Wiring Harness

[John O.]

Need some info.I'm doing a complete frame off restoration on my 62 vette.I'm about to install a brand new complete wiring harness that I bought from Lectric Limited.Has anyone installed one recently.I'm just wondering if it was difficult installing it or did it go easy.I know it's a project but your help will be appreciated.Any special tips will help.

Thanks............John

[Lee Boyer]

Re: Wiring Harness

John; I have installed a couple wiring harness in some C-1 cars , it is very simple untill you get to the dash. Run all your wires before you connect anything to make shure they are in the right place.If you take a couple of pictures first you will have something to refer to later. The hardest part will be in the dash area. I installed all gauges in dash and let it loose to have access to conections (it"s tight in there) make shure you have your wiper transmishion,windshild, and duct work in place first! make shure everything is grounded! The conections are very hard to get apart so make shure they are right before connecting. If you are using electric limited wiring diagram the amp gauge is backwards? when you are done the gas gauge will probibly blink with the turn signal. this can be corrected. Good luck

[Dennis A.]

Re: Wiring Harness

John...

First, Lee's advice is very good. A couple of things to consider, Connecting the wires to the steering column will make the harness seem not long enough, The wiring routing is critical and the harness lenght is correct. Assemble the light switch after you connect the Fuel/Temp. cluster. The radio option capacitor has a "black band" which will be located on the ground side. As you install the harness into the windshield clips, do not extend the black ground,clock,heater, radio, etc wires to far for they should drop down just before the clip that is bolted with the brace rod. This will provide the proper length to connect up. I recommend you identify each wire end with its connection using the wiring diagram, masking tape will do and this will speed things up to no-end. Also consider running a extra ground from your fuel tank to the frame, I followed the fuel line down and connected to the body mounting bolt, knowing I can disconnect it if judging becomes an issue. Be sure to pick-up on Lee's note about the amp gauge. Finally, take the seats out and the steering wheel off...and make yourself comfortable.

[John O.]

Re: Wiring Harness

Thanks to both Dennis and Lee for your info.I will have to go by the Wiring Diagram because this was a Frame off Restoration and there was no wiring under the dash.It was out of the car and shoved in a box..But i'll make not of you information.

Thanks John

[Frank H.]

Re: Wiring gas gauge blinking

My 62s gas gauge has always blinked,I was told that was normal,is there a fix?
Dooooooo tell
Frank

[Jack H.]

Re: Wiring gas gauge blinking

Gas gauges in straight axle cars are simply ammeters measuring current flow in the gas gauge branch circuit (a variable resistor to ground). TWO things will cause branch circuit current to change:

(1) Varying the resistance of the tank sender.

(2) Changing either (a) the car's supply voltage or (b) that branch circuit's ground integrity.

If guage fluxuation is due to #1 or #2B, then the 'funny' can be fixed. But, #2A happens ALL the time!

When the voltage regulator calls for battery charging current, B+ will step up/down in lock-step to generator output. Also, while stopped at a traffic light, foot on brake, and turn signals engaged, engine RPM is typically below the generator's cut through threshold (can't supply charging current even if the v-reg calls for it) and system B+ will fluxuate with loading effect of the turn signals switching ON/OFF.

How to diagnose? Well it's handy to have EE degree or have been an electrical tech, but think like the car for a moment. Another branch circuit that's identical in circuit topology (simple ammeter in series with a variable resistor to ground) is the coolant temp gauge. If it's trying to fluxate in lock-step with the fuel gauge (might not move to the same degree), you pretty much know it's a simple consequence of the car's inherent design.

Mid-year cars addressed this by changing the gas gauge circuit topology. Instead of being a simple variable resistance to ground branch, the inductors in the gas gauge were paired/match to the tank sending unit to form a Whetstone bridge. That circuit is INDEPENDENT of absolute B+ and gauge deflection relies ONLY on the relative imbalance of the Whetstone bridge (position of sending unit's swing arm and in-tank variable resistance).

Can the 'dancing' gauge phenomon of a straight axle car be 'fixed' to eliminate B+ fluxuations? Heck, yes! All it takes is an EE to study the dash gauge circuitry, build a small circuit board based on a solid-state, three-legged, voltage regulator IC and bus all gauge power leads to/through the voltage regulator add-in. This will clamp/fix the gauge B+ supply rails to known/fixed voltage regardless of the current state of charge of the battery.

BUT, you'd be adding a 'foreign' peripheral to the car and eliminating an authentic aspect of automotive history....

[Roy B.]

Re: 53 to 55 owners only

Many times if your gage has been flickering for some time , you have varnish build up on the rheostat in side the gas sender. You can remove the sender pry open the side cover and clean it. What you will see is a round dimple you can file clean to make a good contact with the rheostat as it moves along the rheostat. By the way ! yes a truck sender is the same as Corvette that is often on e-bay CHEAPER then Corvette dealers and correct.
And Jack you lost me some were around A and B plus XX/.
OH by the way the sender dosen't know weather it's a 12V or 6V so eather will work in any Corvette.

[Lee Boyer]

Re: Wiring gas gauge blinking

Frank; Simply Remove the ground from the sending unit and run another ground to the frame. The orig ground is tied into the tailights so when the turn signals are on the sending unit acts as a ground and draws on it, which makes it blink

[Frank H.]

Re: Wiring gas gauge blinking

I read somewhere that it was normal,but have changed and calibrated the sender and have a tray stocked with 60amp and up covers and was varnished bad last year,after finding that the brass float had desolved ,I made a new one from a
nos van sender that I have a few of and acid dipped the tank.
Over the years I smelled battery acid from time to time,always getting the smallest battery when needed,usually lasting about 6 years.
After replacing the engines dryed out gaskets. I then installed new brushs in the generator,I found I never put the right pulley on it, a search turned up a large fresh pulley in a Paragon box with a UPS tag dated 1980.Ops