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Post by whcgt on Dec 25, 2011 21:45:15 GMT -5
Here is a simple security trick, that you can use to keep your car...yours...& help prevent thieves from hot wiring your car:...Splice into your direct power source on your ignition switch with a 16gauge wire. Have an inline fuse between this wire & your direct power source/switch. Here is the fun part....this little 16g wire is to not be connected to anything...when starting & running your car. Connect that little wire up to a ground source...when you want to prevent it being started/driven. It usually just blows the fuse...but sometimes the little wire gets melted(cheap & easy to replace). Of course, they may push start the car...but this little trick can really stop most of the scum that steal cars. Shield the connecter on the little wire.
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Post by kitcarguy on Dec 26, 2011 13:01:23 GMT -5
The car is wired with a rebel wiring kit. Every 6 feet it is labeled so you know what it is for. My headlights are wired up front by themselves, as well as the parking/turn signals. I do believe I may have them on the same ground . There is nothing the is connecting the headlights to the brake lights that I am aware of. My generator light is also staying on as I drive. This would indicate a drop in power someplace right? Neither my fuel gauge or oil pressure gauge is operating. Brand new sending units for both. Check your fuse block...you may have a jumper wire that is connecting directly with your headlight hot wire or headlight/switch hot wire. The jumper wire is supposed to go to your indicator light & not to the headlight power source. Since the 2 contact points are right next to each other(on the fuse block)...it is a common error to have the jumper wire on the wrong connection. The brake lights need to be wired on an isolated circuit(ignition switch direct power)(ground wire should also be isolated)...only the nightime running lights, should be connected with your headlights. Although, I have included my turn signals/running lights/tail lights...on a common circuit. |
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Post by whcgt on Dec 26, 2011 15:34:32 GMT -5
Trace your ground wire that goes to your fuel gauge...all the way to where you are grounding it. Use a test light. With what you are describing...You are SENDING ALOT OF POSITIVE POWER to a ground or maybe your main common ground. Remember electricity flows from positive to negative & will always take the path of least resistance. Use your test light on your ground connections. As soon as it powers up & lights up.....there will be your problem. Double check your generator wiring...make sure everything is going where it is supposed to. If it is...replace your generater regulator box. Your gauges are wired together...with how you are grounding them. Try & find a seperate ground for one of your gauges...if it then works...find that power source that is going to a ground. Those indicator needles on your gauges will drop like flies...whenever they are recieving power on their backside housings. This is what why they are not working.
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Post by whcgt on Dec 26, 2011 15:55:30 GMT -5
It hurts...to get jabbed by the test light point. But you must jab it into each & every ground wire(near the ends). As soon as it lights up..that is the wire to rewire. If your test light does not light up...crawl under the dash & check all the ground wires there. If it does not light up...check all your negative(minus symbol) connections on your gauges. If it lights up there is your problem. You need to find the power source...that is sending its power to a ground & stop it. Key(ignition switch) turned 1/4" into the run/on position of course...while jabbing your ground wires. While jabbing the ground wires...if multiple wires light up the test light...keep jabbing all the ground wires...the one that lights up the test light the brightest...is most likely the culprit.  All female connectors....need to be shielded with a rubber sheath or black electrical tape. |
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Post by jspbtown on Dec 26, 2011 22:25:32 GMT -5
Don't use electrical tape to shield anything in the automotive world. It has no business in a car for any reason. Use shrink tubing to cover anything that needs to be covered.
Double check your gauges to make sure the sending unit wire and grounds are attached to the correct tab (yeah...don't ask....in that "wonderful" wiring job I did on my Avenger I crossed the ground wires and the sending unit wires on almost every gauge...idiot!).
Also you need to have the tank itself grounded with a wire from a ground to the sender. And on the oil sender you can't use any sealant.
Use a meter to test for voltage at the generator (should be way above 12 volts) and at the regulator (whee the heavy wire attaches)...which should be 14 or so volts. If either is out of whack post it back here.
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Post by kitcarguy on Dec 26, 2011 23:53:04 GMT -5
No electrical tape at all. I used heatshrink. I will also double check all the gauge. Wiring....BLAH!
