another wiring question

[Jonno]

Hi All,

I have another wiring question....have checked out previous posts re. aftermarket wiring looms but am still a bit confused. Also I think the guys at Air-ride must be away as they aren't answering my e-mails. Would be good if I could get some advice over the holidays while I have some time to attack this.

I am wiring an FC column with an air-ride kit (but I suspect all forms of the latter are identical).  All going well until I got to the steering column wiring (ugh!).

Apart from the horn, which is fairly self explanatory, the FC has the following wires:

purple, white, pink (in one group)
yellow, light blue, dark blue (in another group)

while the wiring harness has the following:

yellow '20' LR turn signal
green '19' RR turn signal

joined together: white '11' 3rd brake power, '18' brake switch
joined together: light blue '2' LF turn signal, '73' LF indicator light
joined together: dark blue '1' RF turn signal, '72' RF indicator light

there are also 2 wires ('21' flasher power and '22' hazard power) going directly to the flash cans but nothing coming back out??

Anyway, the instruction manual is less than helpful on this and just assumes you have a generic GM type connector on the column but, looking at previous posts I assume that I connect:

yellow on harness to pink on column
green on harness to purple on column
light blue to light blue
dark blue to dark blue

the confusion then comes in with brakes and flash can.

I already have two other wires going to the brake switch so do I need to do anything to the white wires on the harness and white wire on the column (will be running separate indicators to brakes).  Also how do I wire up the flash cans?

sorry for the long explanation...the question is hopefully fairly short...

Jonno

[mcl1959]

Jonno, it depends on whether you are running indicators and brakes through the red light as per original or not.
If not then the wiring is a lot simpler since the stop light switch is not included in the indicator loom, therefore the white wire is not needed for brakes but is usually used for reverse light power.
Does this make sense?
The whole purpose of the white wire on an FC is to allow the brake light to flash when you have both the indicators and brakes on at the same time.   Hence with reverse lights you still need the indicator to flash when the reverse lights are on.
Ken

[Glenn 'Stinky' Stankevicius]

Don't hold your breath on an email reply! though Glenn is very helpful when (if) you catch him on the phone.

I had a few probs wiring my column, but it was a HR unit. If it helps I can look at what I did tomorrow and let you know.
The thread I had is here -
http://www.fefcholden.org.au/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=hotup;action=display;num=1127099847;start=0

[Jonno]

thanks guys...yes the main source of confusion is the white wire which, in the FE/FC wiring diagrams, seems to connect to just about everything!  As I'm going with separate brake and indicator lights I think I will try to ignore it first, then see what happens.

the aftermarket kits are great but I guess the drawback is that they are very generic (presumably originally designed for hotrods) to a little head-scratching is required to adapt to your specific needs..

Jonno

[mcl1959]

That's correct, leave the white wire disconnected and wire directly from the stop light switch to the stop lights.  This will separate the indicators and brake lights as you require.

Then if you are going to run reverse lights you run from the reverse light switch to the white wire which will link the indicators and reverse lights and make the reverse light flash when you have the car in reverse and the indicators on.
This is not as critical as the brake light scenario, since the only time I can think that it is of any use is when you are reversing into a parallel park.

Ken

[Jonno]

Happy New Year everyone....

think I'm getting closer with my new wiring....now starting to test stuff.  A couple of things though:

1. when I turn on the headlights (dipped or full, doesn't matter) they only stay on a little while, then the relays trip and they go out.  Kind of cycles like this over and over. Is this likely to be because the battery charger I'm using for testing (rather than hooking up battery) hasn't got enough grunt...or do I have a wiring/relay problem. I have tried swapping the latter around but to no avail..

2. still don't appear to have any flashers suggesting I have stuffed the steering column section up somehow (this was the bit with no real instructions). Should the flashers work with the ignition switch just on the first turn (the only thing I have yet dared to try)? If so which of the steering column wires should the flash can output go to (the power to the flash can is supplied by the main harness fuse box)?

any thoughts much appreciated...

Jonno

[craiga]

Jonno,

If you are using a battery charger its the current limit circuit coming in. Try it with a charged battery and it'll be OK.

I don't have a wiring diagram handy, someone else will asssit you with the flasher can wiring.

Cheers,

Craig.

[Jonno]

many thanks Craig....that's a great help (and relief)!
Jonno

[RET]

Should the flashers work with the ignition switch just on the first turn (the only thing I have yet dared to try)? If so which of the steering column wires should the flash can output go to (the power to the flash can is supplied by the main harness fuse box)?

Standard ignition switch has only LOCK - OFF - ON - START.  If you are using a different barrel with an ACC position then the answer is anyone's guess.

A wiring diagram can be found here, for early (flashing brake light) style.  The later (orange reversing light) variant can be found here.

Hope that helps.

cheers
RET

[Jonno]

thanks RET....

I can't seem to get that second link to work (I assume it works for you)?

Jonno

[RET]

Jonno,



I just found the link from another thread, didn't check it.  Now it seems to produce a photo of a wizened Asian chap sitting in a gutter.  That is unlikely to be as much help to you as this image here, now hosted on our own server.  (Note, the Tech Info page has also been updated to show both variants.)

Hope that's (more) help.

cheers
RET

[Jonno]

thanks RET...I tried it a few times (the old link) and founds some stuff WAY more 'out there' than the wizened Asian chap. Still....must stay focussed...wiring is the go.

Jonno

[Ed]

Hi Jonno,

are you going for original  electrical gear?

I used an Air ride kit and have found it to be OK, as you found out it does take a fair amount of head scratching to get it all worked out.

i used a later GM column and switch with original headlight switch.

headlights are wired thru relays as are wipers and almost everything.

i just followed the provided diagram for indicator wiring and seems to work OK.
reverse lights are indicatros using a dual filament globe.  had to fit up orange lenses for rego but may change this down the track.

the most confusing bit was the IGN ON and start circuits.  this needed an addition of diode to prevent backfeeding current.

you will find the radio circuit annoying as it only works in the ON position but this is easy fix.

Cheers

Ed

[Jonno]

Hi Ed,

This is not my ute (I'm starting to forget what THAT looks like....its been so long in the body shop) but an FC wagon which I purchased recently in the hope of having something to drive around in until the ute is completed (been 3 years now without an FE/FC to drive around in). Wiring was completely stuffed so I used the Air ride kit I had bought for the ute, and added an alternator..everything else is stock, although I have changed the rear indicator/brake wiring to be a little more conventional.

I think I have the wiring sorted now and the motor was running really well then today it just died as I was backing out the drive to go for a test run...doh! Think there must be some crap in the fuel system?  Back to work tomorrow so this new problem is going to take a while to sort out...

re. the indicators there seemed to be a problem with the power to the flash can as they now work fine wired up to the other flash can for the hazard warning lights. I haven't gone back to try sort this one out....don't intend to use the hazard option so I'll just use this for indicators.

Jonno