I'm wrapping up putting in a new dash harness and am in the process of getting the center gauge stack in and the consoles (center and brake). I have a Power Probe and have been testing bulbs and whatnot, before I button it up.

Last night, turned the ignition key on and hit the blower switch and nothing happened. WTF? It worked before I installed the heater control unit when it was loose and now it's buried in the center console. I twist the heater control carefully, so I can pull the blower switch harness and it's a tough deal to pull it off, because it's underneath the control unit. I check it and no voltage on anything. So, with the probe, I started running down the schematic and got to the point, where the harness for the power enters the heater control from underneath on the left side, through a brown wire! It looks skewed for some reason, but I can't get to it, because it's underneath and inside the heater control! Completely surrounded by sheet metal and plugs in upside down going straight up.

Now I have to pull the heater control, to find out! But I don't want to pull the console either and the steel cable for the right thumb wheel is preventing it from pulling back and up. Can't get a socket or wrench on the bolt that holds the cable to the heater control, but I get a bright idea. I go to the flapper door itself, on top of the air box on the passenger side. I'll disconnect the cable there! But I've got the front duct already in place and can't pull that, without pulling the center gauge stack, but there's barely enough room on the right side, to fit my hand in there and disconnect it. But I manage to do it. It wasn't easy, but now I can slide the heater control back.

Now it's got reluctant slack and the heater control comes back a little, but I have to pull the main plug for the vacuum lines, because they're limiting the movement. I get that off and pull the unit, reluctantly back and out, so I can check the voltage on the underside, where the brown wire, that carries the power wire goes in.

I turn the key on and I get 12.6 volts. I'm an hour into this already. So I check the blower switch. Nothing. Then I look at the schematic that Wilcox had, that was far more accurate than the factory one and notice a 'master switch'. What the heck is that? Then I remember the reed switch on the side, that's controlled by the left thumb wheel and rotate it to AC and suddenly the blower comes on!

I rotate it to Heat and Def and the blower is coming on. There was nothing wrong to begin with! Unlike modern cars (like my Focus or my C4, where the blower switch always works, no matter what position, the left side thumbwheel has to be moved from "Off". Aaaaugh!!!!

So I spent another hour and a half, buttoning it all back up together!!! Two and half hours for NOTHING! Where is the gasoline? The matches? I coulda had the dash buttoned up by now!!! So instead of a second beer, I had a margarita instead, after I had finished putting it back together. Damaged nothing in the process and sure learned a lot...Gawd...

:cr azy2:

 

Reminds me of one of my favorite inspirational lines...

Experience: Something you get 15 seconds after you need it.

Just feel good about the learning process. Can't tell you how many times I've taken the same thing apart because I missed something in the re-assembly.

Grab a beer and try again later.

Good luck!!!

K

 

I'll swap an engine ANY day before I pull my dash out again

 

LOL, good catch even if it was an hour late - hell I'd still be scratching my head and using a few choice words

 

This is the kind of stuff that makes looming deadlines - for major cruises for instance, take a lot of fun out of the hobby for me. It makes the whole experience twice as stressful when you're trying to get her buttoned up and shook down with only days (or hours) to go. Good luck the rest of the way.

 

NOW.....FOR THE "BRITE SIDE":

Well.........now it works(worked) correctly(in the first place)........

and you saved me 2 hours of getting faster at removing my dash!

 

Regis - don't stress!
We have a BUNCH of other great local cruises planned and more in the planning stages.....

If you don't make this one, there's another coming right up!

Here's one on July 12th
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-g...a-highway.html

Here's one on August 2nd
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-g...tunes-net.html

 

I won't blame you a single second.
I don't have car's user manual, and I just don't understand anything to the climate control unit. I should because I will soon wrap up the interior, better make sure the blower works as it should.

 

It is stressful and in fact, I'm going to skip installing the new headers and just deal with the floorboard heat this weekend. I'm going! If the car checks out fine tommorow and Friday, I'm rolling! Who knows, I might just pull the headers tommorow night... I must love abuse!



I have the owners manual, right on top of the dash, while I'm working on it. I should've looked at it, first! But that would take time! Um, yeah, a little time, versus a lot of time. I'm not sure if it would've told me, that the thumbwheel on the left, that selects the options, would've allowed the blower to come on. Maybe it was common knowledge back then, but now technology does so much for us, we tend to forget the simple stuff....

