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Datsun 1200 wiring is relatively uncomplicated.
Also see: Wiring Diagram
Contents |
Wire color codes
WARNING: Wire colors can vary by year, model and country. Please double-check the wiring in your Datsun 1200 before connecting parts according to this article. You don't want to burn something up! Use a voltmeter or test light to confirm the circuit behavior.
| Code | Color |
| B | Black |
| W | White |
| R | Red |
| Y | Yellow |
| G | Green |
| L | Blue |
BW - Black wire with White stripe
Wiring Harnesses
For the main wiring looms, see Wiring Harness
Battery & Main Wiring
Battery has two wires, of course:
- Positive Cable (+). Stock cable is RED. This connects directly to the starter's large connector. A smaller wire runs bout six inches from the terminal to the Fusible Link. See below.
- Negative Cable (-, aka earth/ground). Stock cable is BLACK with Yellow stripe. It connects directly to the engine block at the timing cover. The engine end of this cable also has a smaller black wire. This is the main body ground and connects to the body at the Horn bolt
Main Wiring
There are three important main wires:
- Main ground wire (big battery cable). This bolts to the engine timing cover
- Body ground wire. This goes from the engine end of the Negative battery cable to the body. It's bolted down at the horn bolt. Without this weird problems can happen.
- Red wire at battery '+' terminal. This connects to the Fusible Link ("Main Fuse") about six inches from the battery
WARNING: Do not replace fusible link with a solid wire, or you risk burning up the entire wiring system ... If the fuse blows, figure out why before replacing it. Was there a short in the system, or did it simply overheat due to corroded contacts?
Ground/Earth main connections
Make sure they cables are not damaged, and that they are securely fastened. If they are loose, remove and carefully inspect for corrosion. Clean thoroughly if possible, replace if necessary. This original system will fully support all stock electrical loads. Extra earth/ground wires are not needed -- if the stock wire is in place, clean and undamaged.
Ground cable. Notice the smaller black wire on the Eye end
Fusible Link
This goes between the battery and the main wiring harness (which also feeds the Alternator output "A" terminal)
The large POS battery cable only feeds the starter. All other power comes from the Fusible Link.
See main article: Fusible Link
Fuse Box
In addition to the main fuse wire in the engine compartment, there is a main fuse box under the dashboard.
See main article: Fuse Box
Improvements
- Relocating battery to back of car. Advantages:
- Make room in engine compartment
- Balance weight of car
- 1200s are nose-heavy, so moving the 28-40 lb battery to the back helps. You need heavy-gauge cable, larger than stock due to the long lenght. Buy a kit with a sealed box, so fumes don't enter car
- Installing a modern new-fangled ground wire "System". There are two opinions:
AFRacer:
The grounding wire kits that people are putting on newer cars DO help out, and in many cases add power! I was a nonbeliever at first until I saw them used and they did add power and when I tore apart my 180SX I understood why it would add power. There are LOTS of electrical parts on newer cars, especially with EFI and distributorless ignitions ...
read moreddgonzal:
You've seen the ads where you install many grounds wires all over the car, sometimes using 'gold' connectors. They don't add horsepower. Not even new cars use this. There are advantages: They do make troubleshooting extremly complex wiring (like in a Mercedes with 47 computers) easier. My advice is don't waste your money on this.
[edit:] After reading AFRacer's report above, I wonder if his B110 simply needed a better ground wire. The unibody is a large conductor so there is no problem there, but the stock ground wire is 1) kinda small and 2) in a place where corrosion can cause problems. Fitting a thicker wire, grounding the battery and engine to the unibody in a better way (use a thick wire and good connections).
Ignition Switch
The ignition switch bolts to the back of the key cylinder. There is a rectangular wire connector attached to it.
Alternator & Regulator
See main article: Alternator Wiring
Clock
See Main Article: Clock#Wiring
Headlights
See Headlight Wiring
Heater
See Heater Wiring
Running Lights, Turn Signals, etc
See Lamp Wiring
Tachometer
See main article: Tachometer Wiring
Ignition Coil & Distributor
The stock 1200 coil -- as with nearly all pre-electronic ignition systems -- uses a Ballast resistor to drop the voltage supplied to the coil. All 1200s used a ballast resistor until the 1990 models.
Ballast resistor is located on the right-side Strut tower (#1 in this photo)
The resistor is just above the coil, and is a white ceramic thing about 2-1/2 inches long.
NOTE: The 1973 Wiring Diagram doesn't show a resistor, but it definitely has one.
| Ballast Resistor | Color | Connects To |
| ballast resistor (non-coil side) | BW | IG terminal of ignition switch |
| ballast resistor (coil side, dual-terminal side | BW BR | BR wire to R (START) terminal of ignition switch\* (and) BW to coil '+' terminal |
| Coil | Color | Connects To |
| Coil '+' | BW | to ballast resistor dual-connector side |
| Coil '-' | B | to distributor points |
NOTE: all the wires indicate are colored BW (black w/white stripe).
Does your engine start when cranking but immediately die when you release the key to the ON (running) position? Then your resistor is bad or wired incorrectly. As you can see from the diagram, START of the ignition switch supplies full voltage bypassing resistor.
1990 Sunny Truck
From October 1989, Sunny Truck uses electronic ignition and computerized carburetor.
Coil BW: unknown. Not needed for old carburetor (non ECU) BR: Coil + terminal
Distributor BW: Coil + terminal L: Coil - terminal
Starter Motor
Starter just has two wires:
* Big wire: battery '+' terminal * Small BY wire: 'S' terminal of ignition switch
On automatic cars, the starter 'S' wire (small wire) goes through the "Neutral Switch" (Inhibitor Switch).
Late engine swap into B110
R battery positive cable S (BY wire) starter solenoid D (B wire)distributor side (points type) leave unconnected for electronic ignition ? YW temp sensor? or YB oil pressure
NOTE: If you draw power off the POS terminal (as in this photo with all the extra wires), make sure they are fused, as the POS cable is unfused and therefore has no fire protection (see Fusible Link).
Choke And Carburetor
See: * Eletric Choke Wiring * Anti-diesel valve
Interior Lamps
Here's the kinds of smaller lights (other than the headlights) that a Datsun 1200 uses.
Lights (click for larger size and Details)
FASTEN SEAT BELT lamp