he_mech_usmc

I have been working on my car and have 3 main questions on my mind right now that I hope you'd be able to solve (or at least point me in a general direction like an ICBM).

1. Where the US owners manual says that the odometer reset should be I have another light switch, the odometer reset on my car is next to the potentiometer for the dash lights... any ideas what this switch is for?

2. I have another switch that appears to be for the headlight motor near the parking brake and speaker balance ****... I couldn't find anything regarding this in the owners manual, but did indirectly see a picture of it on pg. 13 of the 79 US owners manual... again any ideas? I have not been able to get the headlights to raise, due to a faulty relay, but was able to manually actuate the relay with the cap off.

3. I am not able to start my car with the key alone, it is an auto, I was wondering if the park or neutral safety is to blame, and if so where it would be located. I can start the car by manually actuating the relay.

Any help is appreciated, as always...

Thanks,
Josh

Mrmerlin

#1 the this is the rear fog lamp switch it is not included in USA cars the Euro has the rear fog and the push button under the pod to reset the trip Odometer
#2 this is a headlight aiming adjuster so you adjust the headlamps , this is a function of the euro cars and is probably been disabled or removed all together it was a hydraulic system and it would usually leak out

#3 need more info on what your trying to do,
and what exactly is happening and what relay your pushing, does it start in neutral?

there is a ground connector in the hatch area possibly under the right side quarter liner at the rear edge this could be a grounding issue ,

also check the wire harness in the spare tire well

he_mech_usmc

Merlin,
Thanks for clearing #1  up...next a more detailed explanation of #3 ( apologies for being non descript.)

#3: Trying to start the car normally ( just turn the key) does not start the car, but if I manually engage relay XV (15) while turning the key, the car will crank and run. I have tried in both park and neutral to start the car normally and it will not start in either. I was wondering if I used the bridge that would be in there for a manual car if that would cause any hate and discontent in the electrical system. (the car is an auto).

I was also wondering if there are safety "rules" for the car to start ie. hood and trunk closed, etc. I had a car once that would not allow you to start it when the hood was up, but would allow you to open the hood once running. (or you had to lever the hood switch down).

I am also curious about the stock alarm, would this stop the car from cranking normally, or is it just one of those "set the horn of annoyingly"? The PO only gave me the red key for the car, so I don't know if it has been activated. I had to start the car this way to check it out when I got it.

Thanks,
Josh

James Bailey

If you bridge the relay the car will start in ANY GEAR position which can be a very bad thing. The switch is on the transmission where the shift cable connects it also turns on the reverse lights...

rixter

if that car has an alarm it's aftermarket and could be the source of your problem

he_mech_usmc

@ rixter, I haven't seen any aftermarket alarm components on the car. I had read there was a factory option in the owners manual and also only have the red key ( black key would arm/ disarm if it was present). The options tag is gone so I don't know if it came with one or not.

Thanks,
Josh

WallyP

The Start Relay is designed to prevent starting the car in gear (automatics only).

There is a Neutral Safety Start Switch on the side of the transmission. When functioning properly, the switch provides a ground for the operating coil of Relay XV. Your problem could be the switch, or a bad connection on the wire between the relay and the switch.

Go to the spare tire well, and see if the '79 has the same connector in the well as do the later cars. Look for a connector with a brown/yellow stripe wire on one side. Check for ground on the wire that the brown/yellow wire connects to while the transmission is in neutral and park. If you have ground there in neutral/park, carefully clean the connector, then check for ground on terminal 85 in the socket for Relay XV.

If you have ground on terminal 85, check for 12 vdc on terminal 86 with the ignition switch on.

If you have ground on 85 and power on 86, the relay is probably faulty.

he_mech_usmc

Thanks for the input everyone... time to check some stuff out when I get home tonight

Thanks,
Josh

he_mech_usmc

UPDATE: I tested out the relay XV, which was bad (broken solder joints), so I replaced it. Before sticking it back in the panel I tested out the terminals as well, no ground signal. I went back to the spare wheel well and tested for ground as suggested on the brown with yellow stripe, no ground. key on, trans in rev, backup lights work...car back in park, key on, use FLUKE (no, not affiliated, just the best MM IMHO) multimeter to back probe a ground, car starts.

I'm thinking of rigging up a ground to back probe into the harness with a disconnect. That has to be about the cheapest theft deterrent that I could think of. Any suggestions why I shouldn't do it, other than it would be about the same as bridging the relay...and yes I understand that the car has a possibility to start in any gear...as long as the ground is hooked up.

I was also wondering if I have some gremlins in the car...turn the headlights on and the fuel pump kicks on a few seconds later...only for about 6 seconds or less...freaked me out since I have the pump wired up and out of the system...I was doing flow testing on the pump...man did it make a mess.

Thanks again,
Josh

Landseer

I think you need to sort out the electrical correctly and it will be easier and safer in the long run.

he_mech_usmc

I still have a long way to go on the electrical system, and Chris...you're right, I need to make it work as it was designed...I know how I would get if I saw something like what I was thinking...

Disaster was also averted...I almost had the car burn down, the blower motor is apparently shorted out and I let some magic smoke out of the blower fuse...on a bright note, my power seats work again after removing the fuse/relay panel and giving it a good cleaning.

My day off and I'm still working, wish it was totally on the 928 and not actual work...

Thanks,
Josh

fbarnhill

Hey Josh, your car looks alot like mine. Anyway, the trip reset is under the pod on the left side. It is a little black button. I will put my $$$ on the ignition switch as your starting issue. You will obviously need to clean all the ground points as well as the fuse panel. There is a good writeup on this on Sharkskins website. It is in his signature line. Just search on his user id. It only takes a weekend. Be sure to mark each relay as you take them out. I just sold mine but it had been my daily driver for the last 6 years. No matter what the mileage, these cars are 32 years old so these things are normal. Once you get it sorted, it will make a very reliable car.

Good luck,
Frank

he_mech_usmc

here are some pics of the car... It's not pretty, but it's a shark...my plan is to have it driveable and in new paint by the end of the month

Landseer

Looks good to me!

I've got a rougher one than yours in the basement undergoing a little cosmetic refurb.
Still, its a riot to drive. Very therapeutic to repair its subsystems.

Mrmerlin

Josh trace the rear harness in the hatch area start at the tire well and see the wires that go along the ridge between the rear shock towers there should be a set of brown wires that run to under the right side quarter panel liner.
There is or should be a ground point behind the rear edge of the liner.
remove the 3 screws that anchor it to the floor ,
and also if you can, remove the 2 screws for the rear cargo hold down point then carefully bend the rear edge away from the body just enough to look for the ground point its either on the floor of the hatch or just in front of the RR tail light.
Once you find it then clean these grounds i had an 84 Euro with this problem and that was the issue water can get onto the floor of the hatch and then corrode these connections

Note if you pull to much on the liner it will snap the fiber board , thats why you remove the hold down as it is sort of in the way when you pull the liner out about 3 inches