Power Antenna Help?!!
Thread Starter
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 62
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From: Santa Ana, California
Power Antenna Help?!!
I have a 1978 25th special edition corvette. Ive been trying to figure out why my power antenna wasnt working, it will not go up when radio is turned on.
Tried a different relay and that didnt solve my problem.
I might have the cables mixed?
Orange - Hot (constant power)
Black ground
and yellow connected to radio (ignition switch)
when the car turns on, i hear a click in the relay but antenna does not work
I checked the antenna and it works fine!
Please help!
thanks
Tried a different relay and that didnt solve my problem.
I might have the cables mixed?
Orange - Hot (constant power)
Black ground
and yellow connected to radio (ignition switch)
when the car turns on, i hear a click in the relay but antenna does not work
I checked the antenna and it works fine!
Please help!
thanks
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 229
Likes: 2
From: Grants Pass Oregon
Try http://www.corvetteforum.net/c3/tune...l/index6.shtml you can't mix up wires. pull plug at relay,red&yellow, with radio on, both wires will have power. if not, antenna will not work.
Last edited by 78 silver 78; Nov 12, 2010 at 09:44 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 5,236
Likes: 898
From: Myrtle Beach SC
I have a 1978 25th special edition corvette. Ive been trying to figure out why my power antenna wasnt working, it will not go up when radio is turned on.
Tried a different relay and that didnt solve my problem.
I might have the cables mixed?
Orange - Hot (constant power)
Black ground and yellow connected to radio (ignition switch)
Tried a different relay and that didnt solve my problem.
I might have the cables mixed?
Orange - Hot (constant power)
Black ground and yellow connected to radio (ignition switch)
when the car turns on, i hear a click in the relay but antenna does not work. I checked the antenna and it works fine!
It sounds like the cable is broke within the power unit body. So it is not an electrical problem but a mechanical problem.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 62
Likes: 2
From: Santa Ana, California
Both cables give power going to the relay when the car is turned on. When the Car is turned off, the constant stays on and power goes to the antenna so it goes down. When the car ignition is on, both cables have power but i hear a click on the relay and the constant power will not go to the antenna, only the ignition cable does.
So Car is off, constant power goes to antenna
Car is on, only ignition power goes to antenna
And by meaning the antenna works fine, i checked it by connecting it directly to a power source and it goes up and down so i know the antenna isnt broken.
So Car is off, constant power goes to antenna
Car is on, only ignition power goes to antenna
And by meaning the antenna works fine, i checked it by connecting it directly to a power source and it goes up and down so i know the antenna isnt broken.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,374
Likes: 224
From: Beecher Illinois
Are you sure the power antenna is the factory installed one and not aftermarket?
Aftermarket would most likely have it's own relay and not use the one under the armrest.
How did you test the antenna? By just pulling it up by hand? Like mentioned, that would be a broken nylon cable, the thing that pushes it up and down.
edit...did you test the antenna from the connector at the relay?
Aftermarket would most likely have it's own relay and not use the one under the armrest.
How did you test the antenna? By just pulling it up by hand? Like mentioned, that would be a broken nylon cable, the thing that pushes it up and down.
edit...did you test the antenna from the connector at the relay?
Last edited by KapsSA; Nov 13, 2010 at 02:14 PM.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 62
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From: Santa Ana, California
im pretty sure its OEM. but it does have a little black box on the antenna to which the wires to to and additional wires come out from?
if i connect the cables directly to each other, not using the relay under the armrest it works perfect. Would i need to use the OEM relay? or just butt connect the wires to each other? I wouldnt need to worry about anything going bad?
if i connect the cables directly to each other, not using the relay under the armrest it works perfect. Would i need to use the OEM relay? or just butt connect the wires to each other? I wouldnt need to worry about anything going bad?
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 229
Likes: 2
From: Grants Pass Oregon
im pretty sure its OEM. but it does have a little black box on the antenna to which the wires to to and additional wires come out from?
if i connect the cables directly to each other, not using the relay under the armrest it works perfect. Would i need to use the OEM relay? or just butt connect the wires to each other? I wouldnt need to worry about anything going bad?
if i connect the cables directly to each other, not using the relay under the armrest it works perfect. Would i need to use the OEM relay? or just butt connect the wires to each other? I wouldnt need to worry about anything going bad?
