Lot's of Q's on my GT

[OpelNewb]

Well the GT arrived on Sat. I had to go out of town so I really didn't get a good chance to look it over before I left. I have looked it over some now and have a few questions.

1. Where the heck are the seatbelts? I have one belt w/retractor on the pass. side pillar and then one on the driver side that looks like it connects to it. I don't have anything else in the car at all.

2. Spare Tire? Did it come with one and if so where would it have been stored?

3. Head light issues. They work they rollover but not correctly. I noticed some latches they catch once either open/closed? They also need to be adjusted the cable doesn't move them far enough in either direction.

4. Link to good wiring diagram. Is there one? I need to trace out some some circuits and fix the rats nest hanging below the column.

5. Gas tank. Is it bolted down at all? It doesn't appear to be held in place by anything other than the filler hose and fuel outlet coming out the bottom. Are there supposed to be any straps or other methods of keeping it in place?

That really should be enough for now. As for the condition of the car over all it seems pretty solid no rust issues but lots of dents repaired with bondo. The battery tray is fubar and so is the lower valance. Sections have been welded together metal added to it and so on. I hope to strip it down and fix it. Hard job due to the fact that none of the sheet metal is bolted on it all have to be cut off or spot welds at the seam have to be drilled out. I am going to get the car in good running order (shouldn't be hard since it runs good now) all the electrical system working correctly and then strip it all out and take it to be painted. I plan on having it done by spring time. (I have lots of spare time) LOL. Thanks in advance for the answers. Larry

Oh P.S. it's a 73 GT

[BQS4]

1- PO could have removed some of the belts for another car
2- Spare tire goes on a shelf that covers the fuel tank. See pics in post # 6 of this thread
http://www.opelgt.com/forums/2b-seat...rear-deck.html
3- Cable and all joints and pivots may need lub'ing
4- There's a FSM wiring diagram on this site for down load, or better yet, contact "DESTEC" on this site and get one of his wonderful wiring diagrams (these are a work of art) for about $35
5- The tank has a brace on either side accessed through the rear fender wells under all the dirt, grime and muck.

[OpelNewb]

Thanks for the quick answers. I am working on getting the gas tank out now. I may not need to take it out though we will see.

[namba209]

Gene's partially correct, the tank is held on to the support brackets by 4 12 mm head bolts, two on each side. OGTS has a really neat seat belt/shoulder harness setup that works really well. I just put a set in Willit? and they bolt right in. The original setup is two belts for each occupant, that connect at the lap belt latch, the seat belt has a retractor, the shoulder belt doesn't. I replaced mine because the driver's side seat belt was getting a little frayed and wouldn't retract completly and the shoulder belts were getting stiff. For the headlight locking and rotating mechanism, check out the link below, and also do a search for Keith Wilford's thread on the mechanism. Both will help gettiing every thing sorted out for you. HTH.

http://clubs.hemmings.com/clubsites/oana/tech/Headl.pdf

[OpelNewb]

Thanks I just got it running on ghas form it's own gas tank. We had a 1 gallon gas can under the hood before to move it around.

Just a side note. Remember to hook up the return line! Oppsss.

[grslightng02]

Not sure if you've read other postings on this yet. It would be a good idea to drain your gas tank, remove it, flush it out, remove the wire mesh sock (filter screen) that sits over the outlet to the fuel line, install new fuel lines and new fuel filter(s).

[OpelNewb]

I cleaned it out. I didn't use the easiest method but I got it done. Lucky me it was completely empty since someone didn't know how to fix the line going to the fuel pump and left it disconnected. I am still having trouble with the headlights though. The switches all work but the locking parts don't seem to be working properly and I really haven't torn the whole thing apart just yet I removed the driver side bucket and tried alittle lube that helped but not enough. They move freely just don't "lock" into place. I also need to adjust the cable or something to that nature as they don't move quite all the way in either direction.

[namba209]

Here's a little hint on the buckets and the rotating mechanism. On each end of the toothed actuating gear, the first and last tooth of the gear are shorter than the rest. The reason is, so the rotating mass will continue to rotate beyond the meshed gears and slam into the overcenter locking mechanism. Which means the handle has to be pushed/pulled with some force to get the mass rotating fast enuff to engage the locks. There is a healthy spring on each lock which has to be overcome to lock the buckets in each position. So a clean, well lubricated mechanism is a must. There could be some old grease, mixed with dirt, that is slowing down the locking mechanism, along with the same being in the rotating parts, that also slows down the action. The only way to make sure everything is cleaned and lubed is to take each one out and do a thorough job on them. Also be sure to note the wire connections on the microswitches. You sure don't want to remove the mechanisms more than once.

[markandson]

Originally Posted by OpelNewb 4. Link to good wiring diagram.

Check this one out, it is for a '73

[OpelNewb]

Thank for the link to the diagram. It will help immensely. I have been working on the headlights still. I got the drivers side apart and then found the wires were badly corroded and missing the insulator covering on them. I am trying to go back and as far as I need to and replace the wire but it seems that I am going to have to go along way. It's strange that the passenger side is fine but the drivers is a mess.

I got a new question. Whats the purpose of the micro switches? I put a ohm meter on mine and nothing. No continuity at all no matter what combination I tried to hook them up. The lights all work fine.

I am guessing that the switches turn just the headlights off so you can run with just the parking lights would that be correct?

