Most common electrical problems...

[maxxheadroom]

I thought it would be nice to start a thread listing out the electrical problems you have had, and where you found the solution to be. Right now I am digging through my 71 Opel slowly cleaning every ground, unplugging every connector cleaning it with contact cleaner then plugging it in and unplugging them several times. I have a host of electrical issues (mostly things not working) I am hoping this will solve most of them.

[namba209]

I've only had one real severe electrical problem on a stock GT, and it was a sweetheart. I was tuning the engine on Willit?, with it running, timing lite, dwell meter, the standard stuff all hooked up. Smelled wiring burning and sure enuff smoke was rolling out from under the fuse panel. I shut down the engine and disconnected the battery post haste, but not fast enuff. The whole fuse panel was toast along with 80% of the wiring. It turned out, the resistor wire to the coil had just been stuffed in the power panel area and years of constant vibrations had finally worn away the insulation, right next to the 4 studs in the center of the panel. One thing led to another and shortly the insulation melted away from a ground wire and the whole mess went up in smoke. 3 days to remove a harness from a donor car at the recyclers and 5 days to repair and replace what was gone. Got an electrical education on that one.

[maxxheadroom]

Holy smokes (no pun intended... Ok maybe a little) I have seen wisps of smoke coming from under my dash I suspect it could be that very wire. I will find out when I get there.

[jlthunder]

The only electrical gremlin was the famous "double green" of the turnsignal dash indicators. Permanently resolved, thanks to DESTEC

[ronskydivepops]

I don't even want to mention my electrical problems!! My Gremlin might wake up and start causing me some problems this weekend when I go for a ride. He only seems to pop his ugly head up when the strereo is on and I hit the brakes as I turn on the left blinker and then blow a fuse. Did I mention it has to be the 3rd Sunday of the month, and there has to be a 30% chance of rain. I just carry a pack of 30 amp fuses. It only happens once in awhile, but it still bugs me. If I want it to happen it won't. I took a 1500 mile round trip to Richmond, Va. and it didn't happen. Next day I went to the store and I blew a fuse right away.

[wrangler]

Originally Posted by ronskydivepops He only seems to pop his ugly head up when the strereo is on and I hit the brakes as I turn on the left blinker and then blow a fuse. Did I mention it has to be the 3rd Sunday of the month, and there has to be a 30% chance of rain. :

Well, another solution would be to just go one block further and instead of a left, take 3 rights!

Biggest problem I have run into myself though, is ground issues, especially the frame to engine ground that gets so often overlooked since it is rarely ever touched. But like you said in your plan, cleaning all your connections is a great place to start... 30+ years of vibrations and oxidation etc eventually takes it toll.

[baz]

Originally Posted by maxxheadroom I thought it would be nice to start a thread listing out the electrical problems you have had, and where you found the solution to be. Right now I am digging through my 71 Opel slowly cleaning every ground, unplugging every connector cleaning it with contact cleaner then plugging it in and unplugging them several times. I have a host of electrical issues (mostly things not working) I am hoping this will solve most of them.

i have found most of the problems to be listed here
http://www.opelgt.com/forums/group-1-electrical/

i read every post when i was a moderator to clean out the junk , took some time and i think the most common post was from ron (namba 209) as an answer and it said in various ways

" clean and check the grounds to the chassis and fuse box"

i think that covers 99% of the problems with opel electricals

[Lindsay]

Reading Ron's electrical disaster with resistor wire from coil -WOW!

I replaced all factory fusible links and replaced headlight wires forward of the crimps near master cylinder. Have "green knob" shut-off for battery ground. In an electrical emergency, it would be tricky to stop GT, open hood, and reach inside battery cavity to shut off ground connection.

GT Owner installed "Maxi Fuse" holder (30A to 80A) near coil mount. Maybe it was intended as fuse for the alternator hot lead? Might be somewhat easy to pull-out "Maxi Fuse" in holder in an electrical emergency. DC Circuit Breaker would accomplish the same as fuse. Battery Master disconnects are big and bulky.

[baronbors]

ALL and I do mean ALL of my wiring behind the dash was rotted and falling apart. I must have had the panel out 10-12 times per year over 2 years. Got real ggod at pulling it out- think my record for dropping the steering and pulling the panel was 12 minutes. Finally bit the bullet and took 3 weeks out of my summer vacation to completely replace each and every wire behind the dash along with several wiring modifications and improvements (now use modern fuses insted of the ceramic ones) Well worth the time as no more problems. Now watch - as soon as I get the new clutch in the wiring will act up again.

BTW- welcome back BAZ

[namba209]

Originally Posted by Lindsay Have "green knob" shut-off for battery ground. In an electrical emergency, it would be tricky to stop GT, open hood, and reach inside battery cavity to shut off ground connection.

I think, Lindsay, I'd put the "Green Knob" on the positive lead of your electrical system. We've heard the stories where grounds to circuits were made using other system's grounds causing all kinds of troubleshooting havoc. As for having a real close system shutoff, an idea would be to have the red wire from the starter solenoid go through a 50 amp circuit breaker, then to the stud it is normally attached to, that would theoreticly turn off everything. But with trons, who knows.

[2 Fast 4 U]

Originally Posted by Lindsay ..... Have "green knob" shut-off for battery ground....

Originally Posted by namba209 ........I'd put the "Green Knob" on the positive lead of your electrical system........

It doesn't matter if it's on the positive or negative lead, as long as the battery is cut off from the electrical installation, but if you really want to go on the safe side use a switch or some thing similar to cut both battery leads off from the electrical installation

[opelgtworld]

Originally Posted by baz " clean and check " i think that covers 99% of the problems with opel electricals

You mean this ?

[tunepipe911]

Originally Posted by jlthunder The only electrical gremlin was the famous "double green" of the turnsignal dash indicators. Permanently resolved, thanks to DESTEC

How did you solve that problem?At the moment I have the same trouble

thanks

[2 Fast 4 U]

Originally Posted by jlthunder The only electrical gremlin was the famous "double green" of the turnsignal dash indicators. Permanently resolved, thanks to DESTEC

Originally Posted by tunepipe911 ....How did you solve that problem?....At the moment I have the same trouble thanks

Originally Posted by jlthunder Permanently resolved, thanks to DESTEC

Enough said

[P.J. Romano]

Originally Posted by 2 Fast 4 U It doesn't matter if it's on the positive or negative lead, as long as the battery is cut off from the electrical installation, but if you really want to go on the safe side use a switch or some thing similar to cut both battery leads off from the electrical installation

Real nice and inexpensive battery cut-off switch on eBay.
eBay Motors: JAGUAR LAND ROVER MORGAN BATTERY CUT OFF KILL SWITCH (item 120107096007 end time Apr-15-07 17:36:43 PDT)