I remember the seat belt no start crap.....and was the first time I thought 'what's this world coming to'.....
Everything was going so good
- Thread starter gtgto
- Start date
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Well doing a little trouble shooting and when I pushed down on the ballast resistor connection the car stalled out. I have extras on hand so I replaced it and fired the car back up and pushed on the connectors and it stayed running. Warmed up the car for a bit and when I turned the key to off the car kept running.....I had the door open at the time. I only say this casue I went to do something inside with the car running and the key off and when I closed the door the car went off.....I though maybe a loose connection caused it. I then started it and verified I can only turn off the car by depressing the door open plunger switch or closing the door.....WTF. Something as simple as a bad switch or wiring? I just checked and I can turn off the car by doing the same thing with the passenger door so its not both switches. Oh the pain.
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When goofy things like that happen it is often a ground problem.
The switch is supplying a ground to the system when open.
Sounds like a relay somewhere for some reason tied to the dome light cir.
Any alarm system?
Sounds like a relay somewhere for some reason tied to the dome light cir.
Any alarm system?
No alarm system. I rechecked my ground straps going to the steering column and I think I have them the way they were before I took my column apart to replace the key in buzzer switch. I don't think the problem existed before my disassembly and re assembly of the column but I have no idea. The original; ignition switch is in the car now and the problem of not turning off with the key off happened with the other ignition switch I put in first so its not that. I didn't see any bare wires that might be shorting out and I have the harness routed through the holders under the dash like they are supposed to be. I also found the actual buzzer for the key in buzzer and it was not mounted under the dash so I mounted that while trying to figure it out. Same issue. I'll keep at it.....This one is challenging for sure.
Man, rather mow my yard 40 times in a row vs work on an electrical problem.....heck, getting licked in the ear by a cat sounds better too!
When the car is running, what does the ammeter show?
Then when the key is off but the engine is still running, what does it show?
While its running with the key off, also do some voltage checks at various locations in the feeds and ignition circuit. This, together with the ammeter may help narrow down where the power is coming from.
I'd probably check the easy locations first.
These with the ammeter will be clues to
a) whether the alternator or the battery is providing power that is keeping it running.
b) whether the current is getting the ignition from the ignition run (J2) or ignition start (J3) circuits.
After that I'd probably be looking at the buzzer wiring.
Also you mentioned pressing on the ballast resistor connection produced a change.
I'd pop the covers off of both connectors to look at the wire terminals.
Then when the key is off but the engine is still running, what does it show?
While its running with the key off, also do some voltage checks at various locations in the feeds and ignition circuit. This, together with the ammeter may help narrow down where the power is coming from.
I'd probably check the easy locations first.
These with the ammeter will be clues to
a) whether the alternator or the battery is providing power that is keeping it running.
b) whether the current is getting the ignition from the ignition run (J2) or ignition start (J3) circuits.
After that I'd probably be looking at the buzzer wiring.
Also you mentioned pressing on the ballast resistor connection produced a change.
I'd pop the covers off of both connectors to look at the wire terminals.
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To remove the covers, depress the terminal's retaining barb. There's a little cutout in the plastic to slip a tool in.
Then the terminal can be slid out the back.
The conductors should be firmly held in the 1st crimp and the insulation held by the second crimp.
Other things that go wrong include the locking tab not locking to the connector and female terminal not gripping the male mating tab.
A couple of us were helping with the '71 diagrams and parts a few months ago focusing on the headlight warning buzzer.
The diagram for the regular instrsument panel differs from the rally diagram.
May have to reference both and compare with your car to figure out what is correct.
Thanks alot. I will probably have another chance to troubleshoot over the weekend unless I can sneak out in the garage after work in the next couple days.
If you find a problem and it relates to how the ECU was wired in,
A clean method of connecting the ECU's power wire is to use a piggyback connector on the ballast resistor.
One spade gets the original terminal, the other gets the new terminal for the wire going to the ECU's top pin.
A clean method of connecting the ECU's power wire is to use a piggyback connector on the ballast resistor.
One spade gets the original terminal, the other gets the new terminal for the wire going to the ECU's top pin.
Check all your grounds
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