Healeyguy

iTrader: (1)

Folks,

A bit more information on my problem and it's strange. Maybe someone can point me in the right direction.

I have a 1989 convertible with 57K miles on it that I have recently picked up.

The issue I am having is the heater logicon and the switch for wipers, top and hazzards always fail at the same time and when they come back, they do so at the same time too. It seems that when I have the best chance for this stuff to work is when I turn on the key and haven't started the motor yet, but it is not consistent.

Anyone have any ideas or things I could test? Other than the ignition switch what do these 2 have in common that could be causing a problem?

I really hate to yank out the switch and logicon if it's not an issue with them specifically...

Mike B

Icemark

well the Hazards, top and wipers are all the same plug on the car, so your's could be loose, or you have a switch that is failing (I do have rebuilt convertible wiper switches on my website).

As far as the logicon (which is the climate control), what is not working, and are they not working at the exactly the same time as the wipers/hazard/ switch???

The Logicon wiring is not tied into the same circuit as the wipers at any place, so I would suggest that the two problems are unrelated.

Healeyguy

iTrader: (1)

The complete switch with top, hazard and wipers fails at the same moment as the logicon and when that fails it is completely dead.

Is there possibly a common ground that they both use?

Icemark

Nope, they use different grounds.

The top uses ground 25.

wipers use ground 6

Hazard switch uses ground 10

logicon uses ground 18

Icemark

Again, I would not rule out that the switch is bad (but probably unplugged, they do all use the same plug and are all part of the same switch assembly), and you still have not said what the problem is with the Logicon (which again, is not wired in any way with the Wiper switch, hazard, and top controls).

Healeyguy

iTrader: (1)

No power to the logicon when it fails. No AC, no Fan, no nothing and it only fails at the same time the other switches fail.

Other times when everything works, they all work at the same time ie. all functions of the Logicon come on and work as expected.

Could the problem possibly be in the ignition?

Icemark

They use different ignition wires.

The Logicon gets power from the blue accessory wire and the Black/white primary ignition wire, from the ignition switch (this is why I don't believe that the whole Climate control system is shutting down- unless something is unplugged it can not fail... there are three different power inputs into the logicon.

The wipers get their power from the black/red 2nd ignition wire (as does the top switch).

But the hazards are to the battery, and not part of the ignition switch.

I just do not get why you are not checking the plugs and keep barking up the common wire tree.

Healeyguy

iTrader: (1)

I thought I already said it the plugs are in solid.

Icemark

Sorry, I don't belive you.

Too many different grounds and power sources for it to be anything else.

Now if you also lost all the other functions (like radio, rear defrost, gauges, etc) Then I would be looking at the ignition switch... but the ignition switch is pretty damm sturdy in the FC.

Its either that or both (the wiper/hazard/top switch and the Logicon) are bad.

RETed

Man, it's not everyday I see someone questioning Icemark's opinion on the FC electronics!

Healyguy, I would heed Icemark's suggestions, as he's probably THE authority on these items.  If you check out his link, he rebuilts these electronics on a regualr basis.


-Ted

tmking66

I have an 88 convertible with similar symptons. My problem was the ignition switch. I found that after starting the car if I BARELY turned the key back toward the off position just a tiny bit everything works just fine. May or may not be your problem but is worth an experiment.

jdonnell

iTrader: (1)

I dont have an answer, but nice Austin Healey. My old man has a 100-6

Wiper switch-search, theres a procedure to fix that by re-soldering. I pulled mine and had an electrical guy resolder it. Works fine now

Lostman

yeah, but it's a pain to do. Just buy one from Icemark. I did and got it today. Not a bad price for the time and frustratoin saved.

Healeyguy

iTrader: (1)

Thanks on the comment on the Healey. It's a 1959 AH 3000 BT7. It's my sunny day cruizing on that back winded road car. The Rx is the sunny day Drivin on the back winded road car...

The socket on the bevel is tightly fit. The logicon, I can't guarantee that the cord that goes up behind the dash is tight, but the 2 on the back are also seated right.

<b>Icemark, I don't doubt your word.</b> I'm just becoming frustrated that this nice low mileage car I found has gremlins that are driving me nutz.

