly running on 12 volts.