Electrical Issue - 1980
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
From: Las Cruces NM
Electrical Issue - 1980
I haven't quite found a solid pattern for this but sometimes the interior lights will stay on with the car off and doors closed. Without changing anything, the lights may turn off properly. It does not seem to be the springy things that detect if the doors are open/closed.
Also, the radio will turn on fine until I turn on the headlights, at which point the radio loses it's power.
Generally after losing the radio power due to turning on the headlights, I can not get power back to the radio for a little while (even without lights).
Where should I look for problems?
Also, most of the gauges do not work. On the panel above the radio, the fuel gauge works, but nothing else. Power is hooked up to it, and the battery light stays lit. There is not obvious issues with the battery.
Any help is greatly appreciated. I just obtained this car a couple days ago and am trying to work out some of it's bigger kinks. It runs great.
Also, the radio will turn on fine until I turn on the headlights, at which point the radio loses it's power.
Generally after losing the radio power due to turning on the headlights, I can not get power back to the radio for a little while (even without lights).
Where should I look for problems?
Also, most of the gauges do not work. On the panel above the radio, the fuel gauge works, but nothing else. Power is hooked up to it, and the battery light stays lit. There is not obvious issues with the battery.
Any help is greatly appreciated. I just obtained this car a couple days ago and am trying to work out some of it's bigger kinks. It runs great.
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,323
Likes: 2
From: Castle Hills Texas
The interior light timer is located behind the glove box in the 80 as I recall. They can fail and cause oddities. With your gauges and batt light, check the actual printed circuit board that all that stuff is attached to. I had to replace one behind the speedometer as it started to separate and caused the ground to fail. Once that happened I had a constant choke light and buzzing relay to go with it... then the blinker indicators in the dash quit indicating which is why I replaced the PCB to begin with. Doing that, fixed the choke light and all those issues as well to my surprise. The center PCB in your car may be failing similar to mine. That is where I would start, though the issue could be elsewhere.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
From: Las Cruces NM
Thank you both. Do either of you have a link to where I can buy a replacement? I googled '1980 corvette pcb replacement' with no luck. I don't know correct terminologies for this stuff yet 
Edit: Is this it? http://www.ecklers.com/corvette-dash...1978-1982.html
Edit: Is this it? http://www.ecklers.com/corvette-dash...1978-1982.html
Last edited by Stooney; Jun 16, 2010 at 12:15 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,323
Likes: 2
From: Castle Hills Texas
Willcox
http://willcoxcorvette.com/product_i...ducts_id=25311
There are two, one for the speedo/tach cluster and one for the center console area.... You want the center console area, the one I linked.
Here is a link showing both:
http://willcoxcorvette.com/advanced_...php?cPath=2059
http://willcoxcorvette.com/product_i...ducts_id=25311
There are two, one for the speedo/tach cluster and one for the center console area.... You want the center console area, the one I linked.
Here is a link showing both:
http://willcoxcorvette.com/advanced_...php?cPath=2059
Last edited by Crash80; Jun 16, 2010 at 12:50 PM.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
From: Las Cruces NM
Willcox
http://willcoxcorvette.com/product_i...ducts_id=25311
There are two, one for the speedo/tach cluster and one for the center console area.... You want the center console area, the one I linked.
Here is a link showing both:
http://willcoxcorvette.com/advanced_...php?cPath=2059
http://willcoxcorvette.com/product_i...ducts_id=25311
There are two, one for the speedo/tach cluster and one for the center console area.... You want the center console area, the one I linked.
Here is a link showing both:
http://willcoxcorvette.com/advanced_...php?cPath=2059
Also, aside from the PCB where would I look to check grounds? I'm not completely sure which ones I'm looking for, but where would I look? (If that makes sense)
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 825
Likes: 0
From: Hanging out back with the dark horses. Wa.
Thank You. I will be ordering this today as I'm pretty sure it's the problem. I remember the PCB being loose when I was installing the radio yesterday. Would you happen to have installation instructions on hand?
Also, aside from the PCB where would I look to check grounds? I'm not completely sure which ones I'm looking for, but where would I look? (If that makes sense)
Also, aside from the PCB where would I look to check grounds? I'm not completely sure which ones I'm looking for, but where would I look? (If that makes sense)
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,323
Likes: 2
From: Castle Hills Texas
Willcox has a really cool section of repair help, doesn't cover everything but is really helpful:
http://willcoxcorvette.com/advanced_...+%23&x=43&y=16
http://willcoxcorvette.com/advanced_...+%23&x=43&y=16
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
From: Las Cruces NM
Thank you all so far. Last major question for this thread:
Where would I look for the ground for the radio? So far the radio seems to work during the day, but not at night, regardless of headlights. I'm not saying this is why, it's just the only pattern I can find for when it does/does not work. I guess I could just reach in there, find the ground and ground it myself to see if that helps.
Where would I look for the ground for the radio? So far the radio seems to work during the day, but not at night, regardless of headlights. I'm not saying this is why, it's just the only pattern I can find for when it does/does not work. I guess I could just reach in there, find the ground and ground it myself to see if that helps.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
From: Las Cruces NM
Lol nah, it's an aftermarket stereo. I'm to the point where I have the radio working solid as long as I don't use the lights. Turning on the lights cuts off all stereo power.
We're gonna go through the wiring diagrams and see if we can find the problem. My friend asked me to ask you fellas if it could be the headlight switch bad/going bad. I believe this is all related to the issue of the interior lights occasionally being stuck on.
We're gonna go through the wiring diagrams and see if we can find the problem. My friend asked me to ask you fellas if it could be the headlight switch bad/going bad. I believe this is all related to the issue of the interior lights occasionally being stuck on.
