1970 S2 federal wiring. Location of the BD10 relay

[Pamsboy]

Have a 1970 federal wired Europa where I know the Lucas DB10 relay pack has failed.  Got a new one but I would like to know where the box is located so that I don't have to tear the car apart to get at it to replace.  Anyone know.

[BDA]

  Pamsboy!

I assume it's in the same place as the TC - behind the dash on the driver's side. IIRC, it's bolted on the back side of the front trunk. You'll see it. It's an aluminum box with a bunch of wires coming out of it!

What are your plans for your car? Planning any mods or are you going to keep it stock? Maybe you can post some pictures!

[Pamsboy]

Great!  Thanks.  Haven't looked yet although last time I couldn't see it.  No it's far from stock now.  Started with ditching the chassis and getting Spyder frame.  What a difference to handling that made.  Replace the motor and transmission with R17 Gordini with a five speed box and then I modified that with a higher cam shaft, twin DCOE40 Webers, electronic ignition etc.  Then a whole lot more.  The best thing I did were hydraulic hood lifts and doing away with that hood prop which always got in the way.  I intend to tell all in a separate article.  Again thanks for the quick response.

[Pamsboy]

I looked without success.  I'd really like to go straight to it rather than tearing the car apart to find it.  Any other ideas?

[jjbunn]

Almost directly behind the speedo/tach, mounted on the bulkhead. May be obscured by hose coming from left hand dash vent.

[BDA]

I think you're going to have to assume the "Lotus position."

Get under the dash on your back. You may want/need to take the seat out. You'll probably need somebody to grab the other end of the bolt in the front trunk. Here's a picture from my TCS.

[Grumblebuns]

According to the wiring diagrams, the later federal S2s came with the DB10 relay. My former 1971 S2, 65/1098R, had the DB10 relay in the location described by BDA. My current 1969 S2, 65/2501 build date 10/69, not a federal S2, does not have a DB10 relay which seem to correlate with the wiring diagrams.

You did state that your S2 is a federal wired S2. It's possible perhaps, depending on your chassis number, that your S2 does not have a DB10 relay. Check the wiring diagrams for applicable chassis numbers.

With the lack of available space behind the dash area, hard to see why anyone would move the DB10 relay to another location.

http://lotus-europa.com/manuals/misc/electrical/s2-diagc.gif
http://lotus-europa.com/manuals/misc/electrical/s2r-diag.gif 

[Pamsboy]

The picture was great and the links to the wiring diagrams.  However, I'm still confused because following the picture, which was easy, I do NOT have a DB10 located there.  I can see there is enough room for such.  But following the wiring diagram links I think I am supposed to have one.  Please tell me if I'm wrong.  My VIN is :  70030700850
Thanks Guys

[jbcollier]

Federal cars have the turn signal and brake lights using the same bulb, thus the need for the relay.  The tail light lens is red with a small white section for the reverse lights.

[Pamsboy]

Well before I was totally confused, now I am utterly confused.  Why?  because my lights have separate bulbs and the lens are white, amber and red.  So I guess that means it is NOT federal.  If that's the case why does the wiring diagram points me to the DB10 reply.  Why at the same time may lights stopped working and my tachometer stop working and on the wiring diagram I've got shows those wires going to a DB10 relay.  I'm thinking now it may be a ground but where do I look for that?  HELP!

[jbcollier]

Tach, turn signals and brakes (and more) are all fed by the "green wire" fuse.  Start there.

[Grumblebuns]

The picture was great and the links to the wiring diagrams.  However, I'm still confused because following the picture, which was easy, I do NOT have a DB10 located there.  I can see there is enough room for such.  But following the wiring diagram links I think I am supposed to have one.  Please tell me if I'm wrong.  My VIN is :  70030700850
Thanks Guys

Your VIN is confusing. Unless your last digit is a Q and not a zero, you typed in a VIN with an extra digit with no model number. I may be wrong on this but I thought only Federal Europas and Elans (R model numbers) had the DB10 relay box. Look here to decode your VIN.

http://lotuseuropa.org/images/Pictures/FactoryLetter/smogpg3.gif

How did you determine that your Europa was federally wired.

[Roger]

If you have separate brake and indicator bulbs you won't have a DB10. Why do you think you should?

[Pamsboy]

Thanks Grumblebuns.  Yes the last digit is a "Q" and I thought I was federal because the tach, indicators and stop lights all failed at the same time and on the wiring diagrams I read all those lead to the DB10 relay.  That's why I thought I was federal.  Now from your link I still don't know whether I'm federal or not.  It shows I'm "Export" but not federal.  Go figure eh!
So I still don't know where to look.  All the fuses check out as OK.  It may be a bad ground, but even there I don't know where to look - I just don't know and it's keeping me off the road during the perfect weather to go cruising. :-(

[jbcollier]

Follow the wiring diagram from power source to the bulb.  Use a test light with an incandescent bulb, not a multimeter or an led test light.

Green wire fuse:

- power on both sides?

- fuse and connector clean?

- connector rivet tight?

Green wire at flasher:

- power present?

Turn signal switch connector at column:

- power present?

- power switches to GR or GW as switch is operated?

Etc, etc...