Messages

1

General Discussion / Re: !!!NEED HELP BAD!!! - 1969 Camaro Wiring Gremlins

« on: September 30, 2009, 12:11:29 AM »

Well...after probably 60 hours of work on this issue...I found the problem(s).

First, grounds are uber important.  If you ever have an issue like this...start with grounds and ensure they're good.  You'll know as all lights that shine will be much brighter.

Next, there was a series of problems and I have cleaned EVERY connection on this car as well as grounded this thing to the hilt as well as adding a new rear light harness.

Finally, my actual issue is that the steering column wiring is bad!!!  I found two fractured wires that appeared to be just from years of flexing.  They still had two or three copper strands but were junk.  I repaired them only to find the connection is really bad and loose.  I cleaned it well and adjusted the small brass connectors to make them tighter by using a small screwdriver to scrunch them back into place and this has temporarily fixed my problems.

Looks like a new/rebuilt column and under dash harness for me.  Sweet...just another thousand bucks!!!

Thanks for your help guys.

Best,
-David Tittle

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General Discussion / Re: !!!NEED HELP BAD!!! - 1969 Camaro Wiring Gremlins

« on: September 29, 2009, 09:21:56 PM »

Thanks Guys.

I tried what you suggested first...before re-engineering the grounds and it got me no where.

I currently have 6 quality grounds that all have new/cleaned connectors:

1)  Battery to engine block as document by manual
2)  Block to front subframe
3)  Subrfame to body...bottom of firewall
4)  Passenger head to firewall
5)  Driver head to firewall
6)  Driver head to brake booster mounts


As I've been going along though, I keep finding miscellaneous grounds for each harness which is what I think I'm missing.

Thoughts?

3

General Discussion / Re: !!!NEED HELP BAD!!! - 1969 Camaro Wiring Gremlins

« on: September 29, 2009, 08:30:30 PM »

Thanks for replying.

Since I have a completely new battery and connections, I actually relocated the ground you mentioned from the fender to radiator support behind the battery and connected it with another harness ground that typically would be connected to the radiator support just below the hot isolator.

Any place that I put a ground I used a small piece of sandpaper or an emory board and took the paint down to medal...applied some di-electric grease...then tightened the connection.  So, the car as a whole could almost be a lightening rod it's so grounded!!

I feel like there is a ground that I'm not aware of...do you know where they all are located?

Thanks,
-David

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General Discussion / !!!NEED HELP BAD!!! - 1969 Camaro Wiring Gremlins

« on: September 29, 2009, 06:38:34 PM »

Hi All,

I bought a 69 from a guy that'd been scammed by a local Camaro guy...bad story.  I got the car with new paint, motor, transmission, four goofed up tires...and the rest was gone or needed replaced.  It'd been in storage for two years and was pretty dry.

As I did all of the work like interior, bumpers, glass, etc.  all of the lights worked as I installed them with what appeared to be the exception of a few bad bulbs.  Which were all new...but I know how fickle they can be so I kind of ignored them.

Anyway, as I was literally DONE with the car the blinkers stopped working and then a myriad of electrical bugs hit me and I am at my wits end and need your help!!!

So far I have a new battery with new cables that has been directly grounded to the engine block, sub-frame, and radiator support.  The engine has been grounded to the firewall in two places and also grounded to the brake booster mounts from the back of the head.  All grounds have been sanded clean and most have di-electric grease on them.  I have thoroughly cleaned all connections on the voltage regulator, horn relay, harness to fuse block, the two grounds on either side of the engine compartment (by battery and horn relay) and have replaced all of the fuses.  The rear tail-light harness is new and all others (that I know of) have been cleaned.

Most of the lights work as desired with the exception of the passenger parking lamp and the passenger rear blinker.  The parking lamp does not work when the lights are on but works in all other conditions.  The rear blinker/brake simply doesn't get bright for blinking or braking...but works in the dim setting.

All lights work properly when the hazzards are on with the exception of the passenger blinker/brake.

As I've worked on this a variety of the Tell-Tale lights and guage lights would either work, or not, and then often change.  As it is now, the guage lights are the only lights not currently working.

I feel as if this is a bad ground or a short but simply cannot isolate the problem...can someone PLEASE offer me some advice!

Best,
-David Tittle
(972) 679-9861

1969 Z11 (yes, Z11) Pace Car with 15,772 un-restored original miles
1969 Z28 Clone