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Help! Electrical Problems

I agree with ntaj*ep that parasitic or key off battery drain test would be one of the first things i would have done. Did you already do that?
I have had to do this test to find out where a short is... because i'd leave my truck for a day or two and the battery would be dead.
But I thought this was about the windsheild wipers so I was adressing that other problem.
However, this test will help you isolate the short to ground.
If you find you do have any key off bat drain, then you can start pulling fuses to narrow it down to which circuit it is on, when you pull a fuse and that reading drops to zero you know you have found the right fuse. Then you'd have to figure out how many and which circuts are off that fuse, theres usually several circuits.

Hey ntaj*ep I've done it with a voltmeter instead of an ammeter... hooked up in series between the neg bat post and neg bat cable. If its a few tenths of a volt you're good a half a volt or more and something ain't right.
Could you do it this way as well?
 
YA, Ryan, dude I still am stuck on that killer burnout. U RULE!! ok so where were we...oh ya that draw test would work using volts, I guess. I have always used amps. for a number of reasons. I work on some pretty high tech cars for a living (its the low tech ones that give me the high though!) anyway the cars have lots of computers, multiplex units, controlers n' stuff and everything is very percise, as far as ampers and milli ampers. So in short I think the test could be done with a volt scale (and maybe better for this purpose)but amps. will get you more percise, and if there is an issue I could have a low volt reading but high amp. reading. With these goofy problems you could have a funky reading, its not like a complete break down where its blowing fuses. I do wonder if the motor keeps running with the switch connected, do the wires get warm? I'm also thinking a gauge (VOODOO) is either mis-wired or an ammeter is shorted, With a universal wiring kit installed and the wiring diffrent colors I'm wondering why a 67'-72' wiring kit wasn't used with stock colors?!
 
Hey guys thanks, I was on a business trip for a few days, back at it now. Course with the weather here I am starting a different project, but plan on doing the parasitic draw test tonight. I will keep you both posted. I haven't blow any fuses yet. Although I am about to blow one trying to figure out how to put this *#&^%#*@%*@#$ top on....
 
Ya, sometimes the top can be tough to figure out. Hopefully, you can get it licked. Otherwise I'll check back later. Have fun!!
 
Ok did the parasitic draw test. I unhooked the neg terminal from battery -- took my voltmeter set it for the 50 volt setting. put it in the series between the connector and actual battery terminal on the neg post -- it read approximately 29 volts. I am assuming that is bad. Should read zero correct? I will do the fuse thing to narrow down the culprit. But am I correct in my assumptions above?

Thanks,

Phillip
 
Ok, found the short to ground in the horn fuse -- removing that fuse cause the meter to read zero. But removing that fuse did not cause the ground issue on the dash bezel to go away -- should it have? I am guessing that the problem is the horn itself. There is an extral power lead coming off the horn, anyone know why? There are also about 5 wires not connected to anything there. I need to get a wiring diagram better than in my Haynes to figure this one out anybody got one? Looks like original wires and colors just not connected. to anything and probably not terminated which could also be causing the short to ground too. Could really use that wiring diagram for a 72, my Haynes covers too many years for anything too specific.
 
Did the test and found a draw about 29 volts had my meter set at 50 -- Ok, found the draw in the horn fuse -- removing that fuse causes the meter to read zero. But removing that fuse did not cause the ground issue on the dash bezel to go away -- should it have? I am guessing that the problem is the horn itself. There is an extra power lead coming off the horn, anyone know why? There are also about 5 wires not connected to anything there. I need to get a wiring diagram better than in my Haynes to figure this one out anybody got one? Looks like original wires and colors just not connected. to anything and probably not terminated which could also be causing the short to ground too. Could really use that wiring diagram for a 72, my Haynes covers too many years for anything too specific.
 
Greg, someone told me you might have some better wiring diagrams for a 72 than what is provided in the Haynes manual, if so would you mind sharing. I found several wire just going nowhere and my Haynes is useless.

Thanks, oh yeah I posted some pic of my Blazer and the new top if you are interested.

http://coloradok5.com/gallery/albup67 [/url]
 
Phillip,

Sent the diagrams to your e-mail account.....they are for the stock harness, but hopefully they will provide a good starting point for you.
 
Wow, the horn was pulling that much!?...and no fuse was blown!...What was the horn fuses rating? Like 50a. Try the same draw test (with the horn disconnected) only do it on an amp. scale. O and try the wiper switch in the dash thing with all the dash gauges power on lead dead (pull the fuse or disconnect it or something). With the power gone from the gauges see if the new switch archs. You said the gauge panel is metal right.......see if the panel is grounded or each indvidual gauge is grounded.
 
I just saw your blazer pictures....That thing is SWEET. Dude you scored A hellofa sick, phat, filthy ride Yo...LOL!!
 
much obliged, still need some help identifying things, like the tcase and the axles, 14 bolts on the rear and 10 on the front. Don't know the gear ratios.
I will try the tests you recommend tonight. I am going to radio sheck at lunch to by a nice multimeter, my voltmeter was my dads old, worked for most stuff for me, but now I am 33 an I guess its time to upgrade -- maybe I will save my dad's old one for my boy ha ha ..
 
