I recently purchased this white 84 vette for $600 with "electrical problems".

The story starts here...

When I brought her home: The symptoms were power draw on battery under 1k rpm (idle) to the point where after about 5 mins the dash and car would shut down because of lack of volts, backfiring, and random idle issues up and down. Then a issue where you would loose power while driving, or it would NOT start back up right after shutting it off with good charge, or on battery charger at 200 amps. It would act like there was no battery hooked up, or the dash would come on and then get no power to starter... Anyway...

Obvious electrical issues at first glance: The main power wire from battery to starter was resting on exhaust manifold and burned half way through. The fuel pump relay is tapped to the battery for power to fuel pump, and the engine fans are hardwired to a switch on the dash.

So far I've done: Replacing positive wire from battery to starter and crimping new connections on everything down there. That itself made it run ten times smoother. Then I looked around on these pages for probable cause of the intermittent power issue and found a article on the starter/ignition switch that is located on top of the steering column.

Here is where I'm stuck....

I couldn't exactly see how the metal bar came off of it, and struggled to remove it. Once removed I matched the replacement with the old one to get a better understanding of how it works and how to easily get it back on. I was able to get it back on and the steering column back together although there is one problem.

The key is now stuck in the crank position!

Somehow it seems like the metal arm has gotten longer because when you turn the key on, the metal piece pulls in, and vise versa.

Is there an adjustment or did I knock something out of place?

Could I have pulled the steering column out too much?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

Have you bench tested the alternator at your local parts store?

 

No I have not, I've noticed I'm battling more than one issue already. One being the power draw or alternator, the other being the start/ignition switch on the dash. I believe I have fixed the intermittent ability to get the ignition system to turn on and crank with the switch although I'm having a hard time putting it back together or I have jarred something and it need to be realigned for arm to work properly as i stated it is not stuck as if I'm cranking it.

 

I can't find the thread I had bookmarked concerning steering column rebuilding. There is a sticky for one on this forum though that may help.

Here is another thread that I found in a quick search that may help you out though.

http://www.digitalcorvettes.com/foru...d.php?t=116298

 

this is my kind of thread. please keep us updated as your quest to get her back on the road continues. and...pictures!!! lets see how nasty the $600 vette is!

as for your electrical, yah, first thing after the starter cable is to check the alternator.

i would recommend soldering, with shrink wrap. but if its in a brutal location, then i guess crimps can do it, but put a tiny bit , like super tiny, of dielectric grease (silicon grease) on the crimp connection and then shrink wrap it. use one of those long lighters to shrink it if you have to. shrink wrap is cheap.

can't help on the steering column.

 

Not sure if this help you, but it is column info from my 86 manual

http://dankai.shawwebspace.ca/asset/...ing_column.pdf

 

Alternators can draw power

 

is it that starting with battery full from say charging it, the car draws a charge down while operating.

i guess you are saying that the alternator itself could be a source for parasitic draw?

 

What this thread really needs is PICS!!

 

I am thinking I have ran into the" key stuck after rebuilding the darn thing" somewhere in my past. it was a simple misalignment on the gear and track that makes up the switch.

 

Yes, I haven't gotten to the draw issue yet alternator would be the next thing I agree. Without the switch working I'm dead in the water.

 

Going to get at the switch today after work.

 

More pics!

 

good looking $600 vette

 

Looks like a great deal look at my post on cheap seats.

 

Send me a link. Not sure how to pull it up.

 

Your 84 looks like a lot of fun for that kind of money!

 

Not sure how yet. Just click on my name then look for threads started then look for leather seat covers.

 

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...at-covers.html

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...r-install.html

 

update?