Electrical gremlins 1970
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 461
Likes: 184
From: Lachute QC
Electrical gremlins 1970
So hooked up the battery for the first time in about 16 years on my frame off restoration... 1970 vert 350-300hp automatic...
All new wiring harnesses all over...
Basically the only thing that worked was the headlights, and the power windows... weird thing, with the key out, the windows still went up/down... is that normal?
Other than that nothing else worked... no marker lights, no instrument cluster lights, no signal lights, no tail lights...
Is there something in the steering column that could cause all these issues?
Any help/advice would be appreciated.
Gonna start checking tomorrow to see if there's power going to the fuse, etc.
Thanks.
All new wiring harnesses all over...
Basically the only thing that worked was the headlights, and the power windows... weird thing, with the key out, the windows still went up/down... is that normal?
Other than that nothing else worked... no marker lights, no instrument cluster lights, no signal lights, no tail lights...
Is there something in the steering column that could cause all these issues?
Any help/advice would be appreciated.
Gonna start checking tomorrow to see if there's power going to the fuse, etc.
Thanks.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 7,123
Likes: 433
From: Gladstone MO
C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
Where did you get the wiring harness?
My first thought is the power feed (red wire to the horn relay) is not hooked up either at the starter or the horn relay.
The rear harness connector at the top of the fuse block may not be seated- I had to use pliers to get mine to seat. It would connect, but not lock.
Power windows, IIRC, have an independent harness that plugs into the fuse panel. If it's in the "BAT" terminal or a jumper from there, then the windows will work all the time.
Do you have a good ground at the A pillar? Sounds a bit like the dash is missing it's ground.
My first thought is the power feed (red wire to the horn relay) is not hooked up either at the starter or the horn relay.
The rear harness connector at the top of the fuse block may not be seated- I had to use pliers to get mine to seat. It would connect, but not lock.
Power windows, IIRC, have an independent harness that plugs into the fuse panel. If it's in the "BAT" terminal or a jumper from there, then the windows will work all the time.
Do you have a good ground at the A pillar? Sounds a bit like the dash is missing it's ground.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 461
Likes: 184
From: Lachute QC
Where did you get the wiring harness?
My first thought is the power feed (red wire to the horn relay) is not hooked up either at the starter or the horn relay.
The rear harness connector at the top of the fuse block may not be seated- I had to use pliers to get mine to seat. It would connect, but not lock.
Power windows, IIRC, have an independent harness that plugs into the fuse panel. If it's in the "BAT" terminal or a jumper from there, then the windows will work all the time.
Do you have a good ground at the A pillar? Sounds a bit like the dash is missing it's ground.
My first thought is the power feed (red wire to the horn relay) is not hooked up either at the starter or the horn relay.
The rear harness connector at the top of the fuse block may not be seated- I had to use pliers to get mine to seat. It would connect, but not lock.
Power windows, IIRC, have an independent harness that plugs into the fuse panel. If it's in the "BAT" terminal or a jumper from there, then the windows will work all the time.
Do you have a good ground at the A pillar? Sounds a bit like the dash is missing it's ground.
Thanks again.
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 140
Likes: 19
Check you fuses...likely they have lost contact, pull then and check that they grip the fuse tight within the panel itself. Sometimes the clips that hold the ends of the tubes tend to loose their strength. It would only take one or two fuses to loose all functions. The a-pillar ground is another bugger like mentioned.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,218
Likes: 4,302
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi my,
There are a surprising number of individual grounding connections for the various harnesses… perhaps those should be checked. For example each taillight housing and the license lamp have their own ground connection.
Also there's this connection below the steering column that's already been mentioned that you may want to check.
In addition you need to determine which items should work with the ignition off and what works only when the ignition is on.
Regards,
Alan
There are a surprising number of individual grounding connections for the various harnesses… perhaps those should be checked. For example each taillight housing and the license lamp have their own ground connection.
Also there's this connection below the steering column that's already been mentioned that you may want to check.
In addition you need to determine which items should work with the ignition off and what works only when the ignition is on.
Regards,
Alan
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 461
Likes: 184
From: Lachute QC
Thanks for all the advice guys... made some progress since late yesterday... turns out we were missing all the connections to the ignition switch (ooops)... that fixed a few things. There was also a connection where the pin was bent, so that corrected another thing. A couple of fuses were burnt, so that fixed a few more.
Turns out now the only things that are not working is the horn (will need to make sure the actual horns work first), the windshield wipers (going to test to make sure the motor is good), the brake lights and the hazard lights...
