Random wire corroded.

[Mk2Kezza]

Bit of a mouthful this:

I've changed the dizzy cap this evening and had a bloody nightmare! Managed to get the car started but its running like a bag of bolts. Whilst trying to get the leads in the right order on the dizzy cap (didn't take a picture or record where they went) a wire started to melt. It runs to the front of the block sort of behind the alternator. What wire is this?

Why would trying to start the car do this?

I'm wondering whether the casing had cracked and the wire was shorting out. I've disconnected that wire now but I'm missing the battery light in the dash and there is no response when I turn the key..

The wire is the one that is bolted to the block in the following pic - the bolt is partially hidden behind the water pipe and the wire can be seen to the right of pic.

All ideas welcome.



Panicking as she is my daily driver - don't want to drive the split to work, she has a leaking hub seal :-(
 

[Mk2Kezza]

I've just taken some additional photos for clarity:







The wire looks worse for wear the whole length. If I know what it is then I can look for a replacement.

[Gambit]

Thats your knock sensor, and reason it was going into meltdown was due to timing being up the left

wee tip....take pics before you start dismantling

[Gambit]

Buy a new knock sensor also

[Mk2Kezza]

Cheers Gambit,

Cheers for the swift response, I'll try and get one tomorrow. Hopefully, I'll get the timing right before I melt it again.

I love this forum!!

Kez