harleeflstn

Hello everyone.
Just recently purchased a 79 (that's not stock) as a father/son project with my 18 y/o son. Overall the car is in decent running condition but we decided to redo the interior as our 1st project on the car. After ripping out most of the interior including the dash but leaving the speedo and center console still connected we noticed that the courtesy lights were missing bulbs and not working. Additionally the horn and power door locks were not working. We put new bulbs in the courtesy lights and they all worked fine. Only problem is when you closed the doors the door jam switches did not let the courtesy lights go out. They basically stayed on unless the battery was disconnected. I have yet to get into looking why the horn isn't working but did try and get the power door locks to work in the meantime. When I activate the switch for the door locks nothing happens but dimming of the courtesy lights. I have read some posts on here about the alarm systems on the cars and how they are connected to the horn, courtesy lights, and possibly the power door locks. Is there something obvious I should look into to get the courtesy lights, horn and power door locks to operated? I am not interested in having the alarm work so not sure if at one point there was an issue with the previous owner and the operation of the alarm where they just disabled the things I mention having issues with to kill the alarm. Its amazing that everything in the car works, even the clock, but these 3 things I mentioned don't and it seems somehow they are all tied to the alarm. More so that the horn and power door locks don't work but I can't get the courtesy lights to go out.

Thanks

C3 4ME

Your courtesy light timer is probably toast. The lights not going out is a common problem when that happens. Most people bypass the timer and then the inside lights just operate like normal without a delay to turn them off. I'm not sure off the top of my head how to bypass the timer, but it shouldn't be hard to google it, or search on the sight here, or you could buy a new timer and it might fix the problem to operate the way the factory intended.

harleeflstn

Thanks. That's a good start. I will google were to find it and poss bypass!!

Peterbuilt

It should be on the right corner behind the glove box.
Just disconnect the timer and jumper the two white wires together.

https://willcoxcorvette.com/corvette...er-board-78-82

DUB

Unless you physically remove the door jamb switches and confirm that they are no longer attached to a ground source...it is not confirmed that by simply removing the courtesy timer controller will correct this problem.....becasue....if the jamb switches are messed up...the interior courtesy light will still stay on due to getting ground command signal.

The power door locks on your car are tricky and BOTH power door lock switches and all wiring MUST be good in order for it to work.

The horn is usually simple to fix but deal with one thing at a time.

Your alarm system...if I am not mistaken is the relay and flasher that is by your shifter...under the shift plate.

DUB

harleeflstn

Thanks...looks like its gonna take some time to figure all the little things out that are not right. I have read before that maybe the horn, courtesy lights and pdl are all connected somehow to the alarm and figures those three are not working. I am gonna replace and rewire the pdl and see if that works and troubleshoot the courtesy lights with some of the input I got so far. Problem is I basically can fix anything till it comes to an electrical issue and thats a bit out of my comfort level.

DUB

As much as I hate to write this....I feel it is time that you either give it to someone to repair...or get a wiring diagram and begin to learn about electrical problems.

To be honest with you...WAY back in the day I HATED electrical work...but now...I prefer it above anything else. Simply because either it works or it doesn't. There is no middle ground.

Focus on ONE problem and forget about the alarm. The alarm does not effect your interior lights from coming on. Nor does it stop your horn form working.

I am trying to let you know by what to check in POST#5.

IF I am not mistaken..the same fuse control the PDL's, interior lights and horn. It is your CTSY/CLK fuse.

ALSO...this is important....which leads us back to you beginning to get an understand on electrical currents and so on is that your PDL's can be perfect right now electrically. But your problem can actually be a worn out or seized up door lock actuator solenoid.....which is common. Thus it will not move. AND thus can be confirmed by using a test light or even better is a voltmeter.

I know I will do all I can to help you much like many other forum members will...and if you feel you are just stuck and can not 'get it' and need more help but you DO wan to fix it yourself. At that time PM me and I can give you my shop phone number and you can call me so I can try to verbally talk you through understanding how things work. Because honestly....I will not type it all out. I simply do not have the time to do that and that is when you need to read up on it yourself. And understand that having a wiring diagram is a MUST along with the tools needed...or it is all pointless.

DUB

harleeflstn

Thanks a bunch for the advice. Unfortunately I have been out of the Vet loop for some years and mainly had late 60's and early 70's in my collection. I pretty much do most of the work on all my cars..old and new....even on the Harley. So now as a new Vet owner once again its a whole new learning curve. Once I hit a wall then I take it to someone who I feel can handle it...whatever the issue may be. With that being said I am basically trying to clean up some of wiring that has been hacked over the years by previous owners. As I said earlier everything in the inside of the car worked as it should except for the horn, courtesy lights and pdl. I have read somewhere that the alarm is tied into the locks and interior lights as well as the hood triggering the horn. I know I can fix the horn rather easily and not a priority yet. As for the alarm I have no interest in getting that to work either mainly the interior lights and pdl, So here is where I am at right now. Earlier today I went out and replaced one door jamb switch that just didnt seem right and the other one is fine. I did jump the 2 white wires on the timer for the interior lights and nothing..the lights stayed on no matter what. Only after removing the timer and jumping the 2 white wires again in the pigtail....BAMM...interior lights work as they should just not on a timer. I am perfectly fine with leaving the timer out at this point. So after initial troubleshooting it seems like the timer may have been bad and the previous owner just was too lazy to have it checked as to why his lights would not go out on the interior and just pulled all the bulbs out. So...fingers crossed....this is one item off the list. As for the pdl,,I did order new door switches, actuators, and the pigtail switch harness. All of the items I just mentioned look pretty sad so they weren't too much to just order everything new. I'm hoping replacing all that will do the job.

Once again thanks a bunch for your help and I will def keep this post updated as to how its all working out!!

Phil

DUB

Glad that you go the interior lights working.

I hate that I read that you went out and bought parts. Even though replacing every part of a system will fix it..sometimes that is not what is/was needed and it could have been just one simple ground wire problem.

DUB

harleeflstn

Oh I know what your saying and believe me if it can be fix before replacing thats my goal. Yes interior lights seem ok with the timer disconnected and white wires tied. The only reason the pdl parts were ordered....besides being fairly inexpensive...is that the actuators boots were gone and they both looked like they sat in a river for years..lol...the pigtail switched were both bad with wires disconnected at the harness..and the switched were so bad the owner before me had them taped and tucked in the door compartment where the glass goes up and down...seriously!!

Will keep ya updated!

Peterbuilt

Hi again,
Do you want to fix the horn now?

http://repairs.willcoxcorvette.com/1...-wire-diagram/

harleeflstn

Oh for sure and thanks for the link. Honestly its the last on that list and haven't even checked to see if the horn is actually hooked up at the horn or the steering wheel. Reason its taking a few days as I mentioned early its a father/son project w my 18 t/o HS senior. So between school. sports and work we get a night or 2 during the week for us to work and kinda give him the insight as to how the old cars ran unlike todays push button and start vehicles.

I have been reading quite a few posts on this forum and its a great site, glad to be part of it. If only I had the resources for my Lincoln..lol

DUB

I now understand why you purchased the power door lock parts.

In earlier posts you did not provide their condition so...it is sometimes hard to know what to tell people or why they go a different route. .

I am sure that this a great adventure for you and your son when working and learning on and about the car.

DUB