skl

Here comes the rant- the electrical issues are driving me nuts.

Other than putting the car back together (and everything worked when I dissassembled it) I put in a JWest fuse panel. When first bringing the car back to life with a battery, many things are NOT working. Headlight motors have power as I can raise them by turning the little ***** until the lights go thru a cycle, but they don't go up with the light switch. Also, no headlights, just parking lights. At first, emergency flashers and turn signals worked, now the flasher just makes a horrible buzzing sound, and the signals flash at about double speed.

Also, bench test shows starter is fine, but when in car, nothing happens when turning igntion switch. Also, shorting the starter with screw driver doesn't activate it.

Oh, and the light in the top of left gauge continues to flash whenever ignition is on- I think that's warning for brakes- E brake is off, and wiring to master cylinder is connected, though there is no blade connector on it for the ground...

Have NEW ground strap from tranny to body and battery to body...

I have NO idea even where to START!!

I've been working on these cars for over 40 years, and HATE electrical issues!!!

Matt Romanowski

I'm with you on hating electrical problems. Did you document the connections (wire color and order) to everything? With that, you should be able to confirm things are hooked up correct. From there, if things don't work, you'll have to start tracing some wires and see what is going on.

I know you said you were color blind. Have you had someone check the connections to see things are right?

skl

Figured you'd answer Matt! Yeah, I figured I'll have to start going thru each circuit starting near the fuse panel. Just need a day away from the garage to clear my head!!
So today, it's cleaning out a filing cabnet and tons of old paperwork etc... I think that will make working in the garage seem a little better

NaroEscape

to be honest, some of it sounds like either grounding issue or it's not getting enough power.. all kinds of crazy electrical problems happen in these cars because things are not getting enough voltage to run right, but ARE getting enough to try. Is the battery fully charged? Is the fuse panel wired correctly?

Check also the few ground wire 'bundles' throughout the car - under the dash, by the control box in back, etc. ....Where all the brown wires bundle together to a ground.

When you have the car on an try some of the lights and stuff...are any of the battery leads getting hot?

Sounds like you can't start it? If you could, I would have said to check the alternator...

Since you're having such widespread issues, I'm betting its one central cause....

skl

I'm figuring it's one main issue as well. I'm going thru all the main grounding points as you mention. Battery isn't new but worked fine in the silver '71. I'll switch to the new Optima from the '71 and continue onward!

Matt Romanowski

Just do what they do with new cars - put the battery tender on it and leave it on while you are working on it. That way you will know there is a good 12v all the time.

skl

Some circuits coming back to life- put the new Optima from the '71 in it and cleaned all the grounds I could find under dash, in engine compartment by relay panel, and in front trunk.
Checked all leads on new JWest fuse panel- now I have gauge lights, and all the flashers, and signals etc work. Headlight motors work when **** is turned, but don't respond to headlight switch...
Still no power to solenoid wire when ignition is turned, but starter works when shorted at leads... my son is coming over tomorrow so we'll have 4 hands and 2 heads working on this!!

Slow but maybe sure...