Electrical issues
11-10-04, 11:44 AM
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Electrical issues
Ok so I've had a couple threads about some electrical problems, this was the last one:
https://www.rx7club.com/2nd-generation-specific-1986-1992-17/electrical-problems-course-351221/
For the lazy people here is the quick and dirty jist of it:
Basically the warning lights/cig lighter/cd player all do NOT work unless the lights are on regardless even when the car is running. The clock on the warning lights resets itself every time the lights are turned off and then back on even with the car running the entire time. CD player is fixable because it is temporarily tapped into the cig lighter power as Wayne pointed out in that thread. No blown fuses, checked many times, still can't track down problem.
New issues that have just surfaced:
The wipers (front and rear) sometimes do not work right away when the car is turned on but after 5-10 min of driving they all of a sudden work again, hmmmm... The sunroof is the same way. This has only happened twice to the wipers in about 6-8 months and once to the sunroof in the same period of time (since the interior swap/work) so it is very rare but has occurred. Never happened before the interior swap.
All of this is starting to sound like some kind of short to me, doesn't it? But where? And why so very random and infrequent? Does my car hate me and is punishing me through electrical gremlins? Also the clock has no started to flicker while driving. It works with the lights on but while I'm driving almost constantly (gotten worse over the past month I'd say) it will flicker constantly and if I hit the dash it'll usually fix it for a few minutes (note the clock never resets itself during this time, though). Loose connection probably?
Last of the issues, since the interior swap my logicon has gone to ****. The heater/defroster works very intermittently, sometimes right when I start the car, sometimes not for the entire trip, sometimes starts/stops half way through the trip. If working it works at the same level (high/low blowing) no matter where the setting is EVEN WHEN OFF and it is always very weak/low. This hasn't been much fun in the rainy weather. Sound like the logicon needs a rebuild? Weird thing is that it worked perfectly fine before the interior work but now has major issues.
Thanks for any help or suggestions at all.
https://www.rx7club.com/2nd-generation-specific-1986-1992-17/electrical-problems-course-351221/
For the lazy people here is the quick and dirty jist of it:
Basically the warning lights/cig lighter/cd player all do NOT work unless the lights are on regardless even when the car is running. The clock on the warning lights resets itself every time the lights are turned off and then back on even with the car running the entire time. CD player is fixable because it is temporarily tapped into the cig lighter power as Wayne pointed out in that thread. No blown fuses, checked many times, still can't track down problem.
New issues that have just surfaced:
The wipers (front and rear) sometimes do not work right away when the car is turned on but after 5-10 min of driving they all of a sudden work again, hmmmm... The sunroof is the same way. This has only happened twice to the wipers in about 6-8 months and once to the sunroof in the same period of time (since the interior swap/work) so it is very rare but has occurred. Never happened before the interior swap.
All of this is starting to sound like some kind of short to me, doesn't it? But where? And why so very random and infrequent? Does my car hate me and is punishing me through electrical gremlins? Also the clock has no started to flicker while driving. It works with the lights on but while I'm driving almost constantly (gotten worse over the past month I'd say) it will flicker constantly and if I hit the dash it'll usually fix it for a few minutes (note the clock never resets itself during this time, though). Loose connection probably?
Last of the issues, since the interior swap my logicon has gone to ****. The heater/defroster works very intermittently, sometimes right when I start the car, sometimes not for the entire trip, sometimes starts/stops half way through the trip. If working it works at the same level (high/low blowing) no matter where the setting is EVEN WHEN OFF and it is always very weak/low. This hasn't been much fun in the rainy weather. Sound like the logicon needs a rebuild? Weird thing is that it worked perfectly fine before the interior work but now has major issues.
Thanks for any help or suggestions at all.
11-10-04, 11:54 AM
#2
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Man, just think, you could have just 1 wire that somehow got "misplaced" into the wrong circuit when you did all of this swapping, and it's causing most of your problems. Now all you have to do is find it, lol...
I gotta go for now, but later I'll get on with the schematics for our '88s and try to help you track this bugger down. I need to know every plug/circuit/component (to the best of your knowledge that was messed with, if you can do that...
BTW- clock just probably needs a re-solder
I gotta go for now, but later I'll get on with the schematics for our '88s and try to help you track this bugger down. I need to know every plug/circuit/component (to the best of your knowledge that was messed with, if you can do that...