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Post by whcgt on Dec 27, 2011 0:38:15 GMT -5
 Electrons get very mad & heat up...when they are stopped & have no place to go. They must have a return path to be happy. If there is an open circuit, they wont even move. If there is a closed circuit with a return path they flow nicely. If there is a closed circuit with no return path they will go as far as they can...heat up & melt wiring or blow fuses or damage components. Electrons will move along the path of least resistance...backfeeding into any closed circuit. Just one single wire, that has power going to a ground...can cause the gremlins that you are having. I like the Bradley GT that you are building, it looks really cool. |
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Post by smyrnaguy on Dec 27, 2011 7:44:21 GMT -5
No teflon tape on the oil sender either.
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Post by kitcarguy on Dec 27, 2011 9:05:11 GMT -5
I just screwed the oil sender into the hole. No tape of any kind.
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Post by whcgt on Dec 27, 2011 12:24:15 GMT -5
I fully understand the dislike of electrical tape. Perhaps because I am always tickering & checking everything, all the time with my car...electrical tape has given me no problems. When you are very,very,(I mean very) poor, there is not alot of things that do not recieve attention & care. Have to make what you have last...even to the point of over excessive inspections, of what you own. I have always removed the connectors from old rotten wiring. I take them & work the tangs back into an open position with a sharp object, clean off the tarnish/corrosion. I then reuse them.
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Post by kitcarguy on Jan 1, 2012 21:39:07 GMT -5
Anyone know what size those 4 small screws are that hold the turn signal switch to the column?
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Post by Wyn on Jan 2, 2012 1:37:30 GMT -5
The screws are 3mm .5 pitch & 32mm long. Holds both Turn Signal and wiper switches. These are what I am using on my switch assemblies.  |
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Post by kitcarguy on Jan 2, 2012 10:37:47 GMT -5
Thanks man.
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Post by kitcarguy on Jan 2, 2012 11:33:10 GMT -5
Also would you guys scrap the gen/voltage regulator and go with a Alternator? I am having an issue I can figure out . My gen dummy light goes on when I drive and I believe the bentley manual said this was caused by a drop in voltage somewhere? I can figure it out and I just dont know if it would be easier to just get rid of all of that and go with an alt instead
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Post by whcgt on Jan 2, 2012 12:28:17 GMT -5
As noted before, your generator light is on...because it is recieving power. Use your test light & trace the power, back to the source. I have a generator in my car, I would also like to do an alternator conversion. My understanding is that the alternator is the way to go...consistant headlight candlepower, ability to have a high output sound system, etc.
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Post by jspbtown on Jan 2, 2012 14:27:18 GMT -5
Alternator is easy as pie. You get a whole kit for under $150 which includes the backing plates, the alternator, the strap, often the pulley and the stand. You use your same fan and spacers.
Two wire hook up. 1 wire to the large lug on the starter and the tab goes to the idiot light (the other side of the idiot light should come straight from the key "on" position).
Normally the "power" whcgt is referring to comes from the ignition switch...and it is supposed to be powered. What is actually happening is you are receiving a ground signal from the regulator where you should be getting a 12V+ signal.
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Post by kitcarguy on Jan 2, 2012 14:52:02 GMT -5
I am so tired of chasing wiring gremlins. I guess I can keep messing with it though. This d**n headlight issue is not going away either. I checked all of the grounds, and I will be d**n if I do not hit the brakes and both the headlights and brakelights come on. These two issues are what is stopping me from driving it right now.
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Post by jspbtown on Jan 2, 2012 15:12:33 GMT -5
Brakes should be real easy. Wire from fuse panel to brake light switch at master cylinder. Wire from master cylinder to left brake light and then over to right brake light. They really should never even cross.
Headlights are the same thing. From the switch you should have a headlight supply that goes to your hi/lo beam selector, a wire that goes to your rear parking lights, and a wire to your front parking lights (and maybe a wire for your dash lights).
The only thing that they all have in common is your rear lights. Make sure all your wires from the rear lights are connected right. Are you sure the ground wires are actually the ground wires? What are they black, green and red?
Assuming black is ground then you should have those 4 wires attached to each other and a ground. Assuming green is the parking lights then those should all be attached and should go directly to the headlight switch. On the inner two lights the reds should be connected and go directly to the master cylinder. The outer reds should go independently to the blinker switch.
