Electrical Gremlins

mgreaves · Posted: April 16, 2009, 12:35 am Post subject: Electrical Gremlins

Hi folks: I need your help here. I have a '77 D that I have rebuilt over the winter, but not run it yet. I noticed that the PO had dicked around with the wiring a bit, but it looked organized and tidy. Here are my problems:
1) With the key out, the electric start and ignition works, nothing else does except the horn.
2) With the key in the start or middle point, all lights works, but not the electric starter. There is spark if you kick it over.
3) With the key in the third position lights don't work, but electric starter and ignition does (same as if key is out or in first position)
4) Right hand coil got hot, even though the engine had not run. Left coil was fine.

Any ideas?

Retiredgentleman · Posted: April 16, 2009, 10:23 pm Post subject: Re: Electrical Gremlins

It appears that the ignition switch is connected backwards?? You should remove the main fuse or disconnect the battery until you find out how things are wired. Not good to have steady current flow through an ignition coil.

You will need to trace out the basic circuits wire by wire. The PO may have the wiring in knots.

This wiring diagram should help.

mgreaves · Posted: April 17, 2009, 8:02 am Post subject: Re: Electrical Gremlins

Thanks RG - I've been looking for a clear color coded wiring diagram like this one! I had the headlight off and starting tracing wires, and yes, the PO has done some 'renovations' I greatly appreciate the help from this forum.

pumps · Posted: April 17, 2009, 8:12 am Post subject: Re: Electrical Gremlins

mgreaves- For me personally, it is a lot easier to purchase a clear larger diagram. I bought one from a guy on ebay that was model specific to my 77

www.kojaycat.com/

mgreaves · Posted: April 19, 2009, 9:37 am Post subject: Re: Electrical Gremlins

RG and pumps - thanks for the advice. I followed the circuits as per RG's diagram and found that the PO had rewired the kill switch improperly. It was spliced directly to the red power, so the ignition was 'hot' all the time, unless the kill switch was off (completely bypassing ignition Shocked

) The power wire had melted into the brown wire connector in the headlight nacelle, and now the starter was live as well. All is fixed - I rewired according to the diagram and it's works 100% A big thanks for the help.

Retiredgentleman · Posted: April 19, 2009, 12:25 pm Post subject: Re: Electrical Gremlins

mgreaves;
Glad to see you got the wiring corrected. I wish more guys would follow your example, and just troubleshoot their wiring problems following the wiring diagram. Too many guys say they can't follow the diagrams, without really trying.

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