electrical gremlin issue Options

[orbit398]

Have a 74 model. Just about done with the restoration project and have an electrical gremlin issue going on. Just starting to drive the car around and really liking it. So it’s all new to me at this point.

Sometimes everything works just like it supposed to (all gauges, blinders, lights etc). And then, the next time I go for a drive, I have issues.

Symptoms: When there are issues - I start the car and the voltage gauge reads nothing, the red voltage light is on in the dash indicating there is a charging issue. Also, the blinkers don't work. If I turn on the blinkers, the rpm gauge and fuel gauge needles pulsate/drop each time the blinkers try to come on. The blinkers really don’t come on, but it seems that each time the gauges needles drop a bit, it’d be when the blinkers are supposed to come on, if you know what I mean.

So- what the heck is going on. Faulty Blinker relay or Voltage Regulator?

[stugray]

Check the connections under the dash.

There should be a +12V terminal to the drivers side of the steering column, and a ground on the pass. side of the steering column (your year is different from mine, so locations may vary)

Disconnect the BATTERY FIRST then:

I like to scrub all electrical contacts with Brass wool or a small wire brush then use CRC "plastic safe" electrical contact cleaner from Home Depot. Scrub everything and put it back together.
Then do the same for the large wires where they all come together at the battery Positive terminal.

[orbit398]

Check the connections under the dash.

There should be a +12V terminal to the drivers side of the steering column, and a ground on the pass. side of the steering column (your year is different from mine, so locations may vary)

Disconnect the BATTERY FIRST then:

I like to scrub all electrical contacts with Brass wool or a small wire brush then use CRC "plastic safe" electrical contact cleaner from Home Depot. Scrub everything and put it back together.
Then do the same for the large wires where they all come together at the battery Positive terminal.

thanks - I haven't check the connections on the steering column - will do

[timothy_nd28]

Make sure the screws that hold up the fuse box aren't too long.

[76-914]

Considering that you live in the Rust Belt of TX, I'd clean every electrical connection I could find if'n I were you. Is that old theatre still in Alvin. A buddy of mine's Dad used top own that. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[Dave_Darling]

I have had similar symptoms to that when I popped fuse #8 (I think it was). But the stuff didn't come back to life on its own, so that's probably not exactly the same thing. But yeah, that's one circuit's worth of problems, so concentrate on the fuse and the connections to the fuse and to the fuse holder.

--DD