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Post by kitcarguy on Jan 2, 2012 16:20:01 GMT -5
How the rebel harness is set up is the 2 wires that go to the brake lights and then a brake light and brake light power wire that I assume should both go to the brake light switch? What I do not get is the headlights are on a different circuit all together and there is just no reason they should be turning on at the same time..haha
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Post by smyrnaguy on Jan 2, 2012 16:47:56 GMT -5
They are turning on because you are missing proper grounds at one or both taillights. When you hit the brake the rear double element bulbs illuminate. If the ground is missing current will then flow through the second element, the taillight which is directly connected to the headlight where a ground is finally found.... Or your rebel harness is setup for a 3 wire tail/turn/brake and your lights require 4 which would basically have the same effect if the brake and tail are paralleled.
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Post by kitcarguy on Jan 2, 2012 17:03:32 GMT -5
The rear lights are all on separate grounds to the chassis, as is the fronts. I just did them all over yesterday to be sure. I do believe it is set up for tail/turn brake, with a 4th wire for a "3rd" brake light.
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Post by skip20 on Jan 2, 2012 18:29:32 GMT -5
The rear lights are all on separate grounds to the chassis, as is the fronts. I just did them all over yesterday to be sure. I do believe it is set up for tail/turn brake, with a 4th wire for a "3rd" brake light. Notice you have 4 RED lights, Top ones should be a 1157 bulb ( 2 wires ) Parking / Brake & bottom 2 should be 1156 (1 wire ) for the Turn sig. You can tie the Ground together per 2 lights then over to the other 2 light to a GOOD ground on the metal frame. Grind the paint off the frame, drill / tap for bolt using a star lock washer on bolt. Parking to H/L switch. Brake lights to in line Brake switch. Turn sig to column. H/L Ground to metal frame, same as rear. Low to column & High to column switch.. |
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Post by jspbtown on Jan 2, 2012 19:03:42 GMT -5
"How the rebel harness is set up is the 2 wires that go to the brake lights and then a brake light and brake light power wire that I assume should both go to the brake light switch?"
This line confuses me. Can you scan or send a link to the Rebel wiring diagram?
Oh..and Skip...he can have 2 1157 bulbs. The top can be brake/park and the bottom can be turn/park. Having all 4 lights light up on the park circuit is fine.
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Post by kitcarguy on Jan 2, 2012 19:34:19 GMT -5
There is not a "diagram" to speak of. Let me see if I can scan the pages with the lights.
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Post by kitcarguy on Jan 2, 2012 20:13:45 GMT -5
Ok This is a list of all the wires. Note The brake light wires are Purple/WHITE (They are really Orange/White)  This is the lighting diagram  And this page lists how the switches should be wired. Note the bottom of the page. Maybe this is where I am messed up? What is this even suppose to mean? Doe it go to the ignition or something?  |
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Post by jspbtown on Jan 2, 2012 23:35:48 GMT -5
So it looks like purple goes to the brake light switch at the master cylinder.
I would use the orange to run the brake lights.
The browns should all come together off the headlight switch.
Tan & light green to your dimmer switch.
Blue comes from your headlight switch to your dimmer.
Green & blue for right turn.
Yellow & light blue for your right turn.
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Post by kitcarguy on Jan 3, 2012 8:29:29 GMT -5
I scrapped the factory headlight switch and am using a 2 position toggle switch. I was using it but was having issues as well. I do not think there is even a purple wire for the brakelights . I know it says that on the paper but it is Orange on the Harness.
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Post by jspbtown on Jan 3, 2012 9:11:30 GMT -5
Off that toggle switch you should have power from the blue wire and then really too many wires coming off of that switch (wire to dimmer, brown wire to front lights, brown wire to rear lights, lt green for license plate, and dash lights). How do you have them wired? Are they just tapped into eachother or did you use a junction block?
So if you look at the back of the fuse block the wire coming from the brake light circuit is orange?
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Post by kitcarguy on Jan 3, 2012 12:14:52 GMT -5
I am going to have to pull the toggle switch back out and see what I did. I know I did not use the dimmer wire or license plate wire. I am pretty sure it was just the basic stuff to get the lights to turn on.
I guess I could go back to the factory switch if it would help
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Post by jspbtown on Jan 3, 2012 12:35:52 GMT -5
License plate wire may split off the rear parking lights wire so it may not come from the front.
Toggle switch works just fine...but you may have to many wires coming off of it.
Which color wire did you pull your healights from?
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All female connectors....need to be shielded with a rubber sheath or black electrical tape.
