[DeTomaso] Electrical Issues AGAIN

[Kirby Schrader]

Richard,

It certainly could be the flasher switch, but when I got my car back after
7 years of waiting, I had similar problems.
I initially suspected the switch, but everything magically worked after I
went around and cleaned up all the grounds.

FWIW,
Kirby


On Tue, Feb 19, 2013 at 7:36 AM, Richard Greenblum <pantera at austin.rr.com>wrote:

> 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
>
>
>
>
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