[DeTomaso] Rookie needs help...

[boyd casey]

Peter,
Everyone one is entitled to his own opinion and like ass holes every body
has one. The Pantera fuse box has sucked since the day it came out. Mike is
right though if you have one in working order they are fine, the only
problem is you will never find one in Good working order. I never said
investing in some 21st century technology would solve your present problem
but it will or would make your Pantera allot more reliable and help save
your sanity. Ask how many people on the list use John Hass's products (Those
that actually drive their cars). Some people believe you should leave your
40 year old Pantera exactly they way it was when it first came out. That's
fine if you just want a car for your collection. These are the same people
who believe fixing the space shuttle when it blew up was a mistake because
the new  improved model wasn't stock. If you want a car that will get you
stuck half the time you drive it leave it exactly the way it came from the
factory. Don't even change the oil "It wouldn't be original!"
Boyd

On Mon, Aug 23, 2010 at 9:55 PM, <MikeLDrew at aol.com> wrote:

>
> In a message dated 8/23/10 17 45 0, peterdemayo at comcast.net writes:
>
>
> > Sorry to leave a “book” for everyone, I just figured I would be thorough
> > since I am new to this.
> >
>
> No apologies necessary!   The more information you provide up-front, the
> easier it will be for people to offer reasonable assistance, and that's
> what
> we're all about!   So more detail is always good.
>
> Others will undoubtedly suggest that the only way forward is to trash your
> whole system and buy a zillion dollars worth of high-tech megabuck
> replacement components (new fuse box, fan controllers etc.).   While those
> products
> are really quite excellent, they aren't normally necessary.   The stock
> components (fuse box and relays), in proper working order, work absolutely
> fine.
>  And replacing your fusebox won't do a thing to fix your problem, if your
> problem lies elsewhere.   So it's important to troubleshoot and fix the
> problem accurately before you start throwing money around.
>
> You say you have a '72 Pantera; according to the wiring diagrams, the
> various schemes changed after #2292.   Which do you have?   If it's before
> then,
> then you really have a "1971" Pantera.
>
> On the '72 and later wiring diagrams, fuse #3 powers the instrument
> illumination rheostat, which in turn will power the instrument lights.
> You say
> your car keeps blowing this fuse, which in turn would result in the loss of
> these lights (among other things).   If you install a fresh fuse, turn on
> the
> key but don't start the engine, and activate the headlight switch to either
> position, do all your lights work?
>
> I can't tell you why starting the car would cause #3 fuse to blow.
>
> I don't think your fan problem is related to your #3 fuse problem, but who
> knows?   It's possible that somebody hacked up the wiring on your car,
> leaving you with a real mess to sort out.
>
> I'd start by going to www.panteraplace.com, going to the technical
> section,
> and downloading and printing all of Bill Taylor's excellent wiring
> diagrams.   As Bill used his own car (an L-model) as the blueprint for
> these
> diagrams, there may be minor differences to your car, particularly if it's
> an early
> '72.   For instance, '71 and the early '72 cars powered both fans off a
> single fuse (#12).   The later Pre-L cars powered the fans off fuse #11,
> and
> then the L-models used both fuses #11 and 12.
>
> After that, it's down to a troublesome slog of troubleshooting, chasing
> wires etc.   Remove any indication of BS splices, hacks etc. and try to
> restore
> the car to the stock configuration, and then proceed from there.
>
> At the risk of asking the obvious, do you have the appropriate wiring
> diagram for your car?   They're available from Asa Jay at the POCA club
> store.
> They are available in a digital format, but I find the digital diagrams
> rather useless, because they lack the necessary resolution.   Old-school
> paper
> is the way to go, I think. :>)
>
> Good luck, and please keep us posted.   As you learn more and share it with
> us, undoubtedly the guys with electrical smarts (which most emphatically
> does not include me!) should be able to get you sorted out.
>
> Welcome aboard! :>)
>
> Mike
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