Car not starting...???!!!! (shorted wiring, blown fusible link)

[GRS72GT]

Okay, here's the scoop: (oh, forgot, 1972 GT...) car was running perfectly fine. Pull into the driveway, the car dies, then sputters on and off. The tachometer completely freaks out and my headlight warning light flashes, a weird buzzing noise comes from somewhere in the dash, I hear something pop, and the smell of burning wires comes forth! Yay! When the key is put in the ignition and turned, nothing comes on, no lights, nothing. I don't know if it is the battery, it was just recently charged. I'm not sure if it is anything in the ignition relay, or just a fuse. All the fuses looked okay, although the fuse for the flasher unit, clock, etc. was completely missing when I checked... No wires appear to be damaged, or at least none that can be seen. Help!!! Would it be anything under the dashboard?

[jordan]

Were your headlights on? Even if they weren't I have an idea.

[sawdust]

Originally Posted by jordan Were your headlights on? Even if they weren't I have an idea.

That's nice jordan, keep it to yourself.

[ronskydivepops]

The suspense is killing me!!

[jordan]

I was just waiting for the response as to if the headlights were on, I don't have a wire schematic in front of me, but if I remember correctly the headlight "on" relay is a ground relay so if I am thinking of this correctly if the headlight wiring (+) is grounded there will be a short that could cause a fire, and if the headlights are on it would do the same thing, I had the same thing happen to my gt at night on a twisty road, the headlights went out and then the car died, I came to a stop and was able to restart and I had headlights. This is when I rewired the headlights, because this is an unfused line it can cause an extremely high draw that cause the engine to cut out and cause a fire as well.

[ronskydivepops]

I wonder what the popping sound was. The Gremlin getting zapped??

[namba209]

O.K. first things first, disconnect the battery, at the four studs in the center of the fuse panel, mark and remove the red wires only on the two studs that have multiple wires going to them with female spade lugs. The other 4 red and red/white wires should have terminal eye lugs on them. Those 4 wires go to your ammeter, battery and alternator. Check them and the studs for corrosion and tightness. Now pull all your fuses. Double check the battery cables at both ends for corrosion and tightness. Once you are sure the battery connections are clean and tight, also the studs in the fuse panel, the do the same with each wire in the fuse panel, then put one fuse at a time back in the panel and operate that system to see if it is functional. As Jordan says, the headlight power is not fused, so be extremely careful when operating the headlights. We've had members on the forum get severly burned by electrical fires in the fuse panel area. If you continue to have problems, your two best tools for troubleshooting are a digital Volt-Ohm meter and a DESTEC schematic. Also you may want to use the search button for other threads and cures for electrical problems. This has been discussed many times and there are a lot of posts on curing the problems. HTH,

[kwilford]

Originally Posted by ronskydivepops I wonder what the popping sound was. The Gremlin getting zapped??

My bet is on a fusible link that blew...

Caused by shorted headlight wiring.

[Anonymous D]

I would guess it's the ignition switch or something in the headlight circuit.

Ignition circuit diagnosis procedure, here:

Opel GT Ignition Tips

Headlight Circuit diagnosis, here (page 3):

http://www.opelclub.com/GTHeadlightsAugust2004.pdf

You may have to download a later version of Adobe Acrobat reader (free at www.adobe.com), and close and reopen an Internet Explorer browser window, to see this.

Another possibility, is a bad ground or a short (not as common) - This would require a circuit by circuit check with an volt/ohmmeter and a circuit diagram. The best factory circuit diagrams, were in the 1973 Opel service manual (this is said, in case you don't have the superior "DESTEC" Opel GT wiring schematic close at hand).

[baronbors]

My vote is the same as KWilford- think you nailed it.

[GRS72GT]

Sorry for not responding, momentary lack of computer prevented me... Yes, it was at night and the headlights were on. The thought passed through my head that it could be the headlights, but it got lost. I'll check the wiring. Nothing in the fuse block is corroded, everything is clean, and no fuses are missing. Thanks for the tips!

[guyopel]

Looks Like your on the right track. Good luck.

[West Coast GT]

My vote is for Anonymous D's conclusion - the ignition switch.

[GRS72GT]

Well, it turned out to be the fusible link. Wire was completely melted, vaporized, you name it! I rigged a fuse into the line. I figured that was easier to replace a fuse than the entire wire. The car is running again! Now my only issue is the headlights. They don't work. Yeah, when I took apart the buckets, the wires on the passenger side were completely frayed, hence the shorting out. As an attempt to temporarily fix this, electrical tape became my friend, but alas, it betrayed me... the headlights still don't work. I'll end up having to rewire the headlights anyway (which I would like some advice on that, any specific forum to look at, are there any wiring kits that make it easier, or do I just have to make it from scratch, etc...), but I am curious to know if the headlight switch might have been affected. I separated and taped all the frayed wires, but only the warning light comes on.

