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Lotus Europa Forums => Garage => Topic started by: jjbunn on Wednesday,June 03, 2015, 05:44:10 PM

Title: Sovy Tank Questions
Post by: jjbunn on Wednesday,June 03, 2015, 05:44:10 PM
My car didn't come with a Sovy tank on the brake MC. I had to replace the MC (with a Cardone unit) anyway.

Strangely, the wiring (red/black) for the brake warning light appears in the front of the car, via the passenger side wheel well grommet, but it isn't in the wiring bundle: it's a separate wire, which has been snipped. (The S2 Federal wiring diagram shows the wire separate from the bundle  - so perhaps this is normal.) 

Can anyone shed light on this? My car is 0701R, built 1970: would it have the Sovy from the start?

Having a brake fluid warning would be nice - I wonder if there are aftermarket switches that can replace the cap on my Cardone?
Title: Re: Sovy Tank Questions
Post by: blasterdad on Wednesday,June 03, 2015, 07:39:04 PM
Ours is a '71 S2, (1000R) I'll go look at how it's wired tomorrow after work & let you know...  ;)
Title: Re: Sovy Tank Questions
Post by: Grumblebuns on Thursday,June 04, 2015, 07:41:52 AM
According to the wiring diagram, all Federal S2s came with brake fail lights and a SOVY tank. On both of my S2s, the RB wire comes out of the wire bundle grommet behind the radiator separate from the wire bundle so yours is normal.

You will find that the OEM SOVY tank will fit on the Cardone MC. I haven't found too many used ones for sale but may be some of the British car part vendors have new ones available.

 
Title: Re: Sovy Tank Questions
Post by: jjbunn on Thursday,June 04, 2015, 10:20:23 AM
Excellent info ... thanks, Grumblebuns!
Title: Re: Sovy Tank Questions
Post by: blasterdad on Thursday,June 04, 2015, 07:11:31 PM
Here' what ours looks like, red wire going into "harness" black wire grounded to brake line T...

(http://i59.tinypic.com/ifomyb.jpg)
Title: Re: Sovy Tank Questions
Post by: jjbunn on Friday,June 05, 2015, 10:10:03 AM
Interesting ... on mine the harness end that has the fan wiring does not contain the red/black Sovy wire. And I have no earth wire connecting to the brake line T.

I think a PO of my car was a guy with a short temper when it came to wiring. Apart from the rough snip of the Sovy wire, there was evidence of random snipping around the rear driver's side light cluster - the reverse light wire had been snipped, but not the one on the passenger side. I have a hard time imagining what would make someone cut power to only one of the reverse lights ...!