[namba209]

O.K., here's the deal on the microswitches. There are two in the driver's side and one in the passenger side. One on the driver's side and the one in the passenger side only turns on the White light in the light panel between the tach and speedo. The other one in the driver's side puts power to the headlight relay behind or forward of the fuse panel. When activated by the microswitch, the relay powers the headlight dimmer relay, the instrument panel lights and both sides (Left and Right) of the parking lights, independant of the parking light switch in the instrument panel. As for the headlight wiring being bad only on the driver's side and not the passenger side, all the power to the lights goes through the main harness and splits just before it goes in to the driver's side bucket. So the wiring does get hot enuff to melt the insulation and cause problems in that area. That and the constant flexing of the wires through the rotating mechanism is what causes the insulation to break down and cause shorts. Remember, the headlight circuits are the ONLY ones that are NOT fused. Using the diagram that Jeff put the link to, because it is a PDF file, you can change the size of it and trace individual circuits so you can see just exactly where the wires go and their color, to help you diagnose problems. HTH.

[OpelNewb]

Hum, Thats strange cause the instrument lights worked when I tried them before I took it all apart and I haven't finished putting them back together but I ohmed the switches and neither of them were showing continuity as I had mentioned before.

I will do more tests to figure this out.

Also what activates the high beams? I am guessing that it's the turn signal stalk when you pull it towards the driver? Is that correct I don't recall it making any difference but that could be due to crossed wiring in the drivers headlight bucket. I will check this all out again in the morning. I hope to get it all working soon so I can get it passed a safety inspection. Thanks Again for your help.

[Anonymous D]

A reference to things a new GT owner should inspect for, is at the link below.
Within that article, are other links (such as information on headlight rewiring).

GT "Things to Know"

[namba209]

Originally Posted by OpelNewb Hum, Thats strange cause the instrument lights worked when I tried them before I took it all apart and I haven't finished putting them back together but I ohmed the switches and neither of them were showing continuity as I had mentioned before. I will do more tests to figure this out. Also what activates the high beams? I am guessing that it's the turn signal stalk when you pull it towards the driver? Is that correct I don't recall it making any difference but that could be due to crossed wiring in the drivers headlight bucket. I will check this all out again in the morning. I hope to get it all working soon so I can get it passed a safety inspection. Thanks Again for your help.

The instrument lights will work, if you turn on the parking lights with the switch on the dash. As for the microswitches, they have three spade lugs, one is a common (C), the other two are normally open (NO) and normally closed (NC). You should have continuity between only two, (C and NC) when the little button on the side of the switch is extended and (C and NO) when the button is depressed. It could be, and has been known to happen, the button is dirty and stuck between the two positions. Again, cleanliness here is a must. Once the headlight relay is activated, the dimmer relay is powered from it and, you are correct, the turn signal stalk switches the relay from high to low beams and back, and also turns on/off the high beam Blue indicator light in the light panel between the speedo and tach. HTH..

[markandson]

Originally Posted by namba209 O.K., here's the deal on the microswitches. There are two in the driver's side and one in the passenger side. One on the driver's side and the one in the passenger side only turns on the White light in the light panel between the tach and speedo.

The purpose of the light on the dash is so that you know if one of the headlights is not locked in place properly when they are on/open.

[OpelNewb]

Thanks I am going to work on it this morning. I hope to get it all working correctly. I am going to start by working on the wiring. I am sure it will consume most of my morning. After that I am going to reinstall just the mechanism and check for the lights I also am going to work on the wiring under the dash and n the steering column. Someone has run 2 12 gauge wires up into the column for something I am not sure what yet. Hope it's something I can easily remedy. Thanks to all who have provided info! It's been a great help.

[OpelNewb]

New discovery this morning when I went out to the GT. The freeze plugs are leaking. I suppose it's rusted out. GGGRRR. I will have to pull the trans to get at the one on the back of the block. I am hoping there is one back there can anyone confirm that? Water is leaking out of the bellhousing.

[RallyBob]

Originally Posted by OpelNewb New discovery this morning when I went out to the GT. The freeze plugs are leaking. I suppose it's rusted out. GGGRRR. I will have to pull the trans to get at the one on the back of the block. I am hoping there is one back there can anyone confirm that? Water is leaking out of the bellhousing.

Yes there is. It's 22 mm (.866"), but in a pinch a brass 7/8" freeze plug is a slightly tighter fit and works just fine.

HTH,
Bob

[OpelNewb]

Thanks. I am guessing I am going to pull the trans for this. I thought about just pulling everything but I really don't see a reason to do that. I am also going to replace the freeze plugs on the drivers side of the block one of those is leaking as well.

Another question. I was under the dash and checking out wiring and well there is more than just a rats nest of wires in the car there is a actual rats nest. So I started cleaning all that up. Question how does the shelf or floor or whatever you want to call it behind the front seats come out? Or does it even? There is alot of crap under there and I want to get it all cleaned out.

[yellaopelgt]

There are a bunch of screws buried in the carpet...... probly 10 of them. Hard to find ,but the spacing is about a foot or so apart.

[MICAH1]

He's right...... it may be seven chrome screws there to back out...... but there may be something you might want to do with that inner space too!!

[OpelNewb]

I found the screw and got it out of there. I also cleaned out all around back there it was tough to get around back by the gas tank but I got it done.