WIRING NIGHTMARE!
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 848
Likes: 1
From: Bethel Park, Pa
WIRING NIGHTMARE!
Well since i bought this truck its been a wiring nightmare, and just as i thought i got it figured out it reared its ugly head again
so first of all, when the headlights are on the turn signals do not work (in the dash the arrow just lights up and stays lit up)
also when i hit the brakes the parking lights come on
the radio sometimes will completely shut off when i hit the brakes, only to turn back on when i let off of them
i rewired the taillights and they worked fine but after replacing the starter solenoid, the voltage regulator and the ignition module (which now has some sort of tar leaking out of it) they went all goofy
i suspect a ground, but how do i text to figure out which one it is and where do i even start, there seems to be a few large grounds and alot of smaller ones for the lights and such
now that you read a small book, any ideas or suggestions?
so first of all, when the headlights are on the turn signals do not work (in the dash the arrow just lights up and stays lit up)
also when i hit the brakes the parking lights come on
the radio sometimes will completely shut off when i hit the brakes, only to turn back on when i let off of them
i rewired the taillights and they worked fine but after replacing the starter solenoid, the voltage regulator and the ignition module (which now has some sort of tar leaking out of it) they went all goofy
i suspect a ground, but how do i text to figure out which one it is and where do i even start, there seems to be a few large grounds and alot of smaller ones for the lights and such
now that you read a small book, any ideas or suggestions?
Moderator
Joined: Jan 2001
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From: Virginia
Make sure there is a ground wire from one of the bellhousing bolts to the firewall. Then go out and take the front turn/park bulbs and the rear turn/taillight bulbs out, clean and scrape the socket contacts and the bulb, and then re-install and see what happens.
Moderator
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 22,415
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From: Denver Metro Area, CO
While you have the bulbs out, make sure there aren't any broken filaments crossing to the other filament.
Do you have a factory radio with factory wiring, or some sort of aftermarket installation? When the radio shuts off, I'm assuming a factory radio, and the dial backlight will remain lit, correct?
When you say the parking lights come on when hitting the brakes, does that include the front parking lights? All four of the parking lights use the brown wire, so do the front side marker lamps and the roof lamps (if equipped).
Did rewiring the tail lights fix anything? I'm confused by that part.
Do you have a factory radio with factory wiring, or some sort of aftermarket installation? When the radio shuts off, I'm assuming a factory radio, and the dial backlight will remain lit, correct?
When you say the parking lights come on when hitting the brakes, does that include the front parking lights? All four of the parking lights use the brown wire, so do the front side marker lamps and the roof lamps (if equipped).
Did rewiring the tail lights fix anything? I'm confused by that part.
Thread Starter
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 848
Likes: 1
From: Bethel Park, Pa
the radio is aftermarket, and horribly wired up, im going to end up rewiring it and the backlight goes out when it shuts off and wont come back on, and yes every parking light/sidemarkers and such and i dont have roof lamps lol
it worked until i changed out the voltage regulator, changing that helped some problems but didnt help the lights
so i proceeded to check all the connections with the lights, and when i spun the passenger side parking light socket out the positive started arcing like crazy so i took the negative terminal off the battery as soon as i could
im guessing a bare wire somewhere? and im now looking into the heavy duty headlight harness and the euro style lights from LMC because in messing around with my headlights the quick disconnects on the sealed beam are green and the black cover is about destroyed
other than the sealed beam what # headlight was used from the factory? i think it was a 9007 in my 94
it worked until i changed out the voltage regulator, changing that helped some problems but didnt help the lights
so i proceeded to check all the connections with the lights, and when i spun the passenger side parking light socket out the positive started arcing like crazy so i took the negative terminal off the battery as soon as i could
im guessing a bare wire somewhere? and im now looking into the heavy duty headlight harness and the euro style lights from LMC because in messing around with my headlights the quick disconnects on the sealed beam are green and the black cover is about destroyed
other than the sealed beam what # headlight was used from the factory? i think it was a 9007 in my 94
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 8,786
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From: Northern California
A light socket will cause the problems you describe. However the diagnostics suggest a problem with the rear somewhere.
Make sure the voltage regulator is grounded well to the fender.
A new Headlight upgrade harness from LMC is not going to fix these problems; it just takes the voltage and amperage strain off the headlamp switch and factory wiring to the headlamps themselves.
Make sure the voltage regulator is grounded well to the fender.
