Need Wiring suggestions
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 689
Likes: 0
From: MI
Need Wiring suggestions
Okay, every few months I post a complaint about a draw on my battery. i finally decided to do something about it. I put it in the shop and they found the problem. The alternator is connected improperly(which I knew but didn't know what the correct way was), and there is a problem with the way the previous owner wired the fuel pump. He was a real genious.
The question is this. The shop was going to charge me $295 to wire everything correctly. Since I paid 70 for the diagnosis, that is really like 225. If I'm not in a hurry, since I live in MI and can't drive it now anyway, should I do this myself, or should I pay the 225 and be done with the biggest headache about the car? I've never done any electrical work before, so I don't know what it entails.
Thanks for the help guys.
007
The question is this. The shop was going to charge me $295 to wire everything correctly. Since I paid 70 for the diagnosis, that is really like 225. If I'm not in a hurry, since I live in MI and can't drive it now anyway, should I do this myself, or should I pay the 225 and be done with the biggest headache about the car? I've never done any electrical work before, so I don't know what it entails.
Thanks for the help guys.
007
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 9,242
Likes: 221
From: Dryden MI
Re: Need Wiring suggestions (Double_0_7)
Pay to have it done! (not my money). If you are unfamiliar with wiring and they found several things done wrong let them fix it. The wiring to the fuel pump and the alternator is not a major fix, but to someone not familiar with electrical it might be best to leave it alone. Either item if not done right could be a major disaster. Curious as to how they are wired wrong, there are not that many wires to contend with and the alternator has a single plug and a hot wire, where is the problem? Good luck. Roger L. Gibbons
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 689
Likes: 0
From: MI
Re: Need Wiring suggestions (Roger L. Gibbons)
Okay, I talked to the guy at the shop earlier. He said that nothing was really "incorrect", just "weird". The alternator problem was that both leads on the voltage regulator were tied to the battery. That I knew was wrong, but I didn't know what right was. He showed me that leaving one positive, but the other not tied to anything would alleviate the draw, and I would have to rev the engine a little to make the alternator charge.
The fuel pump is wired to a toggle switch for power instead of to the ignition. Great for racing I guess, but I don't race. I figured since it works the way it is, I would leave it for now, and work on other stuff first like shocks, and steering refresher.
The fuel pump is wired to a toggle switch for power instead of to the ignition. Great for racing I guess, but I don't race. I figured since it works the way it is, I would leave it for now, and work on other stuff first like shocks, and steering refresher.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 929
Likes: 5
From: Marietta GA
Re: Need Wiring suggestions (Double_0_7)
Sounds like the toggle switch for the fuel pump might have been a fuel pump cut-off switch to prevent the car from being stolen. That's not a bad idea in my book.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
Likes: 230
From: Orange Park Florida
Re: Need Wiring suggestions (Double_0_7)
007, what youneed to do is go to NCRS or NCCC sites, get your local club person's number...go to meetings, and get the club ghuru to help you...
most clubs are a decent group of folks..and can be of HUGE help....
and besides, you get better cheaper work..and LEARN at the same time...
GENE
most clubs are a decent group of folks..and can be of HUGE help....
and besides, you get better cheaper work..and LEARN at the same time...
GENE
Racer
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 322
Likes: 0
From: Alexandria VA
Re: Need Wiring suggestions (Double_0_7)
Imagine that. I was coming to the site to post a nearly identical problem. I have a '74 and am constantly complaining about a dead battery. I took it to the shop and sure enough the alternator was bad. I paid to have it fixed, and that worked well, until the next time the battery went dead. Now I'm back again trying to figure out what I should do.