[namba209]

If one side is shorted , the other may be also, the wires are tied together before they go to the headlight buckets. Best bet is to find where the splices are and start from there replacing the wires. The problem area is where the wires go through the rotating mechanism. You can splice the new wires to the old connector after the wires go through the mechanism, or try and get a new connector. It is a standard headlight connector.

[GRS72GT]

Eeep! I keep posting crap, now don't I...? Well, all this is in hopes of getting my car finally registered next week. Okay, a long time ago, but not so long, apparently I asked about the double flashing syndrome. It turned out that I had mostly fried my flasher unit because my heater conrol plate was broken, in turn causing the cables to do strange things (one of them was disonnected...), which in turn decided to rub on the wires that come from the flahser unit, causing it to short out. Yeah, electrical tape and some reattachment fixed the fuse eating nightmare. I took apart the flasher unit, to find a whole lot of nasty burnt stuff. I cleaned it up a bit, put it back together, and stuck it back in the car. With everything clear, the turn signals worked again, but not the hazzard lights. However, when the turn signal was turned on, both interior indicators flashed, but only the respective directional light came on outside. I didn't think much of it because I was thrilled that my turn signals were working again. Well, now my turn signals don't work at all. I think this is related to the headlights shorting out, but I'm not entirely sure on that theory. I may have completely fried my flasher unit for good. I would like to know if there are any replacement options, probably Pep Boys will help... I'm not the world's best electrician, and at that not the best mechanic either. I've just been working out of the factory service manual, this site, and sheer instinct. I guess it all helps, practically putting the entire car together from the ground up... but anyway, the flasher unit... Will I need two separate units, one for the turn signals, and one for the hazzards? I have the feeling that they don't make combined units anymore, for the above reasons...

[kwilford]

Originally Posted by GRS72GT Well, it turned out to be the fusible link. Wire was completely melted, vaporized, you name it! I rigged a fuse into the line. I figured that was easier to replace a fuse than the entire wire. The car is running again! Now my only issue is the headlights. They don't work. Yeah, when I took apart the buckets, the wires on the passenger side were completely frayed, hence the shorting out.

Crap I hate being right

Originally Posted by GRS72GT As an attempt to temporarily fix this, electrical tape became my friend, but alas, it betrayed me... the headlights still don't work. I'll end up having to rewire the headlights anyway (which I would like some advice on that, any specific forum to look at, are there any wiring kits that make it easier, or do I just have to make it from scratch, etc...), but I am curious to know if the headlight switch might have been affected. I separated and taped all the frayed wires, but only the warning light comes on.

Kits aren't much help, from what I have read about them. Simply (OK, NOT simply; this is a big job!) pull the entire front wiring harness out, starting at each headlight and including the wires to the indicators, turn signals and horns, all the way back to about the middle of the engine compartment. That is where Opel chose to splice in the separate right and left headlight wires (and separate wires for low and high beams) with the rubber insulated wire (the bad crap) forward of there. If you hadn't already had the meltdown, I might suggest a bit less radical surgery, such as simply bypassing the rubber insulated wires. But since the wiring is clearly shorted, and you have probably also involved OTHER wiring besides the headlights (as in the heat from the shorted wiring has probably melted through the adjacent wires in the harness), you REALLY need to dig in and do a proper repair.

I'll see if I can find my earlier post that shows the splice and the rubber insulated wiring.

[kwilford]

Originally Posted by kwilford I'll see if I can find my earlier post that shows the splice and the rubber insulated wiring.

Read this thread:

http://www.opelgt.com/forums/2c-gt-h...ht-wiring.html

Hell, read the entire Forum...

[Lindsay]

http://www.opelgt.com/forums/1c-ligh...rn-signal.html

http://www.opelgt.com/forums/1c-ligh...hers-like.html

These two links might help with FLASHER Issues. I have seen the 4-prong TRIDON Flasher unit (at Kragen or Pep Boys), but have not verified that it functions same as OEM BOSCH.

After I upgraded to 50 - 55 Amp alternator, double flash does not exist in my GT. I have not accomplished the DESTEC double flash fix. Keeping mine ORIGINAL!

After read the entire POSTING again, I agree with Keith. Definitely check the headlightwires from master cylinder area to each headlight prong. Or buy FIRE Insurance ...

[baronbors]

I thought the very first thing every Opel GT owner did was replace the headlight wiring as soon as they got their car. That should be a mandatory rule for ownership.

[Lindsay]

Originally Posted by baronbors I thought the very first thing every Opel GT owner did was replace the headlight wiring as soon as they got their car. That should be a mandatory rule for ownership.

Checking Headlight Wiring should be a FEDERAL Requirement as part of OPEL GT ownership transfer! (Like the low flush toilet mandate when selling a house. )