16 Jan 2023
Status report
This will probably be a more-wordy-less-pictury update that most of them; a lot of this stuff didn't photograph well or I just didn't take enough.
To start with the parts I did take a picture of:
 |
Dome light installed. I'm hoping a lot of these wrinkles work their
way out once the car is outside. |
Dash is mounted. This was a pain - there's a lot more behind there
than there was in the factory layout.. but it is done.
And really
really dusty. |  |
With the dash installed, it's time to verify functionality:
- Cigarette lighter: works
- Tachometer: works
- Speedometer: assume works
- Fuel gauge: works, and says I'm almost empty (probably accurate at that
point)
- Stereo: Works
- AC controls: All the fan settings work; can't test the AC part until I
have an AC to control.
- Ancillary gauges: work, I've lost some of the fluid from the
fluid-filled gauges and will need to add some.
- Instrument panel lighting: does NOT work
- Parking lights (via headlight knob, DRL off): do NOT work
- Parking lights (via DRL): do NOT work
- Driver's side turn signal/brake light: does NOT work
- Headlights, both via switch and via DRL: work
- DRL disable with parking brake on: yes
- Turn signal, hazards: as noted above, otherwise work
- Reverse lights: work
- Dome light: both via HL knob and door opening: work
- Dinger with lights on and door open or key in and door open: works
So:
- HL switch doesn't turn on park lights with key off or on
- HL switch doesn't enable dashboard lights with key off or on
- DRL doesn't enable park or dashboard (even if it's dark)
- Driver's taillight doesn't work
Started with pulling the appropriate fuses to verify they're good.
Fuse H/G2, Tail Lps is good
Fuse H/G3, Gauges, also good
Fuse E/F5 (IP Lps) gets 3.2v for some reason. Next up - pulling the headlight switch out and tracing through what I
expect to happen and what is happening.
(circuit numbers match the 2000 F-body circuit numbers):
#9 is park lamp feed enable,
providing +12v there turns on the parking lamps (and the ding-ding-ding)
#44 is IP light fuse input,
giving +12v there turns on both turn signal indicators and the high beam
indicator
So in my application (the malformed hybrid of a 69 El Camino and a 2000
Camaro):
- Connect to ground to enable dome lamp
- This is the main power-in to the switch.
- This is #44, the dash light output. This goes through the dimmer
rheostat.
- (not connected)
- This is #9, the park light feed. It's internally connected to D
but that doesn't do anything since D gets no wire.
- Headlamps out. With the switch pulled all the way out, this
connects to B.
- (not connected)
- This is #240, "Fused Input Feed". When the park lights are on
(switch in first or second position), it's connected to E and to then to C
via the dimmer
This required some thought. Moved on to the driver's taillight.
Bulb was obviously burned out. Replaced, still no joy.
Next day, more
investigation: Pin B is constant power. Pin H is switched power....
so with ignition off, that explains why no power goes to E and C. Routed
the power going to pin B to both B and H. Now the switch does enable park
lights and dash lights.
The driver's taillight has the park light but not brake.
Dash still has the turn/high beam lights on now, and when I enable park
lights the tach/speedo/fuel gauge basically turn off. Check the ground:
it's not connected. Fixed, and that took care of both the dash light
issues AND the driver's taillight (don't ask why, I don't know).
Passenger front park light doesn't flash with flashers. Pin was working
free from connector, fixed.
Remaining issue: DRL is not enabling parking lights or IP lights even when
it's dark out.
Confirmed that there is no output on pin C1-H (#9). Did not think to
verify that there was +12 on pin C1-A, circuit #240. Instead decided that
it must be a bad DRL module and went to my local salvage yard to get a
replacement. Replacement has the same behavior. Next step: actually
check #240, since it pretty much has to be the issue.
I'm excited to get the seats in. Soon I'll need to order carpet too.
Go back to the previous day (3 Dec 2022)