Jeff, I'm making it! I'll be there in Santa Monica, barring any unknown problems with having a brand new dash harness, heater control rebuild, custom stereo install and a new (not rebuilt) alternator.

Keith, you're right on about experience. Sheesh! It's like the 'Tribal Knowledge' thing. For example, the same Gen1 SBC now has two different oil pans! From 76 or 77, they made the gasket 'deeper' at the back, so if you use an early oilpan gasket on a newer SBC pan or the Milodon pans, guess what, you're gonna have a pretty good leak going. Ask me how I know!

And I'm being so careful, because this is the LAST FRIGGING TIME, I EVER WANT TO PULL THE DASH AGAIN!!! Thus, the Power Probe. It makes it so easy to check the bulbs. Hit the rocker forward for voltage from the battery, touch the socket, wham-o and you get instant verification. You can even test the bulbs in your hand! I think they're a little over a hundred bucks. Best $100 I ever spent. You get verification of grounds and even if you have to puncture the wire, you get a 'green' telling you the circuit is complete, once you touch that wire. For me, it's a 'gotta have' item.


http://www.powerprobe.com/



Also, if you're doing a lot of dash and interior work, it really helps to jack the car up on all four corners as high as you can get it. Makes it much easier to get in and out. Much easier to have your knees on the ground, while you're working under the dash.

Finally, I still love my PK Safety rubber mats! Two years old and they're still holding up like they were new! The big one is great for the knees on the concrete and laying under the car, the little ones go over the hand brake handle, so you don't get that special imprint on the side of your rib cage after long hours of bending over the trans tunnel. They're not dollar store cheap, but they are tough and very comfortable!

The comfort factor of working many days and hours in the car, is worth spending a C-note on. I have the large $73 dollar mat (24x36) and a couple of the smaller ones. The big mat, works really well on the wooden creepers too.



http://www.pksafety.com/ergokneel-ex...-mat-5032.html



I'm not trying to be a shill here, I just want you guys, not to have to suffer as much, working on these cars, because you might as well be comfortable, especially if you're past middle age (cough) like most of us!

 

Thanks for posting this, my blower motor is not burned out after all!!

 

Lol and here is me lookin like Linus carrying round my "blanky" when I have to kneel in or lie around the car when working on it. Actually its an old duvet inner (that's dooner to the Aussies) and it sure beats lying on the concrete:-) Some of those fancy mats you have might have to find their way into the budget one day though, the missus gets cranky if she catches me putting the old blanky in the washing machine lol.

 

Lol indeed! We've used them almost daily for two years at the shop and they're STILL in good shape! They are over an inch thick, of very dense neoprene and are oil and gas resistant. They work great on the door sill too. And they are washable as well. Your wifey will love you for not contaminating her washing machine.

 

That's like the common 'ignition key is stuck' problem in the stick shift cars with the reverse and column lock!

 

These C3 dashes area PITA to work under. Not only is everything crammed in there, GM did a terrible job of organizing things, even from the factory harnesses and cables seem to run everywhere with no rhyme or reason. Reassembly is a chore as its so easy to disconnect, knock loose or get something otherwise disturbed. Took the center gauges out on my 68 and learned the best first step is to remove the passenger dash pad first, seems to make everything a bit easier to deal with.

Watch out for power probes. I have one and use it alot(best tool in the world for diagnosing inoperative power windows) but it will lie to you. It may tell you there is ground or power on a circuit but wont tell you if its hanging on by a thread and will go open with a load applied to it. Like I said, I have one and use it alot but sometimes a non-powered test light works better.

 

I agree. The C3's are beautiful cars, but it is crazy how some of the stuff was engineered! My fav is the shifter plate for the stick shift C3's, that sits on top of the console. With the console in the right spot for all the screws, the shifter hits the front edge of the opening! You have to have a second person push it forward hard at least a 1/4", so the shifter wont clank against the leading edge of that opening. But man, they left plenty of frigging room BEHIND the shifter though! If the designer would've shifted the box, by moving it up a 1/2, it'd drop right in, but noooooo, it's a friggin C3 and we laugh at the Brit marques! Also, I'll keep that in mind about the test light and thanks!

 

I'm sorry you tore it apart for nothing, but I'm glad the schematic helped you..


Willcox