BTW- clock just probably needs a re-solder
11-10-04, 12:01 PM
#3
Former Moderator. RIP Icemark.
Originally Posted by dDuB
Ok so I've had a couple threads about some electrical problems, this was the last one:
https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.php?t=351221
For the lazy people here is the quick and dirty jist of it:
Basically the warning lights/cig lighter/cd player all do NOT work unless the lights are on regardless even when the car is running. The clock on the warning lights resets itself every time the lights are turned off and then back on even with the car running the entire time. CD player is fixable because it is temporarily tapped into the cig lighter power as Wayne pointed out in that thread. No blown fuses, checked many times, still can't track down problem.
https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.php?t=351221
For the lazy people here is the quick and dirty jist of it:
Basically the warning lights/cig lighter/cd player all do NOT work unless the lights are on regardless even when the car is running. The clock on the warning lights resets itself every time the lights are turned off and then back on even with the car running the entire time. CD player is fixable because it is temporarily tapped into the cig lighter power as Wayne pointed out in that thread. No blown fuses, checked many times, still can't track down problem.
See all those symptoms scream blown room fuse. If you are positive, then I would be looking at a loose plug at the back of the fuse box, or drivers kick panel.
New issues that have just surfaced:
The wipers (front and rear) sometimes do not work right away when the car is turned on but after 5-10 min of driving they all of a sudden work again, hmmmm... The sunroof is the same way. This has only happened twice to the wipers in about 6-8 months and once to the sunroof in the same period of time (since the interior swap/work) so it is very rare but has occurred. Never happened before the interior swap.
All of this is starting to sound like some kind of short to me, doesn't it? But where? And why so very random and infrequent? Does my car hate me and is punishing me through electrical gremlins?
Also the clock has no started to flicker while driving. It works with the lights on but while I'm driving almost constantly (gotten worse over the past month I'd say) it will flicker constantly and if I hit the dash it'll usually fix it for a few minutes (note the clock never resets itself during this time, though). Loose connection probably?
Last of the issues, since the interior swap my logicon has gone to ****. The heater/defroster works very intermittently, sometimes right when I start the car, sometimes not for the entire trip, sometimes starts/stops half way through the trip. If working it works at the same level (high/low blowing) no matter where the setting is EVEN WHEN OFF and it is always very weak/low. This hasn't been much fun in the rainy weather. Sound like the logicon needs a rebuild? Weird thing is that it worked perfectly fine before the interior work but now has major issues.
Thanks for any help or suggestions at all.
I would say that the loose plug would be what I was looking for first if you are sure you checked the fuses. And 90% of the time you will not be able to see the loose plug, but rather will have to plug it in or pull it out entirely and re-plug in.
The third option was if the fuse box terminals were streched out shape by some aftermarket fuse tap or insertion into a fuse socket. This too would result in intermittent operation, but probably not complete failure.
And haven't we gone through this a couple of times with you???
Since you don't seem to be able to look at the shop manuals online and find the common connectors and circuits, here is the interior fuse box lay out so you can see what circuits use what fuses:
Last edited by Icemark; 11-10-04 at 12:06 PM.
11-10-04, 12:18 PM
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Originally Posted by WAYNE88N/A
Man, just think, you could have just 1 wire that somehow got "misplaced" into the wrong circuit when you did all of this swapping, and it's causing most of your problems. Now all you have to do is find it, lol...
I gotta go for now, but later I'll get on with the schematics for our '88s and try to help you track this bugger down. I need to know every plug/circuit/component (to the best of your knowledge that was messed with, if you can do that...
BTW- clock just probably needs a re-solder
I gotta go for now, but later I'll get on with the schematics for our '88s and try to help you track this bugger down. I need to know every plug/circuit/component (to the best of your knowledge that was messed with, if you can do that...
BTW- clock just probably needs a re-solder
Pretty much everything behind/in the dash was unplugged and plugged back in that could be taken out (with ease) of the harness/instruments. Example are those big translucent blue plugs that go from the main part of the harness to the different sections for the instruments were taken out and put back in.
Let me know if you need further info.
11-10-04, 12:23 PM
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Originally Posted by Icemark
Are you sure you checked the fuses and with a meter (not just the too lame method of looking at the fuse and hopeing you see if it is blown)???
