help with wiring under dash and near battery

[jeffwilson34]

I just bought this car monday and it does run but the wiring has me very worried.

here are some pics I took of wires that are either burnt, frayed  or unplugged    can anyone please help
the plugs are under the drivers side dash
the rest are near the battery going into some type block or what looks like an old ford selonid
http://s1341.photobucket.com/user/jeff_wilson9/embed/slideshow/

[Fierofool]

It looks like you've got a couple of fusible links that have been fried and cut out.  That may be the reason for some of the odd switches, etc you've found.  The only thing I think I can identify are the last two black harness terminals.  I believe they're for the trunk release and the rear window defogger in the right side of the instrument pod. 

Probably working from the front, replacing burned and jumpered wires first would allow finishing up the ones around the C500 without fear of causing damage, again. 

The club has a set of 85, 86 and 87 GM Factory Service Manuals that we have offered for sale.  I think we could loan them to you, but you would need to be very careful about soiling them.  All the pages are still clean without stains.  Between the 3 books, there's lots of coverage of the wiring, with diagrams of individual wires and also of whole harnesses and how they install. 

In order to participate in our Loaner Tool Program, you must be a paid member.  The Tool Shed section is currently hidden from you as a non-paid member.  You can read about paid member benefits here:  http://www.gafiero.org/bbs/index.php?topic=467.0

We would require a refundable deposit of $100 for the set of 3 books, should you wish to borrow them after paying membership dues. 

[jeffwilson34]

THANK YOU
I have an old chiltons (sp) from back  when I had my others.
I put it up because I had always planned on getting another.
I Have to get  up to the storage shed at a relatives home.
H have several odds and ends stored  there in good airtight containers.
If I can  not find them I will be more than happy to pay the member fee and deposit (was planning on  payine member fee later anyway if I keep the car and see no reason  not to at this time.)   
I am not as young and full of energy as I was back in the 90s so I work a bot slower  hitt9ng one issue at a time.

[Fierofool]

The block near the battery is the C500 or main power distribution block.  I believe all your power except that which runs from the battery to starter, lights, and power door locks goes directly through that block.  With all the spliced wiring you mentioned, I can see how that area is fried. 

I also have the Chilton's equivalent to the Haynes Manual before me and I can't find any wiring diagrams in it.  Hope yours is the bigger version.  But we're here to help if we can.  I'm not an electronics guy, so maybe someone else can assist. 

[Roger]

FIRST...disconnect the ground wire coming from the battery.

Obtain a Digital Multi-Meter. You will use this to check continuities and voltage.
Voltage of course after you have checked for shorts and re-connected the battery.

I recommend that you start at that yellow crimp connector someone used to replace the fusable link.
My first guess is that whatever that line powers will reveal your problem. It's a good place to start.

At this time, don't plug anything else into a circuit.

Keep us informed of what you find or need.

[jeffwilson34]

it may not have any wiring diagrams.
I am considering finding a c500 with the wiring snipped enough that I can cut my old wires and do a good soldering job and reconnect them all one at a time.

As bad as the wiring is I am surprised it runs as good as it does

Anyone with a parts car with the c500 Please contact me.

[jeffwilson34]

FIRST...disconnect the ground wire coming from the battery.

Obtain a Digital Multi-Meter. You will use this to check continuities and voltage.
Voltage of course after you have checked for shorts and re-connected the battery.

I recommend that you start at that yellow crimp connector someone used to replace the fusable link.
My first guess is that whatever that line powers will reveal your problem. It's a good place to start.

At this time, don't plug anything else into a circuit.



Keep us informed of what you find or need.

Thanks for the advice.  Will do starting in the morning.    It is not a daily driver for me    just something to remind me of all the fun I had back in the 80's and 90's meeting, then going on dates, with the lady whom is now my wife.
Driving old back roads I used to drive back then is like being in a time machine.   I even have a few of my old Cassette tapes that play great in the OEM radio.  Guns and Roses, Bad Company, Bon Jovi, Reo Speedwagon, and my prized possession As much as I hate to admit it  A Personally autographed Tiffany tape with a pic of me with her signing it.

