Wiring Problem???

[vetter68]

I have a 1979 L-82. We just bought the car in April, it had been sitting since 2000. The motor for the window on the driver's side was replaced in 2001. Right now the tach doesn't work and the antenna has been going up when it feels like it. We replaced the fuses and checked to see if any wires were unplugged last week. On saturday, the driver's side window worked fine and the antenna went up once, but never came up again. Today, the driver's side window won't go down at all and the antenna works fine. Does anybody know if this is a short, or if a wire is loose or what? Oh, the passenger window goes up and down fine all the time. If anyone has any suggestions, they would be appreciated thanks!

 

[Bob Chadwick]

If you are going to be working on the Corvette, spend the money to get an electrical troubleshooting manual. This one is for a 78, and is expensive, but gives you the general idea.

I paid $10 for the manual for my 77. It has been indespensible. Last year my gauges and window quit working. I couldn't figure it out for the life of me. Started comparing the circuits and found that the window relay and the gauges shared a ten amp fuse. Replaced the fuse and everything was good as new.

You may find a shared ground, a shared wire, etc., that will make it easier to diagnose.

And welcome to the CAC.

 

[srs244]

i have a 78 pace car and bought that same electrical trouble shooting manual off ebay also, except i bought it for under $15.00. it shows up quite often even though they describe it and make it seem as if it is a rare item. i have seen many of them for sale doing a search on "78 corvette" or "1978 corvette". you should be able to pick one up delivered for under 20.00. look around before you buy it. by the way, the 78 manual is the only one like it i remember seeing available.

 

[jdp6000]

Sounds all unrelated to me.

Power window...try to wiggle the wires in the harness when the door is open....does it start to work?? Failing that it could be the connector at the power window motor. Easy to get to...take off the door panel and access cover. You sure its power related? Sometime the spring on the regulator breaks and cause the window to go slow or stop.

Tach...runs of the distributor. You will see the words "dist" and "batt" on the distributor. How is the wiring? Can you tell if the harness is plugged in at the rear of the tach?? Pain to get to...

Antenna....relay is in the storage compartment behind the rear seat...check it. thats assuming the antenna is factory. there is a ground shared by several electical components near the power antenna above the driverside muffler. Ya...if its broken or loose it could cause multiple problems...check it.

The best you can do it apply logic and the process of elimination. You really do need to get yourself a copy of a wiring diagram....makes things much easier.

Jim

 

[vetter68]

Thanks for all your help everyone! I appreciate it! I will pass the info onto my husband and we will start checking it out. I am going to go and search for the book. We bought a manual for C3's from Eckler's but the diagram for wiring wasn't very good. Anyway, thanks again. I will probably be back with more questions if we run into dead ends!
Melissa
P.S. This forum is great, we really learn a lot from it!

 

[srs244]

her is an example of the trouble shooting manual at a much more reasonable price (at least for the moment, lol)


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=616&item=6962386404&rd=1

 

[joe1975]

Those handbooks did they make them for any other year?

 

[Vetsvette2002]

I offer FULL COLOR wiring diagrams for 1953 through 1980 Corvettes. Each is about 22x34" and laminated in 5 mil clear poastic, Included on each drawing are all electrical options , plus fuse/circuit breakers (with their ratings) and lamps with their numbers. On the C3 years I also include the vacuum diagrams for the heater-a/c systems, headlamps and for the early C3s the wiper door.



Don

 

[srs244]

Those handbooks did they make them for any other year?

78 is the only year i have seen this particular "manual". due to the many similarities in the later model C3s, a lot of it should be universal. there are many wiring diagrams in the various chilton/haynes etc manuals, and as mentioned above, Vetsvette2002 makes and sells a very nice product.

 

[vetter68]

Sounds good. How do I go about getting this then?
Melissa

I offer FULL COLOR wiring diagrams for 1953 through 1980 Corvettes. Each is about 22x34" and laminated in 5 mil clear poastic, Included on each drawing are all electrical options , plus fuse/circuit breakers (with their ratings) and lamps with their numbers. On the C3 years I also include the vacuum diagrams for the heater-a/c systems, headlamps and for the early C3s the wiper door.



Don

 

[jdp6000]

Some of the diagrams at this site should be similar...

http://www.misterbill.homeip.net/vette/

Jim

 

[Vetsvette2002]

Sounds good. How do I go about getting this then?
Melissa

E-mail sent.

Don