See all those symptoms scream blown room fuse. If you are positive, then I would be looking at a loose plug at the back of the fuse box, or drivers kick panel.
See all those symptoms scream blown room fuse. If you are positive, then I would be looking at a loose plug at the back of the fuse box, or drivers kick panel.
How would I check the fuse with a meter? Take it out and hook the prongs to each probe of the meter and check for resistance or what?
No, it does not sound like a short at all, but again a loose plug again at the back of the fuse box or drivers kick panel
I would say that the loose plug would be what I was looking for first if you are sure you checked the fuses. And 90% of the time you will not be able to see the loose plug, but rather will have to plug it in or pull it out entirely and re-plug in.
The third option was if the fuse box terminals were streched out shape by some aftermarket fuse tap or insertion into a fuse socket. This too would result in intermittent operation, but probably not complete failure.
And haven't we gone through this a couple of times with you???
Since you don't seem to be able to look at the shop manuals online and find the common connectors and circuits, here is the interior fuse box lay out so you can see what circuits use what fuses:
The third option was if the fuse box terminals were streched out shape by some aftermarket fuse tap or insertion into a fuse socket. This too would result in intermittent operation, but probably not complete failure.
And haven't we gone through this a couple of times with you???
Since you don't seem to be able to look at the shop manuals online and find the common connectors and circuits, here is the interior fuse box lay out so you can see what circuits use what fuses:
I have tried to look at the shop manual diagrams and yes we've been through this a couple times, but obviously I'm not finding the problem and still having trouble, that's why I posted. I checked everything in the way described above that you told me about before with no luck.
11-10-04, 01:01 PM
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Loose connection somewhere could definetly explain some of the problems, as Mark alluded to...
Just from a quick cursery look at the schematics, there are some plugs in common with the various systems you describe as being wacko. FI-02 is one of them, it's the big 11X2 pin plug at the extreme left side of the dash area. If the harnesses were somehow not compatible the wiring could have gotten crossed there.
Do something- pull the 15A "illum" fuse. It should be in one of the top two rows of the cabin fuse box. Does anything change with the "problem circuits"? Note that your lights shouldn't work with the fuse pulled (tail lights, meter lights, turn signals, hazards switch, and wiper/washer switch). If any of these items work, then you've definetly got a wire crossed somewhere...
Just from a quick cursery look at the schematics, there are some plugs in common with the various systems you describe as being wacko. FI-02 is one of them, it's the big 11X2 pin plug at the extreme left side of the dash area. If the harnesses were somehow not compatible the wiring could have gotten crossed there.
Do something- pull the 15A "illum" fuse. It should be in one of the top two rows of the cabin fuse box. Does anything change with the "problem circuits"? Note that your lights shouldn't work with the fuse pulled (tail lights, meter lights, turn signals, hazards switch, and wiper/washer switch). If any of these items work, then you've definetly got a wire crossed somewhere...
11-10-04, 01:29 PM
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I pulled the 15A illum fuse and after doing so the cd player/clock/cig lighter DID NOT work when the lights were turned on. On Another side note I tried the wipers again before pulling the fuse and they aren't working 
On another great note I found a coolant leak occurring under the carpet on the driver side that I now have to deal with... So if you want me to check anything over there I'm going to be taking out that part of the interior probably right now. I'll be back and forth to check if anything has any updates or wants me to check something.
Also I put in a new 7.5A room fuse and nothing changed in case that means anything to any of you.
On another great note I found a coolant leak occurring under the carpet on the driver side that I now have to deal with... So if you want me to check anything over there I'm going to be taking out that part of the interior probably right now. I'll be back and forth to check if anything has any updates or wants me to check something.
Also I put in a new 7.5A room fuse and nothing changed in case that means anything to any of you.
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11-10-04, 02:35 PM
#8
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Maybe the Man upstairs is trying to tell you something, lol...You have to take the dash back apart to change the heater core, right?
OK, so what the 15A "illum" fuse trick did was tell me that the contacts in your headlight switch are feeding your mystery parts. That's what we all figured, but now we know for sure. That means that you have the red/green (think that's it, don't have the schematics with me now) coming out of the switch, and splicing into a circuit somewhere "downstream" it's not supposed to. You just have to figure out where. Maybe while you're tearing everything apart to change the heater, lol...
BTW- does the light dimmer control for the meter lights have any affect on the CD player, or any other part that comes on with the light switch? The answer to this will determine which branch of the red/green circuit we're dealing with...
