Need help Running lights and dash light issues!!

[Tkach]

So today I bought some new bulbs for the gauge lights. I found that I had three bulbs that where blown and soldered to the connector. I disconnected the red blue wire from the red green wire. The red blue wire now runs from the

rheostat down the line of gauges then finally into my test light. When I tried the combo switch Pop went the fuse SOOOO PISSED !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! any ideas ?

[ktm]

Ok, now I am confused. Did you not understand that the RL wire is a ground. Your thinking is reversed. The RL wire runs from the line of gauges to the rheostat. Read post #11. I understand that you are saying the same thing but in a different manner, but it is important to think of it in the same way that the electricity is flowing.

Is the RL wire still spliced into the GW wire as you originally stated? The RL wire should not be connected to the GW wire in ANY MANNER, nor should it be directly connected to ANY power source directly. The circuit is completed through the gauge lights: the GW wire, when provided power, feeds the lights, which in turn grounds out through the RL wire through the rheostat.

[Tkach]

The Red blue wire IS NOT spliced into the Green white wire anymore. I have an open end where the red blue wire used to be spliced into the green white wire however that end now runs threw my test light to ground. This is what is confusing me. It should be working

[TomoHawk]

Are you using separate circuits for the headlamps and the running lamps/gauges? Putting all those lights on one circuit could definitely blow a fuse. Datsun separated them for a reason on the 280Z, and even had a fuse link for the headlamp circuit and a separate fuse for each lamp. You can put some other low-power stuff on the same circuit as the running lamps, but be careful there even.

thxZ

[Tkach]

The running lights and gauge lights have their own circuit. Completely separate from the headlights. Completely different power sources. Once again my car has figured out a way to frustrate me, thats all it has been good for in the last three years.

[ktm]

Where is your test light grounding?

Secondly, are you doing all this work without a multimeter? If so, run to Home Depot and buy a digital multimeter for $20. You can not rewire a car without one. You need to test for continuity whenever you complete a circuit prior to applying voltage. You do not simply make the connections and then hope it works.

You test for continuity by setting the multimeter to read Ohms. Place one lead at one end of the circuit and the second lead at the other end. If you measure resistance, you have a complete circuit. If you do not measure any resistance, you do not have a complete circuit.

For your dash lights, your rheostat could be bad, the ground connection (black wire) to the rheostat could be corroded, the black wire ground on the other side of the rheostat could be bad, etc.

Try this with a multimeter (MM): set the MM to read ohms; place one lead on the free end of the RL wire that is hooked up to your test light; connect the other lead to black wire connection on the rheostat - if you measure a resistance, then this circuit has continuity. If not, clean the contacts of the RL-rheostat and black-rheostat. If this does not work, your rheostat is most likely bad. I had mine go out on me and I did not have dash lights.

Now, put one lead on the black wire connection to the rheostat and the second lead to any expose metal/bolt on the car that is connected to the chassis. This will test the grounding circuit. If you do not measure a resistance right away, make sure it is not due to poor contact with the leads. Once you have convinced yourself that you are, indeed, not measuring any resistance, you have found a faulty circuit.

You have not mentioned anywhere in your posts that you've done these kind of tests which leads me to believe you do not have an MM. If this is a case, you are wasting your time and ours.

[Tkach]

KTM I am not trying to waist anyones time here, and trust me am very appreciative of all the help. I am no electrical expert and this is why I am in this situation. But what I can gather is this it dose not seem that this circuit is causing me a problem as all indications lead me to believe that it is working unless I am wrong. I did find several blow bulbs some even soldered to their housings I now see this is from the previous reversing of current. As my test's indicate things should be working now (with this circuit) unless I have interpreted my results incorrectly. Here are the results from the DMM

Test 1

Try this with a multimeter (MM): set the MM to read ohms; place one lead on the free end of the RL wire that is hooked up to your test light; connect the other lead to black wire connection on the rheostat - if you measure a resistance, then this circuit has continuity.

Result 1 Resistance was 1.8 ohms

Test 2

Now, put one lead on the black wire connection to the rheostat and the second lead to any expose metal/bolt on the car that is connected to the chassis. This will test the grounding circuit. If you do not measure a resistance right away, make sure it is not due to poor contact with the leads. Once you have convinced yourself that you are, indeed, not measuring any resistance, you have found a faulty circuit.

