Engine bay light - idiocy

Johnr352 · Johnr352's Garage

I’m having some trouble with the wiring on my engine bay light for my ‘84 911 Carrera, it’s just not making sense to me. I replaced the rear lid which included an engine light. After researching the wiring and Bentley, it seems my car’s PO removed the original light. I do not have/ can’t find a harness or other connector for the light and am simply trying to hardwire the light in so that it will turn on as it should, with the slider on the switch itself.

Bentley doesn’t show (or I can’t find it) the wiring diagram for the engine bay light but I’ve searched and found some other posts indicating the brown wire goes to a ground location (MPXI) and the gray wire is connected to the taillight assembly (58). I’m presuming the connection to the taillight (gray/red) is hot (12v)? To simplify, I am, instead of going to the taillight, wiring to an always hot fuse. Does someone have an accurate wiring diagram? Is this incorrect?

When I wire it this way (as indicated above), the light immediately pops the fuse. It seems the light switch itself is screwed to the rear lid and is thus grounded. So when I run power to the gray wire it shorts immediately as the gray wire is connected to the terminal which is part of the light switch itself. Is there a gasket between the light and the rear lid or am I just thinking about/ wiring this wrong? Something else I’m not thinking of? Thanks in advance

porschedude996 · porschedude996's Garage

Check your engine bay light terminals at the light. One of the is grounded through the housing. Connecting the +12 volt lead to that would be a short to ground.