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Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 62
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From: Santa Ana, California
after looking at the picture i think i have a aftermarket antenna, not quite sure, heres some pictures:
so should i just remove the relay under the armrest and butt connect the wires? since it will work without the relay. i was just concern if removing the relay would damage the antenna, but if its aftermarket it should be fine without it out.
so should i just remove the relay under the armrest and butt connect the wires? since it will work without the relay. i was just concern if removing the relay would damage the antenna, but if its aftermarket it should be fine without it out.
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 229
Likes: 2
From: Grants Pass Oregon
after looking at the picture i think i have a aftermarket antenna, not quite sure, heres some pictures:
so should i just remove the relay under the armrest and butt connect the wires? since it will work without the relay. i was just concern if removing the relay would damage the antenna, but if its aftermarket it should be fine without it out.
so should i just remove the relay under the armrest and butt connect the wires? since it will work without the relay. i was just concern if removing the relay would damage the antenna, but if its aftermarket it should be fine without it out.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,374
Likes: 224
From: Beecher Illinois
That's a GM "service replacement".
Yes, bypass the relay under the armrest.
Make sure black stays ground.
If you accidently switch the yellow and orange it should do no harm, antenna will just stay up. If so, just swap the two wires.
Or...
You could run the white/gray/green wires from the antenna to the relay under the armrest and bypass the one on the antenna. Just make sure those three wires go to the correct terminals on the relay.
Yes, bypass the relay under the armrest.
Make sure black stays ground.
If you accidently switch the yellow and orange it should do no harm, antenna will just stay up. If so, just swap the two wires.
Or...
You could run the white/gray/green wires from the antenna to the relay under the armrest and bypass the one on the antenna. Just make sure those three wires go to the correct terminals on the relay.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,374
Likes: 224
From: Beecher Illinois
Another thought. Pull that rubber grommit out from under the fender that the wires go through and see if the original white/gray/green wire is cutoff and tucked into the hole. You can also access it by removing the rear speaker or blockoff panel.
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 229
Likes: 2
From: Grants Pass Oregon
Ok, problem is witch wires did they use ? In your pic. OEM were green, white and gray. they should have used just the green and white. Cut both connecters off , and just hook wires temp. to see witch is up & down. Then butt connect.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,374
Likes: 224
From: Beecher Illinois
NO!
The white/gray/green wires are correct for the GM antenna.
The function of the relay is to switch the combinations of the wires.
To raise the antenna the relay selects....
Green (+)
Gray (-)
To lower....
White (+)
Green (-)
See how green can be either hot or ground.
The white/gray/green wires are correct for the GM antenna.
The function of the relay is to switch the combinations of the wires.
To raise the antenna the relay selects....
Green (+)
Gray (-)
To lower....
White (+)
Green (-)
See how green can be either hot or ground.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,374
Likes: 224
From: Beecher Illinois
Is this the color sceme you have at the relay?
Did someone splice these white/gray/green wires to the orange/pink(?)/black wires going to the relay mounted to the antenna? THAT won't work!
Or do you have access to the orange/pink/black wires under the armrest near the relay where they can be spliced to the orange/yellow/black coming from the front?
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 62
Likes: 2
From: Santa Ana, California
i just checked and notice tape and the wires are not the same leading to the antenna.
when i tested the antenna, i had to have both cables hot in order for it to go up and one cable for it to go down.
when i tested the antenna, i had to have both cables hot in order for it to go up and one cable for it to go down.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,374
Likes: 224
From: Beecher Illinois
Where are you testing the antenna from? At the antenna or at the relay?
What cables are you touching together?
Are there orange/pink/black wires at the relay going to the antenna or did someone do some creative splicing?
What cables are you touching together?
Are there orange/pink/black wires at the relay going to the antenna or did someone do some creative splicing?