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electrical gremlin... please help

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Old Jan 26, 2003 | 03:07 AM
  #1  
Charles Elliot's Avatar
Charles Elliot
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From: TX
Default electrical gremlin... please help

1980 49 states car

Gremlin 1 - weirdest
after car is shut off, and key is removed from ignition, and driver gets out of car and shuts door... choke light, batt light, and a buzzer (lights or seat belt) comes on.
-they are not on when door is open
-they are not on if car is in reverse (?????????????)
-they are on if car is in any other gear (P, N, 3, 2, 1)
-ignition is in off position
-this problem is intermittent
-stopped when battery hooked up to charger I think (like I said it is intermittent, and it could be unrelated to the charger that it is currently not doing it).

Gremlin 2 (less critical, but just as mysterious)
Also, if you start the car, turn on the headlights before fastening seatbelt the temp gauge pegs and stays there until you turn the car off and start over....

If there is a place on the web to get a better wiring diagram than the one in the Chiltons, please advise, most of these circuits is left out of my Chiltons.

TIA,
Charles

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Old Jan 26, 2003 | 03:45 AM
  #2  
kenincanada's Avatar
kenincanada
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From: Victoria B.C. CANADA
Default Re: electrical gremlin... please help (Charles Elliot)

Big headach with these cars is the grounding not much steel but lots of glass :cheers:
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Old Jan 26, 2003 | 08:38 AM
  #3  
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72GACRZR
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From: Marietta Ga.
Default Re: electrical gremlin... please help (Charles Elliot)

Welcome to the forum :seeya .

My service manual has a good wiring diagram. The ground for my 72's seat belt and door switches is common and goes to the seatbelt buzzer in the dash, as well as the tail lights etc. Chanches are good that you have a problem in the seat belt circuit, but that's just a guess. The ground point is shown at the back near the license plate light. Good luck, as all electrical problems are a pita.
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Old Jan 26, 2003 | 09:10 AM
  #4  
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From: Belmont Michigan
Default Re: electrical gremlin... please help (72GACRZR)

Yes, welcome to the Forum!
Also, the A.I.M. (assembly instruction manual) for your year would be a good thing to have.
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Old Jan 26, 2003 | 12:21 PM
  #5  
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goinbroke
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From: Texas
Default Re: electrical gremlin... please help (MidShark)

See if this has some of the wiring diagrams you need.
http://www.corvetteforum.net/c3/tune...l/index6.shtml

Good luck
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Old Jan 26, 2003 | 11:55 PM
  #6  
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Charles Elliot
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From: TX
Default Re: electrical gremlin... please help (Charles Elliot)

Thanks guys, I guess I figured that it wouldn't be a quick and easy answer, so I will get out the multimeter and go to work...

I have the Assembly manual, I don't know why i didn't think to use it for the wiring, except that it is not the easiest thing to read. I'll crack it open and try to figure out what is going on.

I will also look at the links provided.

Thanks for welcoming me. I have about 400 hours invested in the car as of now I would guess, it is pretty amazing how durable that stock engine is... it runs so well it is hard to justify (rationalize) swapping in a stroker... I think i may not pass emissions next year (first inspection that I will be subject to sniffing) and that will be a good reason to drop a less mild engine in...

Charles
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