The rest seems good... headlights, taillights, marker lights, park lights, signal lights, instrument cluster lights, lighter, radio, backup lights, windows.
Could the horn and hazard be related since they are both part of the column?
Thanks...
Turns out now the only things that are not working is the horn (will need to make sure the actual horns work first), the windshield wipers (going to test to make sure the motor is good), the brake lights and the hazard lights...
The rest seems good... headlights, taillights, marker lights, park lights, signal lights, instrument cluster lights, lighter, radio, backup lights, windows.
Could the horn and hazard be related since they are both part of the column?
Thanks...
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 140
Likes: 19
relays
Thanks for all the advice guys... made some progress since late yesterday... turns out we were missing all the connections to the ignition switch (ooops)... that fixed a few things. There was also a connection where the pin was bent, so that corrected another thing. A couple of fuses were burnt, so that fixed a few more.
Turns out now the only things that are not working is the horn (will need to make sure the actual horns work first), the windshield wipers (going to test to make sure the motor is good), the brake lights and the hazard lights...
The rest seems good... headlights, taillights, marker lights, park lights, signal lights, instrument cluster lights, lighter, radio, backup lights, windows.
Could the horn and hazard be related since they are both part of the column?
Thanks...
Turns out now the only things that are not working is the horn (will need to make sure the actual horns work first), the windshield wipers (going to test to make sure the motor is good), the brake lights and the hazard lights...
The rest seems good... headlights, taillights, marker lights, park lights, signal lights, instrument cluster lights, lighter, radio, backup lights, windows.
Could the horn and hazard be related since they are both part of the column?
Thanks...
Check your horn relay and hazard relay. Those are likely the culprets. The horn wiring goes into the same harness off the tuen signal harness, relay is by your left foot kick panel, not sure about hazard, mine is behind glove box or within center console harness....cant recall. Your is maybe in center console harness??
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 7,123
Likes: 433
From: Gladstone MO
C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
Horn and hazard could be in the column- as you suggested. The turn signal switch has both of them going thru it. Check at the horn relay- on the left fender. The hazard flasher is plugged into the fuse block- might check that one too.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 461
Likes: 184
From: Lachute QC
So it appears that it's actually both horns that do not work, and not any relay/wiring... we tried another horn from another car (which also did not work), but fourth one was a charm and it worked... now to see if there's any way to fix a horn (maybe something stuck inside)...
So now there's the brake lights and the hazard lights that aren't working (may be related together), and the wipers aren't working... need to find out if it's actually the motor... my restorer said he could hear a clicking noise when turning them on, but nothing was moving.
Need to research some more on this...
Thanks everyone for their responses...
So now there's the brake lights and the hazard lights that aren't working (may be related together), and the wipers aren't working... need to find out if it's actually the motor... my restorer said he could hear a clicking noise when turning them on, but nothing was moving.
Need to research some more on this...
Thanks everyone for their responses...
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 7,123
Likes: 433
From: Gladstone MO
C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
The brake light switch is under the dash, attached to the brake pedal. One side should have power all the time. (White wire I think) and the orange one goes back to the TS switch when the pedal is pushed (brakes on). It feeds thru the TS switch so you get brake lights on the rear and still have the blink for turn.
As far as the horn, dead is dead. I've never seen one that was repaired. Kind of a sealed unit.
Willcox has a great troubleshooting guide for the wiper system on their website..
As far as the horn, dead is dead. I've never seen one that was repaired. Kind of a sealed unit.
Willcox has a great troubleshooting guide for the wiper system on their website..
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 461
Likes: 184
From: Lachute QC
Two more down... it appears that the problem with the brake lights and hazard lights was due to a bad connection on the "harmonica" connection in the steering column... looks like a pin was bent or something like that...
I'll get my buddy to check out that video on Willcox...
Looks like my clock doesn't work either... buddy thinks that it's simply not working anymore... more research...
I'll get my buddy to check out that video on Willcox...
Looks like my clock doesn't work either... buddy thinks that it's simply not working anymore... more research...
Racer
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 434
Likes: 47
From: Lake in the Hills IL
Two more down... it appears that the problem with the brake lights and hazard lights was due to a bad connection on the "harmonica" connection in the steering column... looks like a pin was bent or something like that...
I'll get my buddy to check out that video on Willcox...
Looks like my clock doesn't work either... buddy thinks that it's simply not working anymore... more research...
I'll get my buddy to check out that video on Willcox...
Looks like my clock doesn't work either... buddy thinks that it's simply not working anymore... more research...
Last edited by raydog9379; Sep 6, 2017 at 04:42 PM.