I have another Logicon I was going to try swapping in just to see what happens. Now I just need a guy with long skinny arms to pull the plug and put the swapped out one in place. What's the best trick to get the logicon in and out of the car, and why didn't Mazda design it as an easier unit to swap out???

Healeyguy

iTrader: (1)

Thanks on the comment on the Healey. It's a 1959 AH 3000 BT7. It's my sunny day cruizing on that back winded road car. The Rx is the sunny day Drivin on the back winded road car...

The socket on the bevel is tightly fit. The logicon, I can't guarantee that the cord that goes up behind the dash is tight, but the 2 on the back are also seated right.

Icemark, I don't doubt your word. I'm just becoming frustrated that this nice low mileage car I found has gremlins that are driving me nutz.

I have another Logicon I was going to try swapping in just to see what happens. Now I just need a guy with long skinny arms to pull the plug and put the swapped out one in place. What's the best trick to get the logicon in and out of the car, and why didn't Mazda design it as an easier unit to swap out???

Icemark

When you go to replace the logicon, the easiest way for me is to remove the gauges and go in that way to reach the plug.

Which means that you can check the plug for the wiper switch at the same time as you would have to remove the gauge surround to get the gauges out, to get to the logicon plug.

You can also remove the front metal panel of the top of the dash board (the part with the defrost vents) but the times I have done that I have cursed every time and it has taken twice as long as just popping off the steering wheel, gauge surround and gauges.

HAILERS

I've had non-operational wipers before. Scratched my head then turned the ignition key a touch back from the Start direction. Wipers started working. Been there done that several times. Removed excess keys from the key chain for a fix. Just talking wipers here.....but done did tha logicon thing before. Remove the steering wheel and combination meter and reach back there where the logicon plug attached. Just follow the harness with your fingers. Buy a bandaid for human hand repair after the logicon plug is attached/detached.

Three liter Healys are/were damn good cars. Heard some DumbAss SOB on Speed Channel denigrate Healy's last week. Ain't a watching that Turd no mo. He's just a dumb *** ...........fill in the expletive. It was that Auction Show. Don't remember the name. Boycott it.

EDIT: OK, I can't spell HEALEY. Fudge.

drift2genrx7

hey healey, remember it is an 15 year old car. Low milage or not moisture and other electrical bugs have been there for 15 years. Just give it time you have a great car and have fun with it

Healeyguy

iTrader: (1)

Guys,
I'm not new to Rx7 or cars. I bought my 1st Rx7 in the fall on 1978! I have since owned 5 bought new and this one being #6. I bought this 1989 vert to replace my 1988 vert with 160K happy and mainly trouble free miles. So I know these cars pretty well also.
This Rx7 makes 47 cars I have had since I got my license back in the stone age...

Just as more info, I just got back from playing golf this AM. On the way there I watch the Logicon start working 3 times and then die 5 minutes later. At the same time I tried wipers and they would be alive or dead at the EXACT SAME TIME...

This car is evil, I knew I shouldn't have bought it from that hippie woman in Woodstock NY...

Icemark

Now you have checked that every other thing in the car is working when these two go down... right? The radio is still working... The rear defrost... etc


What about the main harness plugs in the drivers kick panel... have you checked those?

Healeyguy

iTrader: (1)

Radio and rear defrost were working at the time, I had tunes on and defrost drying morning dew. I am going to open the car up and check the main harness and pull the bevel off again to trace the wiring back and see if anything looks odd.

Healeyguy

iTrader: (1)

I just found something suspicious when I pulled the bezel back. What is the blue wire with a yellow stripe? It was spliced about 6 inches below the plug.

Definately the old owner had work inside the dash done...

Healeyguy

iTrader: (1)

More information. I just called the old owner, and she told me that she had a local Mobil station replace the top/wiper switch with a new Mazda switch last September, so that's a new switch. The cut and repaired Blue/Yellow wire is my concern presently. Does anyone have access to a 1989 wiring diagram that could look it up for me?

Thanks in Advance,
Mike B

WAYNE88N/A

Can't help ya with the '89 schematic, but in the '88 it's the wire that runs from the front wiper motor to the intermittent wiper relay in the cluster switch. Hope that helps...

HAILERS

The previous owner probably grounded the blue/yellow wire to make the wipers run when it was raining. That WILL work. Only in an emergency ...of course. ha, ha.