A new Headlight upgrade harness from LMC is not going to fix these problems; it just takes the voltage and amperage strain off the headlamp switch and factory wiring to the headlamps themselves.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Dec 2007
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From: Bethel Park, Pa
i have to start going over the back tomorow
and i know it wont help the problem but seeing the condition of the wiring it would definitely be a good upgrade
is there a relay to control the turn signal's blinking in these?
and i know it wont help the problem but seeing the condition of the wiring it would definitely be a good upgrade
is there a relay to control the turn signal's blinking in these?
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Joined: Jan 2001
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From: Virginia
The arrows coming on in the dash is a grounding problem in the front lights. The arrows in the dash only go to the front lights, and when you turn the headlights on, the front park lights get power, and instead of the power going through the park filament and then ground, it's going through the park filament, then going backwards through the turn filament, and then going backwards up the turn wire, backwards through the arrow light in the dash, and then finding a good ground there.
Thread Starter
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 848
Likes: 1
From: Bethel Park, Pa
so therefore its the ground on the passenger side?
that ground looked pretty screwed up to begin with, it has 4 wires into 1 going to ground, whereas the drivers side has 2 ground wires
but i never know what is normal in this truck because the po thought he was a wiring guru and rewired so much stuff, and very badly haha
that ground looked pretty screwed up to begin with, it has 4 wires into 1 going to ground, whereas the drivers side has 2 ground wires
but i never know what is normal in this truck because the po thought he was a wiring guru and rewired so much stuff, and very badly haha
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 8,786
Likes: 28
From: Northern California
The parking lights coming on with the brake lights suggest back of truck problem.
Turn signal indicators in dash coming on with brake lights suggest front of truck problem or defective turn signal switch.
I'm thinking it's multiple problems. Fix the grounds in the front as well as check the lamp sockets, and check the light bulbs and sockets in the back.
Turn signal indicators in dash coming on with brake lights suggest front of truck problem or defective turn signal switch.
I'm thinking it's multiple problems. Fix the grounds in the front as well as check the lamp sockets, and check the light bulbs and sockets in the back.
Thread Starter
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 848
Likes: 1
From: Bethel Park, Pa
ahhhhhhh too many grounds! haha electrical problems are the worst
i have new parking light sockets on order as well as new headlights and a new headlight wiring harness
i also noticed a ground going from the seat belt mounting bolt (on the floor of the cab) and the wire is going out the bottom of the cab down to the frame, and that ground is broken off, im not sure where it should go
i have new parking light sockets on order as well as new headlights and a new headlight wiring harness
i also noticed a ground going from the seat belt mounting bolt (on the floor of the cab) and the wire is going out the bottom of the cab down to the frame, and that ground is broken off, im not sure where it should go
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 8,786
Likes: 28
From: Northern California
The only ground that should be in that general area is for the seat belt buzzer.
There is a switch in the drivers belt buckle. With the belt unbuckled the ground is connected and the buzzer will sound. With the belt buckled, the ground is open and the buzzer will not sound. (It also won't sound with the drivers belt buckle connector unplugged...
)
This extra ground sounds like someone trying to fix a ground problem by adding extra grounding straps from the cab to the frame.
There is a switch in the drivers belt buckle. With the belt unbuckled the ground is connected and the buzzer will sound. With the belt buckled, the ground is open and the buzzer will not sound. (It also won't sound with the drivers belt buckle connector unplugged...
)This extra ground sounds like someone trying to fix a ground problem by adding extra grounding straps from the cab to the frame.
Thread Starter
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 848
Likes: 1
From: Bethel Park, Pa
The only ground that should be in that general area is for the seat belt buzzer.
There is a switch in the drivers belt buckle. With the belt unbuckled the ground is connected and the buzzer will sound. With the belt buckled, the ground is open and the buzzer will not sound. (It also won't sound with the drivers belt buckle connector unplugged... )
This extra ground sounds like someone trying to fix a ground problem by adding extra grounding straps from the cab to the frame.
There is a switch in the drivers belt buckle. With the belt unbuckled the ground is connected and the buzzer will sound. With the belt buckled, the ground is open and the buzzer will not sound. (It also won't sound with the drivers belt buckle connector unplugged...
)This extra ground sounds like someone trying to fix a ground problem by adding extra grounding straps from the cab to the frame.
Thread Starter
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 848
Likes: 1
From: Bethel Park, Pa
alright so i did some digging and i unhooked the taillights and well one problem solved, the parking lights dont come on when i hit the brakes, (the turn signal still doesnt work but one problem at a time) they are the original taillights and have no ground, i was thinking of replacing them with a different style or led anyway, is there any way to test it before i go through the trouble of replacing the lights?