OK, so what the 15A "illum" fuse trick did was tell me that the contacts in your headlight switch are feeding your mystery parts. That's what we all figured, but now we know for sure. That means that you have the red/green (think that's it, don't have the schematics with me now) coming out of the switch, and splicing into a circuit somewhere "downstream" it's not supposed to. You just have to figure out where. Maybe while you're tearing everything apart to change the heater, lol...
BTW- does the light dimmer control for the meter lights have any affect on the CD player, or any other part that comes on with the light switch? The answer to this will determine which branch of the red/green circuit we're dealing with...
11-10-04, 02:39 PM
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Yes I am in the process of tearing the whole effing interior apart, again, while in midterms week this week and next for school, yippee! Things just keep getting better and better.
There is coolant EVERYWHERE under my carpet on both sides, the carpet is SOAKED on the bottom and it's really not looking good, this sucks.
I just started taking the dash apart if there's anything you want me to check let me know, I'll have it out today and can look at anything you want me too
There is coolant EVERYWHERE under my carpet on both sides, the carpet is SOAKED on the bottom and it's really not looking good, this sucks.
I just started taking the dash apart if there's anything you want me to check let me know, I'll have it out today and can look at anything you want me too
11-10-04, 06:40 PM
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Alright so dash, carpet, everything's all out and such...
Just let me know if there is any connections or particular wires you want me to check to try and help diagnose this or to give you more information if you need/want it. I wont be able to check for you tonight as its dark here now and the car is my driveway with no lightstands or anything, so I'll check tomorrow if you indicate anything.
Thanks for all the help any of you give me, I really appreciate it.
Just let me know if there is any connections or particular wires you want me to check to try and help diagnose this or to give you more information if you need/want it. I wont be able to check for you tonight as its dark here now and the car is my driveway with no lightstands or anything, so I'll check tomorrow if you indicate anything.
Thanks for all the help any of you give me, I really appreciate it.
11-10-04, 08:04 PM
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Sorry to hear about all the extraneous problems, man, but it IS an RX-7, after all
All right, the first thing I would do is start at the light switch area, find that red/green wire and follow it as far as you can. It runs to FC-02, a connector on the left side of the dash, then splits into two- one wire goes to the cig lighter light, and the other goes to several components/branches (meter lighting, turn switch lighting, hazard switch lighting, wiper switch lighting, and cruise control switch lighting, if you have it). If it runs into any other color wiring before it gets to the destinations above, that may be your problem.
Note also that there is a red/black wire that comes from the light switch that could also be causing your problems, so follow it as far as you can too. It should culminate at the tail lights, after branching off to supply lighting for the logicon, radio, clock, and a warning circuit in the CPU...without splicing into any other color wiring also...
In fact, I would check that one first, because of the similarity with your problem components...
All right, the first thing I would do is start at the light switch area, find that red/green wire and follow it as far as you can. It runs to FC-02, a connector on the left side of the dash, then splits into two- one wire goes to the cig lighter light, and the other goes to several components/branches (meter lighting, turn switch lighting, hazard switch lighting, wiper switch lighting, and cruise control switch lighting, if you have it). If it runs into any other color wiring before it gets to the destinations above, that may be your problem.
Note also that there is a red/black wire that comes from the light switch that could also be causing your problems, so follow it as far as you can too. It should culminate at the tail lights, after branching off to supply lighting for the logicon, radio, clock, and a warning circuit in the CPU...without splicing into any other color wiring also...
In fact, I would check that one first, because of the similarity with your problem components...
11-10-04, 09:26 PM
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Thanks a bunch, I will check those tomorrow.
And yes I know it's an RX-7, it just came at a bad time Midterms are going on for college, I've had a couple other issues to get through, my OTHER car had some stuff I had to finish up real quick so I have a way to get to school on friday and get around for anything I need to buy (the heater core) etc. Just a lot on my plate, but I'm dealing and the 7 will be back on the road this weekend hopefully
And yes I know it's an RX-7, it just came at a bad time
Midterms are going on for college, I've had a couple other issues to get through, my OTHER car had some stuff I had to finish up real quick so I have a way to get to school on friday and get around for anything I need to buy (the heater core) etc. Just a lot on my plate, but I'm dealing and the 7 will be back on the road this weekend hopefully
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