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Topic: Wiper and A/C electrical gremlin

in Forum: C3 Electrical


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Wiper and A/C electrical gremlin

Posted: 7/31/08 9:46pm Message 1 of 18
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F4Gary
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Grapevine, TX - USA
Joined: 8/26/2006
Posts: 1525
Vette(s): 1972 LT-1 convertible with factory air. 2017 Black Rose Grand Sport convertible.

I have an electrical problem that has  come up as a result of my changing out the rear main oil seal.  Yes, that's what I said.  I just got finished replacing my oil seal.  Cranked her up, no leaks, took it to the gas station to get some gas.  Put her away for 3 days.  She drove just fine.  I get back from my trip and get out my car to wash it.  Dead battery.  Hmmm.  So I charge it up.  Starts fine, back it out of the garage, and wash the from half.  Crank it up to move the fromt half int the shade of the garage, and my wiper door opens and the wipers come out just a little.  Now I can't stow them and I also discovered that my a/c  compressor clutch is energized and the blower motor runs even with the key OFF (that's what ran the battery down I guess).

The only wires I touched were the starter motor wires.  If I got the two small wires to the starter backwards, would it cause all of this?  My headligts work just fine and my wipers worked just fine until I did this oil seal job. 
 
Jeez, it seems like as soon as I fix one thing, another thing pops up. 



   

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Wiper and A/C electrical gremlin

Posted: 7/31/08 10:00pm Message 2 of 18
mkapp7879
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You didn't accidently hook a black wire to the large solenoid terminal cause it had a big connector on it, did you? That's a ground that hooks to a bellhousing bolt behind the starter.


Wiper and A/C electrical gremlin

Posted: 7/31/08 10:08pm Message 3 of 18
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F4Gary
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Grapevine, TX - USA
Joined: 8/26/2006
Posts: 1525
Vette(s): 1972 LT-1 convertible with factory air. 2017 Black Rose Grand Sport convertible.
There were two wires with large connectors.  One was the big cable from the battery, the other was a small gauge wire.  I put them both on the big terminal on the starter as that is the only large terminal.  The other two wires had very small connectors.  I don't remember taking a wire off the bellhousing, but that doesn't mean I didn't.  I just don't remember.  I would never make a good electrician.


   

Wiper and A/C electrical gremlin

Posted: 7/31/08 10:15pm Message 4 of 18
mkapp7879
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With a points distributer one of the small terminal wires goes to the terminal nearest the motor and the other goes to the far side terminal. Have to look up which is which as I've got HEI dist.
Are those the 2 you may have switched?



Wiper and A/C electrical gremlin

Posted: 7/31/08 10:19pm Message 5 of 18
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F4Gary
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Grapevine, TX - USA
Joined: 8/26/2006
Posts: 1525
Vette(s): 1972 LT-1 convertible with factory air. 2017 Black Rose Grand Sport convertible.

Yes, those are the two small wires I may have switched.  I have an MSD distributor.  I may have screwed up the other wire you were talking about in your first post too.




   

Wiper and A/C electrical gremlin

Posted: 7/31/08 10:53pm Message 6 of 18
mkapp7879
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OK, I'm gonna step back since you're not stock!
On my factory HEI distributor equipted Vettes, I got 2 fused link wires going to the large terminal with the battery cable and just one wire going to just one of the small terminals. Can't remember which side, even tho I was just there last week! Should be marked "S", I think.
I'm sure there'll be plenty of help in the morning for ya!
 



Wiper and A/C electrical gremlin

Posted: 8/1/08 5:14am Message 7 of 18
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Adams' Apple
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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
Of the two smaller wires, with small eyelets, the purple wire goes closest to the block, and the yellow wire goes to the other smaller terminal on the solenoid. Switching these two wires would be obvious, as it wouldn't start(crank) with the purple wire not connected to the inner terminal. The purple wire is the "Start" signal from the ign. switch. The yellow wire is the 12v supply to the coil when cranking.

You should also have at least one other wire(besides the battery cable) on the center, large terminal. It should be red, and it is a fuse-link. An A/C car will prolly have more than the one fuse-link there, but not always.

I can't see any direct correlation between the starter removal and the new problems, tho, unless in the process of moving the wires for the starter, you moved the main harness enough to short out something else...


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Wiper and A/C electrical gremlin

Posted: 8/1/08 10:31am Message 8 of 18
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F4Gary
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Grapevine, TX - USA
Joined: 8/26/2006
Posts: 1525
Vette(s): 1972 LT-1 convertible with factory air. 2017 Black Rose Grand Sport convertible.
I gonna go disconnect the starter wires and see if the other systems are still affected.


   

Wiper and A/C electrical gremlin

Posted: 8/1/08 10:48am Message 9 of 18
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rraider1
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Woodland, WA - USA
Joined: 10/14/2003
Posts: 1171
Vette(s): 1977 T-Top,350,Auto Black Ruby Pearl,Steeroids R&P conversion
When you changed the main oil seal did you do anything to the engine like jack it up to remove the pan, you could have done something to the wires that run along the firewall,


Wiper and A/C electrical gremlin

Posted: 8/1/08 4:39pm Message 10 of 18
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F4Gary
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Grapevine, TX - USA
Joined: 8/26/2006
Posts: 1525
Vette(s): 1972 LT-1 convertible with factory air. 2017 Black Rose Grand Sport convertible.
No, all I did was disconnect the idler arm so I could get the oil pan off.  This is why I am stumped.  Haven't had a chance to do any further troubleshooting yet, it was 103 today.


   

in Forum: C3 Electrical


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