Finally got around to installing a Harlan shiftlight in Papa Sig's '02 Z06. Let me tell you - your alls cars are a pain the @ss to install a shiftlight in. I did the install in my car in 30-45 minutes and that was with it being my first time. This had to be a 2 hour job (and you gotta jack the car up - wtf!) - lol.

I located the light in a little differente spot (never saw it mentioned before at least). I mounted it where the cigerette lighter is infront of the shifter. You can unsrew the light unit (who smokes in their Vette anyway?) and with the very quick pass of the dremmel, the shiftlight first perfectly in there and you can still reattach the lighter should you remove the light. Looks great and is fully covered by flipping down the lid over the ashtray and lighter.

Install was fairly straight forward although the angles are a PITA and some of the wires are tough to get to. Tapped in to the passenger floorboard fuse box with both the power and ground wires and then ran the tach wire through the grommet in the fire wall to the PCM in the passenger wheel well (major PITA trying to find pin #10). All the connections were pretty much straight forward.

Everything seemed to work fine. Once the battery was reconnected, I reinstalled the dash peices. I guess I let the interior/hood lights on too long cause I started to hear a buzzing sound coming from the fuse box in the passenger foot well area. I listened to it closely and could even feel the fuse for the "accessory lights" (I think that is what it was called) physically buzzing and shaking.

On Sunday - I washed the Z06 but had to jump it to pull it out of the garage. Papa Sig doesnt drive her too much and it had been sitting too long. I let the car run for about 10 minutes before washing her. She started up though when I pulled her back in the garage.

But last night - once the buzzing started - the lights were dimning and the "Security" light kept blinking. I tried to start the car up to get rid/reset the security light and throw a little more juice into the battery - but she was dead at that point.

I guess my question - is the buzzing sound I heard (which went away when I shut the hood) just a reaction of the low voltage putting a strain on the fuse. Like a warning or something? And is the "security" light/buzzer related to the battery being dead? Maybe trying to start the car when its dead?

I am gonna jump the car and then go for a 20-25 minute drive. Should that suffice or is it time to spring for a new battery?

Thanks.


[Modified by Hannibal, 6:48 AM 10/8/2003]

 

Congrats on the shift light install but you went the hard route. A couple of us have posted here recently about our shift light installs and how much easier they were since we tapped into the tach wire inside the car. I found it in the passenger footwell right next to the accessory power tap and flyin'brian tapped into it directly under the driver's dash. Doesnt take long when you tap into the tach using either of these methods.

Also, I've seen a couple of similar mounting positions in te ashtray area. I mounted mine on the upper A-pillar and a couple of members have mounted their's in the center A/C vent.One member just mounted his behind the little slotted panel next to the ignition switch. I've seen a few other locations as well including one on the rearview mirror.

Incidentally, I got the same types of noises when my 9-month-old factory AGM died.

Congrats on the install. Enjoy! :cheers:



[Modified by Patches, 8:52 AM 10/8/2003]