Laugh or cry?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 476
Likes: 37
From: Lynnwood WA
Laugh or cry?
I have been fighting a problem with my turn signals for a couple weeks. I have had three working blinkers. I mean three actually blink, I have never seen this before. Most times if one blinker stops working the other blinker on that side just lights up and does not blink. Well, today I pulled the light blue wire out of the harmonica connector on the steering column, plugged it back in to be sure it was seated, and got all the blinkers working! But when I went to look at what had for weeks been my dead left front blinker, I noticed a white light behind the grill blinking; it was my left high beam. It was only the left one so I turned on my lights to get them to pop up for a look. That was when my right front high beam also came on blinking. So as it stands, when I hit my left turn indicator with my lights on both high beams flash with the blinker.(the car looks like this 
) If I hit the left turn indicator with the lights off the left high beam blinks behind the grill with the turn indicator. If I hit my high beams, they stop flashing and my left front turn signal goes out, and the left rear one stays on but stops flashing. This is my fourth Corvette, I know to expect wiring problems, but now poltergeist?!! That harmonica connector looks like it comes apart, any idea how?
Zorro
) If I hit the left turn indicator with the lights off the left high beam blinks behind the grill with the turn indicator. If I hit my high beams, they stop flashing and my left front turn signal goes out, and the left rear one stays on but stops flashing. This is my fourth Corvette, I know to expect wiring problems, but now poltergeist?!! That harmonica connector looks like it comes apart, any idea how?Zorro
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 65
Likes: 0
If EVER there was a justification for this, this is it....
http://www.painlesswiring.com/
There's some serious back feeding happening there. Very likely shorts in a few places......
http://www.painlesswiring.com/
There's some serious back feeding happening there. Very likely shorts in a few places......
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
You just have some ground wiring that is not making good connection to the frame. Find the ground wires (also for the turn indicators under dash area) and make sure the wiring is good and the connections are clean. That should solve your problems.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 476
Likes: 37
From: Lynnwood WA
I thought I should start with the connectors on the harmonica. So I pulled it off the steering column, and the white wire fell off it. I cleaned it up and pushed it back in, and for the first time since I did the motor swap all the exterior lights work!
Thanks for the suggestions you were all right! Bad ground due to worn out wiring connector. Now I get to start thinking about replacing that harmonica connector. (fun position to work in
) So I may cry yet.
Zorro
Thanks for the suggestions you were all right! Bad ground due to worn out wiring connector. Now I get to start thinking about replacing that harmonica connector. (fun position to work in
) So I may cry yet. Zorro
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,852
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
If EVER there was a justification for this, this is it....
http://www.painlesswiring.com/
There's some serious back feeding happening there. Very likely shorts in a few places......
http://www.painlesswiring.com/
There's some serious back feeding happening there. Very likely shorts in a few places......
We had a customer with an 81 that had one and boy what a mess... Far from painless to fix both on our part and the customers pocket book...
Racer
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 429
Likes: 2
From: Oak Ridge NJ
Purchased my engine and headlight wiring harness from M&H and having similar problems with the passenger side front marker light not working. I do believe its a ground problem or something in the steering column with the banjo connector. Good luck. Isn't chasing wiring gremlins FUN?!?!?! 
Mike
Mike
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,852
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Well at least M&H makes factory harness's and not those generic ones... 
On your front marker lamp.. check the extension harness.. make sure the connectors for the bulbs don't have paint in them.. (saw that the other day).
They are a common problem... Most people buy the headlamp harness and forget about the extensions.
On your front marker lamp.. check the extension harness.. make sure the connectors for the bulbs don't have paint in them.. (saw that the other day).
They are a common problem... Most people buy the headlamp harness and forget about the extensions.
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Racer
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 409
Likes: 3
From: St. James, NC
I had a ground wire break on a taillight housing. Everytime I touched the brakes the fuel gauge went from the correct reading to way past full. Turns out the taillights decided to ground through the fuel gauge curcuit. Electrical issues are a pain.
I vote cry...scream and curse too
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 476
Likes: 37
From: Lynnwood WA
Racer
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 429
Likes: 2
From: Oak Ridge NJ
Well at least M&H makes factory harness's and not those generic ones...
On your front marker lamp.. check the extension harness.. make sure the connectors for the bulbs don't have paint in them.. (saw that the other day).
They are a common problem... Most people buy the headlamp harness and forget about the extensions.
On your front marker lamp.. check the extension harness.. make sure the connectors for the bulbs don't have paint in them.. (saw that the other day).
They are a common problem... Most people buy the headlamp harness and forget about the extensions.
Mike