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Electrical / Re: Odd electrical gremlin - need electrical gurus

« Last post by nUcLeArEnVoY on Today at 02:28:46 PM »

As above, those courtesy lights are often affected by the slightest issue elsewhere. Remove the globe, maybe unplug the door plungers. They can wear also,but not often the issue.
Check headlight switch isn't turned to keep dome light on.
I see some updates so ignore any. Rule out any fuses. Sounds like something has flipped polarity, still operates bulbs, doesn't operate things running off it. Did they rewire or repair front park lights or fender markers? Or headlights have halogens and not rewired from stock? Check headlight harness grounds on each end of support and battery ground cable to support as well as others in place around the chassis.

You called it, Wallington. The issue as to why everything was not working or working funny was because of a blown fuse. Had to actually remove the CLK-ACC-CTSY glass fuse to see the gap and that it had blown. When I glanced at it initially, it looked fine. After replacing it, everything now works like it should - in fact, my radio reception is clearer now than it was before on various channels. The rest of the fuses were fine.

It's weird how a blown fuse protecting one bank of the electrical system can affect devices that operate off another bank since the dome light isn't protected by that specific fuse that blew, and that how some very minimal draw devices on the bank protected by the bad fuse can still work in the presence of a blown fuse such as the glovebox light and clock. Either way, after replacing the fuse everything works again and works the way it should. I also replaced the dome light bulb just in case.

I'm concerned now, though because I'm well aware a blown fuse is a symptom rather than a cause, but I'm not really sure what could have caused the fuse to blow other than just bad luck or age. Maybe that bulb for the dome light shorted or something as it was a bit loose in there.

You could be right in that the grounds for the front end harness were messed with. Not sure why - it's grounded on the radiator support, rather than the headlight retaining panel which was all that was replaced. I've always had standard sylvania high and low sealed beam halogens like what the car would have come with stock, and they're working okay. My battery's neg cable is bolted to the stud on the cylinder head as stock, and also has an auxiliary ground wire going to the radiator support.

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Projects & Restorations / Re: My Tenth Anniv.

« Last post by roadking77 on Today at 06:06:36 AM »

I had the shop install the same exhaust on my 77 so I really didnt know what was needed. I figured at least the last outlet pipe would be ok and only needed the splitters themselves. I did have the extras for the straight pipe in my barn though as leftovers. I finally gave them away a couple of months ago. Looks like I have another set to take their place hanging on the wall!! Just when I thought I was getting rid of some junk it re-materializes Maybe Im not a pack rat after all, perhaps I do throw stuff away but it re-appears

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Projects & Restorations / Re: My Tenth Anniv.

« Last post by FormTA on Today at 04:30:52 AM »

 

Funny thing,  I installed my pypes kit and then realized the same thing. I order the parts and never installed them. I still have the elbow hangers and tips in boxes.... you have now reminded me of another project I need to do on my car... Thanks a lot!

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Electrical / Re: Odd electrical gremlin - need electrical gurus

« Last post by Wallington on May 29, 2024, 09:11:57 PM »

As above, those courtesy lights are often affected by the slightest issue elsewhere. Remove the globe, maybe unplug the door plungers. They can wear also,but not often the issue.
Check headlight switch isn't turned to keep dome light on.
I see some updates so ignore any. Rule out any fuses. Sounds like something has flipped polarity, still operates bulbs, doesn't operate things running off it. Did they rewire or repair front park lights or fender markers? Or headlights have halogens and not rewired from stock? Check headlight harness grounds on each end of support and battery ground cable to support as well as others in place around the chassis.

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Projects & Restorations / Re: My Tenth Anniv.

« Last post by ryeguy2006a on May 29, 2024, 03:10:12 PM »

I haven't checked in for a while Kerry, looks like you are making some good steady progress! Love it.

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Electrical / Re: Odd electrical gremlin - need electrical gurus

« Last post by b_hill_86 on May 29, 2024, 02:06:45 PM »

My guess is a grounding issue. Possibly related to your courtesy lights not working. I’d start by eliminating some variables by disconnecting certain things systematically. I’m not an electrical guru but I feel like I know the electrical in these cars fairly well. Firebirdparts or Wallington will probably have better suggestions than me but if it were my car I’d disconnect the courtesy lights and see if anything changes.

