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Topic: help with lights

in Forum: C3 Electrical


help with lights

Posted: 1/11/04 6:55am Message 1 of 8
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St. Clair Shores, MI - USA
Joined: 10/30/2003
Posts: 25
Vette(s): 1980
Hello all, I need help with an electrical problem and any help or suggestions would be appreciated. My tail lights, dash lights and cornering lights don't work at all, bulbs are good! My headlights, brake lights back-up lights and turn signals work. The WD40 trick on the headlight switch rod worked to turn on the interior lights.

Another problem I am having is that my heater only blows out of the floor vents no matter where i have the setting.

Thanks,
Jeff

|headscratch|


|IMG|http://sc.groups.msn.com/tn/BD/51/JeffsVette/1/a.jpg|/IMG||IMG|http://sc.groups.msn.com/tn/BD/51/JeffsVette/1/8.jpg|/IMG| |URL|http://groups.msn.com/JeffsVette/shoebox.msnw?Page=1|/URL| |EM|jchef2@comcast.net|/EM| My wife told me if I bought this car she would leave me! somtimes I kinda miss her!
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help with lights

Posted: 1/11/04 3:10pm Message 2 of 8
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Joined: 4/11/2002
Posts: 327
Hello Jeff !
Go to this site you will get all the electrical diagram's you will need for your 80 vette.
http://iotech.no/corvette/index.htm
Normand



help with lights

Posted: 1/11/04 7:09pm Message 3 of 8
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CUYAHOGA FALLS, OH - USA
Joined: 12/2/2003
Posts: 6424
Vette(s): 1975 C3 Red, T-Tops, Black Interior. All I need is time and money! Getting there!
First check the fuses. Having said that, there are several different switches inside the headlight switch.
Each has different power supplies and outputs. He parking lights are one circuit that feed the dashlight circuit and affect the corning lights. You may have a bad connection or power feed into or out of the switch, or one section of the switch could have failed. Keep these in mind when you look at the diagrams.

Ken Styer.


help with lights

Posted: 1/11/04 7:12pm Message 4 of 8
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CUYAHOGA FALLS, OH - USA
Joined: 12/2/2003
Posts: 6424
Vette(s): 1975 C3 Red, T-Tops, Black Interior. All I need is time and money! Getting there!
As far as the heater goes, you probably have a vacuum problem. All of the air duct controls are vacuum operated. You may have lost the vacuum supply from the engine, a pinched line under the dash, or bad vacuum switch at the heater control.

Ken Styer


help with lights

Posted: 1/11/04 7:58pm Message 5 of 8
Former Member
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St. Clair Shores, MI - USA
Joined: 10/30/2003
Posts: 25
Vette(s): 1980
Thanks for all the help! I am going to start a process of elimination now that you have given me some suggestions. I will let you know how it goes.

Thanks,
Jeff


|IMG|http://sc.groups.msn.com/tn/BD/51/JeffsVette/1/a.jpg|/IMG||IMG|http://sc.groups.msn.com/tn/BD/51/JeffsVette/1/8.jpg|/IMG| |URL|http://groups.msn.com/JeffsVette/shoebox.msnw?Page=1|/URL| |EM|jchef2@comcast.net|/EM| My wife told me if I bought this car she would leave me! somtimes I kinda miss her!

help with lights

Posted: 1/12/04 12:11am Message 6 of 8
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TWENTYNINE PALMS, CA - USA
Joined: 8/6/2003
Posts: 245
Vette(s): 77 Vette L82, black.
I have the same problem in mine, what it came down to is I need a new dash harness. The "idiot" that owned the car before me grounded the stereo to the dash lights. Well, not only did he blow the dash lights but he melted a bunch of wires together just before the headlight switch. The headlight switch is the only place where ALL of those wires are in close proximity, so make sure to look in that area first. good luck!


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help with lights

Posted: 1/13/04 7:31pm Message 7 of 8
Former Member
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St. Clair Shores, MI - USA
Joined: 10/30/2003
Posts: 25
Vette(s): 1980
well I hate to admit this but the problem with my tail lights and cornering lights was the fuse,|withstupid| It wasn't blown, that is why I didn't replace it but I put a new one in anyway and it worked. The contacts must have been worn on the fuse. I haven't figured out the dash lights yet! (not the fuse). I think I will have to replace the headlight switch. has anyone ever replaced this switch?

The problem with my heater is a vacuum line that is broke that connects to a T connector.

Jeff


|IMG|http://sc.groups.msn.com/tn/BD/51/JeffsVette/1/a.jpg|/IMG||IMG|http://sc.groups.msn.com/tn/BD/51/JeffsVette/1/8.jpg|/IMG| |URL|http://groups.msn.com/JeffsVette/shoebox.msnw?Page=1|/URL| |EM|jchef2@comcast.net|/EM| My wife told me if I bought this car she would leave me! somtimes I kinda miss her!

help with lights

Posted: 1/14/04 8:45am Message 8 of 8
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CUYAHOGA FALLS, OH - USA
Joined: 12/2/2003
Posts: 6424
Vette(s): 1975 C3 Red, T-Tops, Black Interior. All I need is time and money! Getting there!
Replacing the switch is not as bad as it may seem, but you do have to take the left side of the dash loose and move it forward, not just loosen the left edge. Once you can reach in, it's fairly easy. You must remove the switch lever to remove the screw that hold the switch in . To remove the lever (pull knob and shaft) pull the knob to turn on the lights. Push the button on the side of the switch. This is on the opposite side from the wireing connections. Then pull the knob out. When you reinstall it, it should just push in and lock back in place.

But first, there is a 5 amp fuse seperate from the other fuse, just for the dash lights. Go to this fuse and turn on the lights. If voltage is at the fuse check out the switch.

Power comes from the park light fuse you just replace, and goes to the park lamp section of the headlight switch. From the switch it goes to the park light circuit and it feeds the outside lights and this 5 amp fuse. The 5 amp fuse feeds the dash light controller in the headlight switch, and from there uses a gray wire to feed the dash lights. Hope this helps.

Ken Styer


in Forum: C3 Electrical


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