2002 Electrical help needed in Denver, Boulder, CO area

[Stein-man]

Does anyone know of a 2002 whiz that could help me in the Boulder or Denver area?  Apparently, hunting down wiring problems isn't my strong point!  Thanks for any referrals!

 

- Rob

[John76]

Rob,

What kind of wiring problem are you having?  Maybe something the Forum can help you with.

Also, please indicate model year and if any wiring changes have been made.

John

[irdave]

I've got a blue book, test light, multi meter and heated shop...  And as John asked, what's the problem?  Have to realize that every problem that could exist has already existed and someone on here already knows the answer.  Seriously.

[Stein-man]

Dave and John -

I bought a '72 Tii, stripped it to bare metal, repainted it (Golf), and have put it mostly back together.  I am about to test run the engine and have a battery in the car.  Headlights, turn signals, wipers, turn signals - none work.  The fuel pump works, at least.  For me, it's either the fusebox (which I took out for paint, but photographed extensively prior to removal) or the ignition key.  Of course, I think I have the key and the fusebox right.  I have been working on other things, since I have ground to a halt on the electrical problems.  I could make another afternoon of rewiring the fusebox, but I thought I would put it out to the forum to see if I could round up some new perspective on it.   The wiring diagrams that I have found/bought are all wrong for my car.  I just bought a '72 Tii owner's manual which seems to have the correct wiring diagram in it, but it's pretty small!  I am going to get it reproduced much larger tomorrow.  Maybe that will help.

- Rob

[Mike Self]

12 minutes ago, Stein-man said:

Headlights, turn signals, wipers, turn signals - none work. 

All those items on a '72 are on switched circuits--the ignition must be on for them to get power.  All that switched power flows through the ignition switch, so (presuming you've made sure all the relevant fuses are nice and clean, along with their clips) you need to connect the negative lead on your voltmeter to a good ground, and then test the three main wires on the back of the switch.  One (the big red one, IIRC) will be hot all the time; another will be (or is supposed to be!) hot only when the ignition key is turned to on (not accessory, but ignition on, with the instruments on and warning lights lit).  The third wire should only be hot when you're cranking the engine by turning the key to start.  Check this first to eliminate (or confirm) the ignition switch as the problem.

 

mike

 

PS a tii fuel pump is powered by fuse 11 (a switched fuse) and the instruments are also fed from this fuse. 

[Stein-man]

Hi, Mike -

Great tips, I can check this.  I will confess to having the fuel pump fuse out when diagnosing electrical problems just to it doesn't pump and pump.  I will disconnect it at the pump and put the fuse back in.  I will report back!

- Rob

[MoBrighta]

Rob-

I am in Golden, and have done some significant wiring work on my 72 2002 - it's not a tii, but at least I understand the basics of almost every circuit.  If you need a local set of eyeballs, maybe we can coordinate a time for this, now that the weather is getting better... hopefully at least.  At one time I had a 3 x 4 foot blown-up wiring diagram for the car, will have to search it out.  I also have a full wiring harness for a square tail 2002, may be useful for reference?  Holler if any of this sounds helpful.

Andy

[Stein-man]

Hi, Andy -

 

Thank you for your generous offer.  I recently had a revelation of sorts, maybe you can relate.  Every wiring diagram I bought, source, or copied, was wrong for the car.  I was thumbing the '71 Tii orange manual that came with the car and came upon the wiring diagram.  I quickly surmised that it was also wrong for the '72.  I bought a new orange manual for a '72Tii, and the wiring diagram is correct for the car, hallelujah!  

I am going to have at it again today, under Mike Self's direction, as well as with the new wiring diagram (which I had blown up so humans can read it).  We will see how I do, and I will report back here.  It would be great to meet you just to swap trivia.

- Rob

[irdave]

Why does the hazard button stick out in my mind?  I haven't had to mess with it yet in my '76, but my '72 tii seems like it was responsible for everything...

 

Having the right diagram is helpful.  :)  One wire at a time.

 

[Stein-man]

Hi, Dave -

Small update.  Yesterday, I had the lights, turn signals. fan, and directionals working, but I keep melting the #2 fuse.  That governs the taillights, the parking lights, the license plate lights, and the instrument panel lights.  My new handy, dandy electrical chart was right on with the colors of the wires.  Wiring is correct at the taillights.  Lots of these are hard to wire incorrectly.  Using the chart, I verified correct connections underneath the #1 and #2 fuses in the fusebox.  Yay, a correct electrical diagram. 

 

The handy chart did Not rise to the occasion for accuracy around the ignition key.  Of course, even blown up, it was impossible to read the numbers on the chart for the ignition key where a particular color goes.  Instead, I used pictures I took of the wiring to the key after I drove the car into the shop.  When I put a new fuse in #2, it's hot immediately.  

 

The hazard button has a molded plug on it - hard to go wrong there, I think.  

 

Still working on it, though I have run out of good ideas of things to do now.  ?

 

- Rob

[irdave]

Bump.

 

What's the word, Rob?

 

My wife will be out of town after Thursday, so I'd be free to come down and help- and hopefully my freaking left shoulder will be working again after that second damned shot- dude put it in my shoulder joint.  My wife, physician,"Uh, that's a little high..."

[Stein-man]

Hi, Dave

 

I had a small breakthrough in the fuse blowing department.  I bit the bullet and pulled my instrument panel and took out the light switch and pulled its plug.  Put a fresh fuse in the #2 spot, turn the key to the on position, and no puff of smoke from the fuse box.  Aha, the switch!

 

Given any chance, I can get micro in a second.  I proceeded to take the light switch apart.  Wow, spring loaded ball detents, sliding contacts, and the rheostat - all filthy from 49 years of use.  When I put it back together, I realized that the switch Does indeed have two positions!  I am bonding it together with 6 hour epoxy at the moment, so I don't yet know if I did anything to solve the problem du jour, but I will find out tomorrow.  

 

Sure, I would love it if you came down for a visit.  I also could use your help making it run - have gas, have oil in it.  I think my capacitor may be weak.  I static timed it, and the spark wasn't what I call snappy.  I have turned it over a bunch to pump oil around, but I haven't make anything ignite in a cylinder - an ignition problem.  

 

Give me a call, we'll talk, thanks, Dave!  720-331-2002

 

- Rob

[esty]

here's wiring at the back of the ignition switch

 

 

[Stein-man]

Hi, Esty -

Is this applicable to a '72 Tii?  I would like to think that the ignition switch wiring would be the same for many years and models of 2002, but I could be wrong.  Seeing the numbers is a bit of a chore, but I will check my switch out tomorrow, thanks!

- Rob

[esty]

i wouldn't bet my dog on it but believe that all our cars are wired the same at the switch...there are 2 screws on the back of the switch and it's easy to take the back part off so you can get a good look at the wires & numbers...remove those screws and the switch pretty much just drops in your hand