Here’s a link to firebirdparts’ webpage if you haven’t seen it before lots of good info. I forget exactly where the harness plugs in. I think it’s to the left of the glovebox but I could be wrong.

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Projects & Restorations / Re: My Tenth Anniv.

« Last post by roadking77 on May 29, 2024, 01:15:17 PM »

May have to wait awhile for my road test   I found out the other day that in order for my Pypes exhaust system to hook up with the correct splitters is another $200.  Parts ordered, hopefully will be here soon. So the sub frame budget just imploded   I can always add them at a later date easy enough. Maybe we will have our lift by then
I am about an hour away from Pypes and thought about taking off and make an afternoon on Friday to pick them up and take the wife out to dinner for her Bday. However, they had a special and a code which pretty much turned into free shipping, so it would have cost me money to go pick them up by the time I take an afternoon off of work. Being self employed is great and bad at the same time, LOL.

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Electrical / Odd electrical gremlin - need electrical gurus

« Last post by nUcLeArEnVoY on May 29, 2024, 09:24:39 AM »

So I just got my T/A back from the body shop today after the front bumper was removed and repainted,and the headlight panel was replaced due to a minor collision. They did a great job on the repair.

My body guy mentioned that at one point through the repair job, he had to jump the car because the battery had died, and he had noticed that the interior dome light was staying on even with the doors closed, but was dim. When doors open, the dome light shone at the correct brightness. I noticed the same thing when I picked the car up today.

He said he had to disconnect the battery so that he wouldn't have to keep jumping it. Otherwise, for a simple bumper and headlight panel installation, I would *PRESUME* the only four connectors that needed to be unplugged were the 4 headlight terminals. Not even the turning signal or horn terminals needed to be unplugged, so I'm having a hard time believing it was something that happened while at the body shop.

So anyway, we just decided on removing the dome light bulb for now, and I decided I'd tackle it at a later date. But once I got it back to my storage unit and started testing out other devices/accessories, I've noticed some oddities.

• First off, for the heck of it, I put the bulb back in the dome light and now it *MOSTLY* works the way it should, as in it fully turns off when the doors are closed and fully brightens when the doors are opened. However, I now noticed that if I turn the radio on, the dome light also turns on at the same dim brightness even with the doors closed. What the heck??

• Automatic power antenna stopped working. Was working fine before I brought the car to the body shop.

• The clock now stops running when the dome light is on, but will run when the dome light is off.

• The footwell courtesy lights stopped working, both with doors open and when headlight switch is turned counter clockwise to turn them on manually.

• Power trunk release stopped working. Was working fine before I brought the car to the body shop.

• Key buzzer stopped working. Was working fine before I brought the car to to the body shop.

• I haven't put my timing light on to check the RPMs, but according to my tach and oil pressure gauge, and even just the seat of my pants, I can feel my idle RPM is just a bit lower by like 20-35 RPM. Something drawing power somewhere??

Everything else still works, including all exterior lighting; tachometer; gauges and gauge lighting; glovebox light; wipers; radio; blower motor; and AC.

So what is this? Is there a ground that all these devices have in common? Or a simple fuse issue? I know there is a fuse that has pretty much all the abovementioned devices/items in common, but if the fuse was out, then why is the dome light and clock still working under certain conditions, and why is the power antenna out? Can a fuse be partially bad? Is something drawing power? I'm at a loss seeing as how random this is and how many devices have been affected by it. I don't know if the headlights being swapped to a new headlight retaining panel would have anything to do with this, I thought that was its own harness?

Anybody that knows T/A's, please enlighten me lol.

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Projects & Restorations / Re: My Tenth Anniv.

« Last post by 5th T/A on May 29, 2024, 06:50:05 AM »

I thought about installing the subframe connectors but decided against it. I have never driven or even gone for a ride in a TA with the connectors, so I am looking forward to a comparison.

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Projects & Restorations / Re: Madaguy 1955 Nomad Build

« Last post by ryeguy2006a on May 29, 2024, 06:42:04 AM »

Thanks guys! I ordered some seatbelts and they should be delivered today. I'm hoping to get the carpet down and installing the rear seats soon.