Thanks for the recommendation! I currently use a 100 amp alternator.
Wiring almost complete! Testing the fuel injection and ignition system electronics...is next.
85 El Camino -- Electrical weirdness!
- Thread starter K-Toe
- Start date
Wiring almost complete! Testing the fuel injection and ignition system electronics...is next.
Check for voltage on the block and body with a multimeter - you should have less than .1 volt. If you have any more than that, then you have ground issues.
If you’re running EFI and you have ground issues, then you’ll be the 1st know. Other than that, I’d look at the bulkhead connector that you took off and the ground points for headlight, body and frame (you didn’t put them on top of fresh paint?)
If you’re running EFI and you have ground issues, then you’ll be the 1st know. Other than that, I’d look at the bulkhead connector that you took off and the ground points for headlight, body and frame (you didn’t put them on top of fresh paint?)
When you tapped into the system for your power + feeds to the Sniper and the Hyperspark, did you access the key switch circuit and which wire did you piggy back onto? Sounds like you may have managed to shift the power wire to the lights/wiper from being a switched circuit attached to the start/run side of the key switch, to an unswitched or direct feed. Means that unlike normal when you turn the key from lock to off and that point power is available from the switch to various sub circuits, your wiper/lights switch is now immediately hot and working. Kind of wondering at this point if the wiper/lights switch has shorted out internally somehow?
Nick
Nick
checked how? continuity tester with a light? physically pulling the fuse and putting probes across the contacts? is this the original wiring harness and fuse board? has a previous owner been doing some wire hacking? based on your original description can we assume that everything worked BEFORE you modified it? how exactly did you modify the wiring harness for the Sniper EFI and Hyperspark installation?
The lights worked beforehand, and I didn't tap into the lighting harness at all. I just disconnected it and pushed it out the way to clean and paint the engine bay.
Everything was nonfunctional in the AC/Heater Box, so I removed it and installed a block-off plate. I cut the one wire (red 10 guage) from the engine harness that had been used to provide power to the AC/Heater Box, and then...I capped that wire.
Correction: With the EFI and Hyperspark, I tapped the stock pink 10 guage wire to power the Sniper EFI and Hyperspark.
Today, I sanded around each ground connection in the engine bay, hoping that I only had a bad ground. However, my headlights still wouldn't work.
Tomorrow, I will recheck all fuses and voltage to hopefully identify the cause(s) to the electrical issues.
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I had the problem with my wipers being able to turn on with the switch but they wouldn't turn off. I solved this by taking the bezel face plate off and taking the switch out. Then cleaned the contacts on the switch.
The headlight switch does not have a fuse going into it. It is fed by one of the big red wires with a fuseable link in it. The large gauge red wire you cut for the blower motor is a 4 way splice with a fuseable link from the battery to the alternator output, alternator feedback and a feed into the car, did you cut out more than you think?
At the headlight switch see if the 12GA red wire has 12 volts on it. If yes then test the brown wire (Tail/Marker lights out.) when the lights are on. Also with the lights on look for the 12V on the yellow wire (Headlights out to the dimmer switch). If there is no output there likely the switch is bad it has a circuit breaker in it for protection it will only reset so many times before it fails.
If there is power on the yellow wire check the dimmer switch.
If that tests ok look in the connector at the fire wall and see if a terminal was damaged or pushed out of place.
At the headlight switch see if the 12GA red wire has 12 volts on it. If yes then test the brown wire (Tail/Marker lights out.) when the lights are on. Also with the lights on look for the 12V on the yellow wire (Headlights out to the dimmer switch). If there is no output there likely the switch is bad it has a circuit breaker in it for protection it will only reset so many times before it fails.
If there is power on the yellow wire check the dimmer switch.
If that tests ok look in the connector at the fire wall and see if a terminal was damaged or pushed out of place.
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Battery to body would be better and shorter electrical path. None of the stock electrical components are grounded to the frame but are grounded to the body. Only real reason to run any ground straps to the frame is to reduce RFI. Cop cars run extra grounding straps to the frame, hood, and trunk lid to reduce RFI for their radios.
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