Home page
SPONSOR AD SPONSOR AD

Topic: 1981 Power lock Short????

in Forum: C3 Electrical


1981 Power lock Short????

Posted: 7/27/06 8:03pm Message 1 of 9
Former Member
Send PM
Hamilton, OH - USA
Joined: 7/5/2006
Posts: 35
Vette(s): 1981 Red Glass Top
I know somebody has probably asked this before or at least I hope it is common and easy to diagnose.  1981 with power locks and lock switches at the key area also.  Replaces pigtails on both switches drivers and passengers side.  Passenger side gets hot when switch pluged back in (Short right?) The blue wire heats up and the fuse blows????  Any ideas?? or Where to start?


SPONSOR AD:: (Our Sponsors help support C3VR)

1981 Power lock Short????

Posted: 7/28/06 4:12am Message 2 of 9
Former Member
Send PM
Hamilton, OH - USA
Joined: 7/5/2006
Posts: 35
Vette(s): 1981 Red Glass Top
Here is some more information based on the wiring diagram from Adam's Apple the LT Blu wire runs from the left door to the right door lock switch why would two different switches cause it to heat up and blow a fuse when installed into power lock pigtail.  I disconnected one lock motor just in case it was bad.  You would think if it was a short it would be shorting with or without the switch in?  HELP???


1981 Power lock Short????

Posted: 7/28/06 5:24am Message 3 of 9
Former Member
Send PM
Hamilton, OH - USA
Joined: 7/5/2006
Posts: 35
Vette(s): 1981 Red Glass Top
Hey Guys........What i really need for now is the correct wiring colors for the pigtails for the locks on a 81 I think whoever tried to fix them before me has them wired wrong.  I have a wiring diagram but that doesn't tell me which pion on the pigtail gets which color wire for each side.  The pigtail for the driverside doesn't even have correct color wires.  There are three pins first row and two second row on this switch....a picture would be worth a thousand words of each side.


1981 Power lock Short????

Posted: 7/28/06 3:25pm Message 4 of 9
Former Member
Send PM
Saxonburg, PA - USA
Joined: 11/14/2003
Posts: 143
Vette(s): 1982 Black over red, doing a resto.

I don't know if I can help or not. I have a 1982, and last Mar. or Apr. I sent some information to another member that was to put it in Shark Bites. I'm a standard member, so, Im not sure if it's in there or not.

Anyway, if you look at the back of the switch on the drivers door, I have, Black wire, below is a Tan wire. On the top right is an Orange wire, below that is a Gray wire, and below that is a Light Brown wire.

On the right door, looking at the back of the switch, I have a Black wire that grounds to the door, below that is a Black wire that goes to the other door. On the top right is an Orange wire, below that is a Light Brown wire, then below that is a Black wire going to ground on the door.

I do know that if you ground the one black wire to the door that should go to the other side, it will blow the fuse.

Make sure the actuators are free and not froze up like mine where.

I bought connectors from Doc. Rebuild, and the color code for the drivers door was wrong, seems to me there was a Blue wire there.

You may want to untape some of the harness to see if you have the same color code as I do.

Hope this helps some, good luck,

Denny




1981 Power lock Short????

Posted: 7/30/06 6:18am Message 5 of 9
Former Member
Send PM
Hamilton, OH - USA
Joined: 7/5/2006
Posts: 35
Vette(s): 1981 Red Glass Top
Hello everyone......My locks are somewhat working again new symptom now the actuators are trying to engage but they seem to have trouble moving the lock mechanisms.  it is hard to move them by the manual lock rod also....they will try to lock but not unlock i will check the charge on the vehicle but i think it is fine.....any ideas????


1981 Power lock Short????

Posted: 7/30/06 7:19am Message 6 of 9
Profile Pic
Lifetime MemberLifetime Member
Moderator
Send PM
Duncanville, TX - USA
Joined: 11/8/2003
Posts: 20214
Vette(s): #1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/ Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight" #2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas
Sounds like time for a lube job!
You may need to remove the door panels, and lube up all of the linkages inside there.


Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    

My Link


(click for Texas-sized view!)
             NCRS

"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

1981 Power lock Short????

Posted: 7/31/06 4:51am Message 7 of 9
Former Member
Send PM
Hamilton, OH - USA
Joined: 7/5/2006
Posts: 35
Vette(s): 1981 Red Glass Top
The Saga continues....I have the ability to lock the doors but the reverese action is not engageing there are three wires that control this a Orange a Light Blue and a Black any idea which ones make the unlock happen the other two colors tan and gray go to actuators and two other balcks go to grounds.  This has been a adventure i tried to figure the wires out using a coninuity tester and the switch and that was futile.


1981 Power lock Short????

Posted: 8/2/06 2:56pm Message 8 of 9
Former Member
Send PM
Hamilton, OH - USA
Joined: 7/5/2006
Posts: 35
Vette(s): 1981 Red Glass Top
FIXED.....FIXED>>>FIXED.......I am now the self proclaimed Power door lock King....After the discussions with youguys and M&H Electric .....Who are great guys as I might add!.....I have the wiring corrected and the syptom for a bad switch is the locks will do one or the other but not both lock and unlock.....I used two help window switches ....$14.00 each and replaced both switches .....Problem Fixed and then new switches snap out of the housing and into the lock face plate.   THANKS TO EVEYONE!!!!!


1981 Power lock Short????

Posted: 8/2/06 5:47pm Message 9 of 9
Profile Pic
Lifetime MemberLifetime Member
Moderator
Send PM
Duncanville, TX - USA
Joined: 11/8/2003
Posts: 20214
Vette(s): #1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/ Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight" #2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas



Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56    

My Link


(click for Texas-sized view!)
             NCRS

"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"

in Forum: C3 Electrical


SPONSOR AD: (Our Sponsors help support C3VR)