[DeTomaso] Electrical Issues AGAIN

[Richard Greenblum]

All,

I'm the guy that got his car back from a restoration shop after 5 years.
All they did was paint, not a complete restoration.

When I took it in, everything except for the wipers worked.  When I got it
back, virtually nothing but one or two lightbulbs lit up.  Found the
positive battery terminal slipped on, but no nut.  The negative was upside
down (small end to small end) and no bolt.  I can't believe it started and
ran fine.  Once I connected the battery properly, it all worked.

Last week, the blinkers and horn stopped working.  Couldn't hear the relays,
but as you know, it's pretty noisy with the engine running (full Euro GTS
exhaust system).  Then, the water temp gauge, after climbing normally to
around 190, would shoot to 240 then creep to 260, then off the scale.
Engine was fine, not overheating at all.  Then, the lights in the gauges
quit.  The lights in the wiper and hazard switches, and the green lights in
the bottom of the dash that shine down on the center section, work.

Sunday, the horn started working, and without the engine running, I could
hear the blinker relay going, but no blinker lights (the green indicator or
outside on the car).  So, I tried the hazard lights.  Same thing, could hear
the relay, but no indicator or lights outside or in the .  Then, the hazard
switch would stay in for a couple of seconds, then pop out and I'd hear the
relay again, but no outside lights.  After about the fourth time I pushed
the switch in, it stayed.

I checked the ground under the dash where a few of them come together above
the driver's knee.  It was solid, or so it appeared.  A few years ago, I
added a wire that runs from there to a steering column bolt, then from there
to another bolt under the dash by the center section that I grounded the
headlight relays to.

I remember something about hazard switches causing a problem.  If I remember
correctly, the hazard switch simply activates all of the blinkers at the
same time, and those are what have failed.  Of course, the gauge lights
don't work eitherŠ

Got any ideas?  I've already hit SOBill with this hoping he'd have one of
his usual epiphanies of brilliance.

Richard
Austin, TX
#7080