Greg, thank you very much. I will try to put them to good use. I refuse to give up on this thing...but I want to solve my electrical issues before I install my stereo -- don't want to run the risk of hosing my new stuff.
 
I do know that each gauge has a black lead coming off, which all ran into one big ass black lead that hooked to the same spot on the firewall that the engine is grounded to. There is no ground coming off the panel itself and it is polished aluminum. I may need to solder a ground directly to it and run it to a good ground? (that was a ?, not really a statement)
 
Phillip,

The only VDO gauges I've ever owned were a plastic housing with a metal bezel. The grounding was all accomplished with the connectors off the back.

I don't think grounding the bezel will affect the gauges (good or bad)....Plus my guess is that the bezel is already grounded via the screws that attach it to your metal dash.
 
Okay, I've kept my mouth shut long enough! I tried like hell to stay away from this post. I knew it was bad from the get go. What I'm about to say is my personal opinion and my own experiance with the PainintheASS Wiring kit!

When I bought my blazer it had the Painless wiring kit in it. Over half the gauges didn't work, brake lights didn't work and one night I was leaving to go to work and the damned brake lights were on. I disconnected the battery and the next morning I went to check it out and when I connected my battery back up they wouldn't come on. A week later same damn thing. Anyways the problem is all the crimped wires. Some wires were crimped 3 times in 5ft of a single wire! Yeah there fast and easy and work for a while, but that's about it! ntaj*ep, I'm sure would agree with me on that.
Instead of sodering all the connections I bought a complete wiring harness. I spent $600, But every wire is new. I had it rewired for HEI distributor and for an internal regulator ($50). It sounds like you would have around $525 (guessing). The wire harness is made by M&H electric fabricators here in the USA and they use factory colors and connectors. They do sell direct but it cost more. I went thru Tuckers to get mine. I sold my Painless to a guy on here and told him to solder EVERYTHING! They sell for like $450 new at LMC and I sold it to him for $100. I know I gave it away but he will have some work to do to it befor he installs it and I wasn't out to make a buck!

If you bought a new harness and sold yours for $100 you would have it done for around $325. To me it was well worth it and after seeing the pictures of your truck it's worth it too!
Like I said at the begining.....this is my opinion...I know there are others out there that will disagree with me. I'm positive that if you take your time and keep cool about it you can get you wiring harness fixed and not spend the money.
Greg has some really good wiring diagrams, he sent them to me when I was trying to fix mine. I ended up using them on my new harness and it was easy to read with the right color of wires!
Best of luck!

Here's some links:
http://www.tuckersparts.com/
 
Bassplayer, are all your connections solderd? If not I think we have a winner! As I said before maybe you could call PAINLESS, and ask them some questions about your kit, Maybe they have a wiring diagram for your kit. I was wondering when you said you had a "universal" kit how all the factory connections were maintained, if at all. Dude I hate to say it but, as Klef72K5 said your truck is sweet and if you plan on keeping it awhile (which I'm sure you do) it may be time to look into alternitives.
On a related note, before we condem the wiring (oops too late) Greg72 I'm glad you know about the VDO gauges, I've only really used autometer. And I always heve run a linked (gauge to gauge), or seprate ground, so I wanted to make sure the gauges were not just grounded to the panel, and that they have a good ground going to a ground post or batt. Basspleyer you said, I think, that the wiper switch archs in the panel even with the motor disconnected from it? If so is that with the wiring connected to the switch? And if that is correct see if the switch archs with the wiring disconnected, from it. If it archs even with all the wiring disconnected from it, Take a voltage reading from your gauge panel to the batt. ground post. Something is possibly shorting to the panel itself, like a soderless connection with one little strand poking out and touching the panel. Or a soldered connection touching something, it shouldn't. I do know of a company that makes factory style wiring kits (I would have to look for there name again) but I used one of their sub harnesses (they make them just like factory, engine, tailight, dash, all seprate harnesses that plug in together) anyway I used the dash harness on my bud's 55' chev. and it was very cool. I don't know if its the same co. as Klef72K5 used but I'll look.
 
Nope, there is no arc when the switch is not hooked to the wires. And what is worse -- no the wire connections are not soldered. I guess I will go through those this weekend and see if I can get the marjority of them done around the dash -- soldering I can do ; )
 
yep my gauges all have grounds off of them, running to one lead which runs to the firewall. That lead however has 3 crimpon connections in it!!! I will be replacing that this weekend. Crimp on terminals are one thing, butt connectors I guess are another.
 
If there is no sparkie,with the connector disconnected. Pull your wiper motor and test it, or have it tested. I bet your problem is internal in the motor. It is easy... er to remove with the gauges removed. Happy soldering! LOL
 
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