[jeffwilson34]

well is is actually worse than the picture shows.
I was going to remove  crimp splices and solder in a couple inches of wire to each one then cover it all with shrink wrap.
I removed the Black box (c500) and unplugged the  harness.   The wire bundle that goes towards the front only had 2 splices so they are not as big a problem as the one that hoes back into the engine compartment.  Some of those splices may have a quarter inch of  useable wire to work with.    I think my best bet is to find a parts car that someone is willing to cut the harness along with the distribution box  and leave enough wire for me to splice it into mine correctly and replace the whole thing.      Whomever spliced it used the cheap connectors and did not put shrink wrap or even electrical tape to protect it from moisture and the corroded pretty bad.

[Fierofool]

I'm not sure, but whether you have a manual or auto transmission may make a difference for the part of the harness that stays in the engine bay.  I know the engine harness is different.  Maybe someone else can answer that.  Again, I'd contact ThaDriver to see what is on that 86SE that he doesn't plan to use.  It was an automatic. 

[jeffwilson34]

thanks again.
it is an auto.
you guys are great.

I would love to know why anyone would hack a wiring harness like that and then not even try and make the splices watertight.

I am amazed how good it ran with the wires like that.
I drove her from  east of  Knoxville  to spartinburg SC  then back to TN   and then 2 days later i drove it to asheville NC averaged 33MPG and that is across the mountain and some hard spirited driving.     I will not say it hit 120MPH because that would be speeding but i have NO doubt it would if I wanted it to.

[Fierofool]

I had a fusible link in that area that burned out and the whole car just stopped.  Only the interior lights worked.  It turned out to be that the fan motor had shorted.  Raydar was the one that diagnosed it, I think from past experience.  Check out that area of the electrical system (cooling fan) to see if that might be where some of your problems are. 

I believe the 86 SE had the complete chassis harness going into the cabin from the C500.  TopNotch might know since he pulled the engine from the car. 

[Raydar]

The C500 "car side" of the harness is different between automatic and manual cars, and can vary from year to year. Some of the trunk popper wiring as well as the large wire that feeds to the starter solenoid are configured differently.
The wires that connect to the power distribution block are fusible links. It is generally NOT recommended to solder replacements. The solder can "wick" through the wire and increase the current rating (and make it less effective at preventing a fire.) Better to crimp the connections and then cover with heat shrinkable tubing.

I figure that people "ghetto rig" wiring because they are just trying to get something to work. They will always be able to "tidy it up" later on, once their field fix has been proven. Usually, they never do.

[f85gtron]

I was going to help this guy, but then he referenced a signed tiffany cassette and I'm out. I only do Debbie Gibson. Sorry

Edited to add a smiley Winkey.

[jeffwilson34]

I was going to help this guy, but then he referenced a signed tiffany cassette and I'm out. I only do Debbie Gibson. Sorry

Edited to add a smiley Winkey.

LOL,
I met Tiffany at a small place in Nashville that has live bands on weekends a few years ago and sat in the same booth as her and her husband and chatted for a few hours.   They then announced they had a special treat later on Tiffany would be singing later on.  I then started talking about how I liked her back in the 80's and that I wish I had my old cassette so I could get her to sign it.     Talk about red-faced the lady excused herself for a few minutes.   Then the Guy announced Tiffany would be next on stage.    the woman I was sitting talking to telling about how much I liked her in the 80's stepped on stage.    Before she started her 1st song she came to the table and smiled real big and handed me the tape.   It was her personal tape she  just happened to have in her car. 

Man she has changed alot in 30 years.    Still has a great voice though.   

[jeffwilson34]

I was going to help this guy, but then he referenced a signed tiffany cassette and I'm out. I only do Debbie Gibson. Sorry

Edited to add a smiley Winkey.

she prefers Debra now.