77 several goofy things

[Scottm]

If you've experienced any of these things and found a solution or have ideas please let me know.
When I step on brake pedal, the dash cluster lights up. Even the "Taligate Ajar" light comes on.
When the head lights are on, the "Tailgate Ajar" light comes on. I know the tailgate ajar light is for wagons and I find it some what amusing and not bothersome.

The fuel guage was pegged when I first got it. Several people said it may have just gummed up from sitting in storage and several tanks of fresh gas would resolve it. I chased the tan wire from the sending unit to the fuse box and just by wigging the connector at the top of the fuse box. I got power. After driving to the car show last weekend and filling up sevral times along the way. The guage now works.

The PO removed the dome light and just shoved the bare wires white with exposed bulb connectors up into the cavity in the roof. So that was sparking. I bought a cheap aftermarket light that worked for a day or two until I got the fuel sending unit wire hot. Maybe that connector at the top of the fues box. wires orange and white.
I ordered a new domelight kit from OPGI. base, lense and bulb and connectors. Maybe the proper one will work.

I drove around all last week with parking brake on. I just looked under the dash and see the plug on the parking brake but no wire. I'll see if it got tucked away somehwere.


Here is the rear lighting harness. The plug connects to the body. Don't know if the plastic around the wires has been peeled back or rubbed against something. All lights work fine, but I'm going to use liquid electrical tape and wire wrap to protect them. Could be getting some shorts causing the goofy stuff.

Thanks

[gilby]

..kind wonder what type of gauges do you have..?? idiot lights..??for the brake light to light up the dash,there a wire thats touching another,I'm just wondering about the dash panel if it been swap out.say from retangle to round gauges..
..here a wiring daigram..
http://www.elcaminocentral.com/galle...geViewsIndex=1

[Scottm]

I did find the parking brake wire and reconnected it. It works now.
I have rectangle gauges. Thanks for the diagram. I also have one in my Haynes manual/jack pad. I can tell instruments have been removed before. I'm hoping if I pull it off I will find a solution to several other issues. Clock doesn't work either.
Idiot lights the oil-gen-temp lights? They all light up with I first turn the key as they should.
Thanks.

[JJLT1]

check / clean all your grounds..

[Scottm]

What do the numbers in the boxes mean? Like 140 or 150?
Is there a master electrician your reccommend that I could PM? I hate using up fourm space.
The wite whire is dead, even at the fuse box using mt 12 volte probe, I get no light.
The car has an after market alarm and it has been spliced into the white wire/door switches.
I took ot the golve box and the orange and black wires were cut off at the switch and I couldn't find the rest of the wire anywhere.
The stereo battery/constant for clock and presets has been spliced into the hot wire for the brake pedal. PO really did a number. There's no telling how much more damage has been done.
I'll admit I'm a bit down.I need to walk away for a while.
Thanks

[oldtinsmith]

By the numbers in the boxes, are you talking about in the wiring diagrams? If so, they are the circuit numbers (140 being: Orange,,,,feed, battery - fused...and 150 being: Black,,,,ground circuit - direct).

Doug

[gilby]

...white wire runs from the door jam switch to the courtsy light,it send a "Ground" singnal to the dome lights..OTS is right about the numbers ..hows the fusable links..?? are all three of them good..?? there two behind the brake booster and one down on the starter..

[gilby]

Originally Posted by Scottm

What do the numbers in the boxes mean? Like 140 or 150?
Is there a master electrician your reccommend that I could PM? I hate using up fourm space.
The wite whire is dead, even at the fuse box using mt 12 volte probe, I get no light.
The car has an after market alarm and it has been spliced into the white wire/door switches.
I took ot the golve box and the orange and black wires were cut off at the switch and I couldn't find the rest of the wire anywhere.
The stereo battery/constant for clock and presets has been spliced into the hot wire for the brake pedal. PO really did a number. There's no telling how much more damage has been done.
I'll admit I'm a bit down.I need to walk away for a while.
Thanks

..the "hot" wire to the brake switch is a BIG NO NO..that part of the problem right there...if anything,use the "Clock" lead..

[69/84]

Grounds...Grounds...Grounds....

Electricity is always looking for a path to ground...And Automotive electrical systems have a common ground...So it will take any path available...A ground has failed, so it is finding a path through your Tail Gate light to ground...

Happy Hunting

[boogsawaste]

I agree with grounds. Bad or incorrect grounds can lead to all sorts of crazy symptoms

[gilby]

Originally Posted by 69/84

Grounds...Grounds...Grounds....

Electricity is always looking for a path to ground...And Automotive electrical systems have a common ground...So it will take any path available...A ground has failed, so it is finding a path through your Tail Gate light to ground...

Happy Hunting

...X3..

[Scottm]

Thanks.
Now I know where to start looking. I didn't know about fuseable links by the starter and brake booster.
I also discovered that the Tailgate light only flashes on the right turn and not left. If that narrows things down.

The dome light worked when I first got the car, but didn't last long. Tail gate light only came on when headlights were on. Gremlins are in there moving things around.

Okay. I unplugged the entire rear harness and the dash and tailgate light did not light up until I turned on head lights. Still no dome.
Does this possibly mean there is a grounding going on in the back end?

[Low75]

The white wire from the brake light switch runs to the directional light switch in the steering column. Maybe something came loose there.

[Scottm]

Originally Posted by gilby

...white wire runs from the door jam switch to the courtsy light,it send a "Ground" singnal to the dome lights..OTS is right about the numbers ..hows the fusable links..?? are all three of them good..?? there two behind the brake booster and one down on the starter..

Gilby,
Only found one behind the booster. Can barely get my fingers on it. I crawled under the truck this morning and found the fueable link on the red wire next to the black wire headed up into a tube. I pulled on the red wire, gently, and got a large amount of arcing and a big shower of sparks shooting out of the tube. I think I may have found a grounding issue. You think?

Also, after I coated the exposed wires on the rear harness and wrapped them, the dash and tailgate light no longer come on when I use the brake. I still have no dome light and the btail gate light still comes on with the headlights.

I did find the alarm door sensor wire spliced into the white wire connected to the door switch. Dome light doesn't come on when the alarm is set or turned off.

I'll have all weekend to look. Thanks,
Scott

[gilby]

.."Tail gate Ajar lite comes on when headlight is turn on...hummm...make me think its the "Bright" lite indecator..does you High beam indactor light up..???or just the "T-ajar" lite..??...



..also,I don't think your suppose to have that "T"- light to light up anyway,that is for the station wagons..

..here the rear light and the dash...



..let me know if this works for ya..