Resistance measured .03 ohms Note I used a ground wire on the same circuit just closer to my exposed Red blue wire

Test 3

I tested the black wire coming out of the rheostat to chassis ground and saw nothing

However when I tested continuity across the rheostat directly red blue to ground on the rheostat plug I saw resistance.

Now I do have all of the exterior running lights on this circuit also and am starting to check them. I started at the dash because it hasn't worked in the recent past yet the running lights have. Considering that I may have an error in that circuit I will start to work on that section now, unless other interpret my results differently.

Once again thanks for all the help

[ktm]

KTM I am not trying to waist anyones time here, and trust me am very appreciative of all the help. I am no electrical expert and this is why I am in this situation. But what I can gather is this it dose not seem that this circuit is causing me a problem as all indications lead me to believe that it is working unless I am wrong. I did find several blow bulbs some even soldered to their housings I now see this is from the previous reversing of current. As my test's indicate things should be working now (with this circuit) unless I have interpreted my results incorrectly. Here are the results from the DMM

Test 1

Try this with a multimeter (MM): set the MM to read ohms; place one lead on the free end of the RL wire that is hooked up to your test light; connect the other lead to black wire connection on the rheostat - if you measure a resistance, then this circuit has continuity.

Result 1 Resistance was 1.8 ohms

Test 2

Now, put one lead on the black wire connection to the rheostat and the second lead to any expose metal/bolt on the car that is connected to the chassis. This will test the grounding circuit. If you do not measure a resistance right away, make sure it is not due to poor contact with the leads. Once you have convinced yourself that you are, indeed, not measuring any resistance, you have found a faulty circuit.

Resistance measured .03 ohms Note I used a ground wire on the same circuit just closer to my exposed Red blue wire

Test 3

I tested the black wire coming out of the rheostat to chassis ground and saw nothing

However when I tested continuity across the rheostat directly red blue to ground on the rheostat plug I saw resistance.

Now I do have all of the exterior running lights on this circuit also and am starting to check them. I started at the dash because it hasn't worked in the recent past yet the running lights have. Considering that I may have an error in that circuit I will start to work on that section now, unless other interpret my results differently.

Once again thanks for all the help

Tkach, I was referring to wasting everyones, including yours, time if you were trying to rewire the car without a DMM.

Now, for Test 3 you said that the black wire OUT of the rheostat did not measure resistance when grounding to the chassis. That is a problem. You should have measure some resistance.

If I am reading Test 2 correctly, you tested another ground wire that was on the same circuit. While useful, it does not tell you the status of the circuit relative to the chassis ground. This is important. The chassis ground is how electricity is flowing.

Two more tests:

1) You can make longer DMM leads by attaching wire to them. Do so if you need to for this test. Connect one lead to the RL wire at your test light. Connect the other directly to the battery negative terminal.

2) Remove the black wire from the rheostat and connect a test wire to the rheostat. Ground out the exposed wire to a bolt, not another wire, but directly to the chassis, or better yet, with a long enough wire straight to the battery.

Finally, I believe your test light is in the wrong location. Are you grounding the other side of the test light or applying power to the other side in conjunction with applying power to the GW wire?

Please feel free to call me at 714-415-8249.

-Bo

[Tkach]

My test light was grounding to chassis. The concept was if the RL wire had current it would light up the test light I had the Test light in the circuit to complete it and not leave an open end. I have no power running to the test light the green white wire runs in its stock manner IE from combo switch to gauge bulbs then to exterior running lights. I will be at work tomarrow so Hopefully Thursday or Friday I can sort this mess out.

[Zs-ondabrain]

So I guess when all else fails, Take It To A Shop!!. Sorry but you seem to be running in circles.

Isolate the dash light circuit,

unplug all the wires and bulbs,

replace the bulbs with new ones,

Run a new ground wire to each dash light ground wire,

insert the new bulbs

now run a hot wire to each red/blue wire, one at a time to test each light.

When you find that they all work, connect all the dash lights together and connect them to the parking light circuit.

So you add 2 runs of wire, at least it'll all work and no one will be the wiser.

So basically find the problem or Fix the problem and then drive the car.

Dave