I have a problem I hope someone can help me with, Please. I am rebuilding a 63 Coupe, I have installed all new LECTRIC lIMITED wiring harnesses. I have everything installed and hooked up except the headlights & motors. But my instrument panel lights and tail lights will not turn on with the headlight switch, however, when I turn on the radio the instrument lights and the tail lights come on and when I turn the radio off the lights all go off. So, my Radio is controlling my instrument panel lights and tail lights. Has anyone ever seen this problem before? Please respond with any helpfull info or suggestions. Thanks, Carl in Wichita, Ks.
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Re: Need help! 63 wiring problem.
Did you install the ground on the Z-bar for the inside harness. -
Re: Need help! 63 wiring problem.
I did install the ground wire the comes from the back of the radio plug to the Z-bar, Is there a main ground wire at another location on the Z-bar? Thanks for your reply. Carl.Comment
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Re: Need help! 63 wiring problem.
Carl,
You need to talk with Lectric Limited about this problem. They are experts in this field and I believe that we could only shoot in the dark with a problem of this nature.
Your feedback is coming from the gray wire on the radio plug into the dash lights. It could possibly be a internal radio screw up! Had your radio serviced lately? Pull the plug on the radio and see if the problem goes away! In other words see if the dash lights work with the headlight switch.
Guess that's my shot in the dark.
Keep em coming guys!
JRComment
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Re: Need help! 63 wiring problem.
I would unplug the engine and headlamp harness from the fuse block just to isolate to the main and rear harness.
There is a ground strap under the drivers side bird cage that grounds the bird cage to frame front body mount. Check that to be sure it's not broke or corroded at the connections.
You may want to try a dedicated ground wire from bird cage to battery -to double check and see if the lights work.Comment
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Re: Need help! 63 wiring problem.
Here is a diagram of the headlight switch wiring, see if the wire color codes match your harness.
KenComment
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Re: Need help! 63 wiring problem.
I called Lectric Limited, they said the wire from the back of the radio plug is the main instrument panel ground. They said I must have a bad headlight switch or Problem with the Radio or a pinched wire somewhere. I will post results when I find the problem. Thanks, for all the response. Carl.Comment
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Re: Need help! 63 wiring problem.
i've had problems with two of LL's harnesses. the first was years ago on a 67 coupe. turns out the assembly person switched two wires in the rear harness. took a couple days to figure that one out. then just recently, on a 55 harness repo from LL, again a pair of wires in the rear harness were switched by an assembly line worker at LL. mikeComment
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Re: Need help! 63 wiring problem.
Mike, That is interesting, I am begining to think that my harness is defective. I checked my light switch and it works perfect. The Radio is not the problem because I can take it completely out and my switch will still not turn on my Instrument lights or my tail lights. I pulled the fuse box and checked the wiring compared to my old fuse box and it is wired the same. All of my ground wires are brand new and connected correctly. I will check the wiring on the headlight switch connector if I can get a diagram for that, I was unable to open the one that was posted. Thanks, for all of the help and suggestion, I have put in another full day trying to find the problem with no solution yet. Carl.Comment
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Re: Need help! 63 wiring problem.
Carl, See page 12-30 in 63 shop manual for light switch diaphragm wiring.
Fig. 41C-Instrument Panel Wiring. Have fun, JD
P.S. Don't know if I mentioned this or not but the service replacement harness for 63's was the later midyear style. Many years ago when I replaced the wiring in a 63 driver I had similiar problems to yours. So I called a buddy who could read a schematic big time and he quickly pointed out that the Chevy harness was put together incorrectly at the light switch. Two wires were reversed. Now that was no repro for sure as bought it over the counter from Chevy.Comment
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Re: Need help! 63 wiring problem.
Thanks to everyone who tried to help with this problem. I just wanted to post what I found to be my problem. First of all they was absolutely nothing wrong with my Lectric Limited Harnesses.
#1 Three of the new fuses in my bulb and fuse kit were defective.
(did not pass continnuity test)
#2. Radio was wired to supply its own panel light power, which backfed instrument panel lights.
Carl.Comment
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Re: Need help! 63 wiring problem.
Glad you worked it out Carl..thanks for posting the fix!
tcComment
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