What is this lucus componant AS2

[Concrete-crusher]

Can anybody please tell me what this component is for. I found it behind the dash while removing the tacho.

Its not in my manual , and I have tried looking up the part number printed on it without success.

The part number says AS2

[theelanman]

what is it connected to?

[Concrete-crusher]

As far as I can tell its a brown/green wire. Its a plastic coated wire. The fabric covered wires are too faded to identify by colour.

Silly question but why are some wires plastic coated and others fabric coated ?

The unit is loose , just wedged behind the dashboard.

Please ignore the chock bloc , I had used it to run a live feed to the radio , but that's gone now.

Steve

[theelanman]

what is at the other end of the green/brown wires and also the fabric coated ones?.....

[oldelanman]

I've never seen one but could it be the headlamp thermal cut out switch ?

If you can't trace the wires try disconnecting it and see what stops working.

[sutol45]

From my 60's Table of Commonly Used Colour Codes for British Car Wiring, I've 2-suggestions:

1) If the cables are Brown/Green as they appear to be, then the designation is: Dynamo ?F? to control box ?F?, or

2) If the cables are Green/Brown (?) then the designation is: Switch to reverse lamp

The fabric covered cables are however add-ons, I've never seen those on an Elan.

But more IMPORTANT: you'd best find out what's connected to the other ends of all 4-cables, and if any of them are carrying volts? and do that soon?

However, you can be sure that it's a regulator, relay, switch of some sort controlling something so follow oldelanman's advice and disconnect: I'd disconnect the fabric covered wires first as they are the add-ons?

[billwill]

Given where it is the most likely candidate is a voltage stabalizer to serve some of the instruments, particularly the fuel gauge.


That isn't the standard one which has 2 terminals plus earth and worked by a thermal coil on a bimetallic strip to create an AVERAGE stable voltage, so maybe it is an after market replacement and the multiple terminals are optional output voltages.


~~~~~~~

However, looking at the last picture, it is pretty clear that the fabric wires are permanent fixtures of that unit and that it has some heavy duty contacts there, so my second guess is that it is an Ammeter Shunt. I bet, those two fabric wires go to a gauge showing AMPS. If that is so the unit is actually a small resistance, developing a few milli volts across it proportional to the current through the unit and the gauge is internally a millivoltmeter calibrated in amps (that's how most ammeters work actually).

[sutol45]

I'm now with billwill's second guess, though I still can't find this item in my records (an add-on I'd guess), but an ammeter shunt sound oh so right for an early Plus 2 in either +tve or -tve build.

So more information please on the date of manufacture of your car and it's destination i.e., UK/France/US/ etc.

The choc-block isn't original of course but still very interesting...

[Concrete-crusher]

Hi

I have gone behind the dash and yes the fabric wires do go to the amp meter. I can only see one as its very congested , even with the dash screws out and loosened.

As I have just fitted a Dynalite Dynamator and am changing from positive to negative earth , I guess I just swap the two Brown/Green wires round.

My car is an 1969 S4 coupe , but the wiring looks more like S3. Its been in my garage for over 12 years which was when I last drove it , before that it sat in my step fathers garage for about 20 years. Both the usual damp environments so there's lots to check and fix.

I don't know much about its history before that , but when rubbing down the paintwork I found at least 3 different colour body panels , so its a bit of a basket case.

Steve

[PeterK]

Yes, to reverse the ammeter, just swap the wires.

However, an alternator can push put a lot more amps than a dynamo, and later, alternator equiped cars had a battery condition meter in place of the ammeter. What's your Dynalite rated at and what's the ammeter maximum reading ?

Peter

[Concrete-crusher]

Well I have a battery condition meter as well. There's not much empty space on my dash.

The dynalite is rated at 45 amps , the amp meter says +/- 60 amp.

I think I'm starting to understand the system now.

Thanks Steve

[sutol45]

Hi

I have gone behind the dash and yes the fabric wires do go to the amp meter. I can only see one as its very congested , even with the dash screws out and loosened.

As I have just fitted a Dynalite Dynamator and am changing from positive to negative earth , I guess I just swap the two Brown/Green wires round.

My car is an 1969 S4 coupe , but the wiring looks more like S3. Its been in my garage for over 12 years which was when I last drove it , before that it sat in my step fathers garage for about 20 years. Both the usual damp environments so there's lots to check and fix.

I don't know much about its history before that , but when rubbing down the paintwork I found at least 3 different colour body panels , so its a bit of a basket case.

Steve

BUT Steve, a fabulous basket case...