Here comes the rant- the electrical issues are driving me nuts.

Other than putting the car back together (and everything worked when I dissassembled it) I put in a JWest fuse panel. When first bringing the car back to life with a battery, many things are NOT working. Headlight motors have power as I can raise them by turning the little knobs until the lights go thru a cycle, but they don't go up with the light switch. Also, no headlights, just parking lights. At first, emergency flashers and turn signals worked, now the flasher just makes a horrible buzzing sound, and the signals flash at about double speed.

Also, bench test shows starter is fine, but when in car, nothing happens when turning igntion switch. Also, shorting the starter with screw driver doesn't activate it.

Oh, and the light in the top of left gauge continues to flash whenever ignition is on- I think that's warning for brakes- E brake is off, and wiring to master cylinder is connected, though there is no blade connector on it for the ground...

And NO fog lights...

Have NEW ground strap from tranny to body and battery to body...

I have NO idea even where to START!!

I've been working on these cars for over 40 years, and HATE electrical issues!!!

How bout pull all the fuses and put them back one at a time to test that circuit? Possibly pos/grounds reversed on the bottom of the panel? I'm no electrical genie so I'd do this first.

loosen the JWest fuse panel and let it hang.

If that solves your problems, then you have the issue where the panel fits too tight and terminals on the back touch the chassis.

As mentioned in email, the starter circuit does not pass through the fuse panel or any of its connections. I would start by checking the connections of all the wires to the battery and solve the starter issue first before diving into the more complex circuits. If it a major power feed that is the issue - then the other circuits can do weird things.

Email me your findings and I'll help you work through it.

I doubt it is the panel itself (not trying to blame Jwest as I'm very happy with their stuff on my cars), but just need direction in where to start first!!


Jwest's idea to start with starter circuit first is good idea.

Electrical problems are usually at the connections. It happens, but the wires in loom are usually not the problem. I’d start by checking that you have everything connected to the right place. Then I’d start reading up on basic DC electronics. You’re going to need continuity, and you’re going to need voltage at the right time and place. You’re going to have to get a multi-meter and learn how to use it…

Just relaying info from other threads:

"The "Y" splitters can touch the metal fuse panel frame when bolted in place. Mine were very tight after the Engman/JWest upgrade"

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=181768

Start with one item.

Maybe start with the starter as that doesn't go through the fuse panel.

Electrical issues are not easy to fix and you need patience and focus on one issue at a time.

To be thorough on your quest, you should have at least 2 tools at your disposal: a voltmeter and schematic. Without these you will be left to visual inspection, jiggling wires, shorting stuff together, and a shit ton of frustration. If you are unfamiliar with these tools, you may want to get a friend to help or learn as you go.

For the starter, make sure the big gauge wire to the battery is securely connected. Measure 12V from the lug on the starter to clean chassis ground. If 12V, then measure 12V from the lug on the starter to the starter body or engine. Check the ground strap from the trans to the chassis.

If these are good, check the voltage on the yellow wire for the bendix. You'll need help of someone to turn and hold the key while you measure. Should be 12V from the wire to starter case. If you don't have 12V on this wire, trace the wire back to the ignition key and measure for 12V to chassis as you go back to the key.

I didn't see if this was your 71 or 73. If it is the 71, check the power block near the fuse panel. Also check the 3 red wires at the battery positive to see if the connectors and wires are in good condition. Cut back and replace as needed. Often these will have MANY individual wires broken and therefore not carrying any current.
Since you are having electrical issues, a good safety thing to do is leave the negative battery cable hand tight on the battery post. That way if there is an issue, you can remove power quickly without the need for tools. Putting it on hand tight with a slight twist will give good electrical contact and give ample power to everything, including the starter.
As others have said, take one thing at a time. Make sure you have wire brushed the ground connections. In the front in the trunk, under the dash near the fuse panel and in the engine bay near the relay panel. Remove all of the ring terminals, wire brush them, and wire brush the stud they go on. Reinstall and tighten.
Tom

A good start would be to print out a copy of the schematic as large as you can. You might want to go to a copy store to blow it up and make copies. Get a highlighter, and start at the fuse box. Follow the line from the fuse box to the load. And then you can go back and follow from the fuse box to the alternator or battery. Then it’s just a matter of making sure the wires in the car follow the schematic. It may look daunting, but it’s just power, a wire and possibly a switch to carry it to the load, the load, and then a ground.

And the Current Flow Diagram helps too.

Choose from the list here: http://www.pelicanparts.com/914/914_electrical_diagrams.htm

E-brake light switch is under the handle and has always been my source for the perpetual flash

Make sure all your grounds are good is a starting point. . then test for battery thru the fuses
. . once your have that, it's just the wires in between. . do 1 circuit at a time. .
the headlights not coming up is controlled by the headlight switch. . the headlights coming on is a separate circuit but have the headlight switch in common.

thanks for the suggestions guys- all good.

I"ve got the factory manuals and the electric schematic, but yes, having 65 year old eyes the magnifying glass and reading glasses can only do so much. Being colourblind doesn't help either...

Blowing up the image is a good suggestion, but I've already noticed a lot of the numbers on the schematic don't match what I find on the car, starting with the front turn signal housing. Luckily I've used the '71 as a template in doing a lot on the '73!

I gave myself I day off from the shop so I can start fresh... have an old Penske voltmeter from the '70's but think I'll spring for a newer smaller digital one from O'Reilly's tomorrow.

The saga continues...

I went through similar troubleshooting pains recently. One thing that saved me and I HIGHLY recommend… install a fuse block just behind the battery. I went through a few dozen fuses trying to diagnose a short in my headlight circuit. The short occurred before the factory fuse panel so without that battery side fuse block, I likely would have melted a good harness.

Best of luck!

Well... I decided to start with the starter circuit- measured 12.8 volts to starter but trying to short across the battery lead and blade did nothing but some sparks. The brand new hi-torque starter works perfectly with a bench test.

Even though I figured it wouldn't help I put in a NEW cable from battery to starter. Same results...


When first putting back together, E flashers and turn signals worked fine. Then one front bulb went out- replaced it. Now the flasher relay makes this god awful noise, the flashers and turn signals now don't work. Parking lights all work fine. Do the E-flasher relays just go bad like that? I can see replacing the flasher relay will probably do nothing, and just piss me off even more... I'm beginning to lose my mind!

Remove that one bulb. Chances are you put the wrong type in. If the god-awful noise goes away, that's the problem.

I'm betting you put a single-filament bulb in where a dual-filament bulb should be.

--DD

Harbor Freight often has their multimeters for free or on sale. I wait for the free ones and stock up. I have a small stash.

You’re going to need 12 volts going from the battery to the ignition switch. It’s going to have to go through the ignition switch (start) to the solenoid. Once the solenoid is energized, it should provide 12 volts directly from battery to the starter.

When you tested the starter on the bench, you didn’t attach the battery to the starter; you attached it to the solenoid. The starter draws a lot of electricity, (amperage = volume). The solenoid is basically a large relay, and the means to engage the starter.

Definitely using proper dual filament front bulbs. Funny because when I first put the battery in the lights and flasher worked, then a front bulb burned out and when I replaced it, all this started.

Cleaned all the grounds in the trunk by the headlight motors, etc. Have 12V to headlight motor relays, but still nothing when pulling out headlight switch.

Starting to check power to all the fuses. Boy that is fun after a two level cervical fusion... this was a hell of a lot easier when I first got the car 43 years ago!!!!