Donnelly rear view mirror

[-83MONTESS-]

I recently got a used lighted rear view mirror with Donnelly 263.0 written on the back. After doing some research its a pretty common mirror but I cant find anyone that swapped it into a gbody. It has 4 wires - a black(ground), pink/black(switched power), orange(constant power), and white(ground with open door) from what I found online. I have the orange wire spliced to the orange dome light wire and the white on the white dome light wire. The ground is on a steel roof brace and the switched power to the gauge light fuse. Is this right? I assume this is right but I dont have a wiring diagram for the monte so its kind of just spitballing. The lights do not work and neither does the factory dome light. Even with the interior lights turned on with the headlight switch there's nothing. What would be the first thing to look for? All fuses are good, gauge lights work but no dome light or mirror lights. Anybody use this mirror or have any ideas?

 

[Bowiemontecarlo86]

I dunno if this will help ya but i found a how to on montecarloss.com .

http://www.montecarloss.com/MirrorLight.html

Its what im going to use to install mine .

 

[-83MONTESS-]

I dunno if this will help ya but i found a how to on montecarloss.com .

http://www.montecarloss.com/MirrorLight.html

Its what im going to use to install mine .

That link is for a 3 pin connector not the 4 like mine has. I just ordered 2 new door jamb switches just because they are cheap and im not even sure if mine work since none of the interior lights or buzzers seem to work.

 

[85GPLef41]

Does it have the little switches for the courtesy lights like mine?

I wired mine in and it works great!! i'll try to look later and see what I did though it sounds like the way you wired is correct...

 

[-83MONTESS-]

Does it have the little switches for the courtesy lights like mine?

I wired mine in and it works great!! i'll try to look later and see what I did though it sounds like the way you wired is correct...

Yes looks exactly the same as yours. I tested it on the battery and the lights work so its not the mirror. Has to be a switch or wiring because I cant get my dome light or buzzers to work but yet the manual switches on the mirror should override the need for the light switch to complete the circuit right? Im thinking about ditching the circuit board inside it and just wiring the lights up on the switches like the newer 3 wire mirrors.

 

[liquidh8]

I have had those in all my g-bodies for the past for the past 10 years, love them mirrors. If you bench check it, and it works, I would make sure you door pins are completing the circuit, the ground.

 

[-83MONTESS-]

If you bench check it, and it works, I would make sure you door pins are completing the circuit, the ground.

See I thought about that which is why I ordered new door jamb switches but wouldnt it work with when I turn them on with the switches on the mirror? I imagine thats why there is a circuit board inside because I cant think of a different reason to have such a complex design for 2 lights. Either way I will have to wait until the new switches get here. Ordered online from NAPA so hopefully it's quick.

 

[liquidh8]

I would have to look at mine when I got home, But I believe there are two grounds for the light. One that is permanent, then the other runs to the door jamb switches. And at least one power. That is for the 3 wire lights anyhow.

This way here there is always 12+ vdc to the bulbs, and the permanent ground allows the switches to turn the lights on. Then the switched ground turns the lights on when the doors are opened

 

[-83MONTESS-]

I would have to look at mine when I got home, But I believe there are two grounds for the light. One that is permanent, then the other runs to the door jamb switches. And at least one power. That is for the 3 wire lights anyhow.

This way here there is always 12+ vdc to the bulbs, and the permanent ground allows the switches to turn the lights on. Then the switched ground turns the lights on when the doors are opened

Thats what I was thinking when I found there was 2 grounds. So my problem is that im not getting a good ground OR that im not using a switched power source for the constant 12v. I'll see what I can find today after work.

 

[liquidh8]

Ok, let me how you make out. I have my mirror in the Buick right now. Since it is all apart, I can snap some pics or take meter readings etc.