Wiring Questions

[ryanr1299]

Fairly new to the Opel gang here, I have a 72 GT and am curious about the wiring harness. It appears that the PO made a new harness entirely from scratch, and I'm just trying to verify this for future reference. He has a switch in the dash that serves as the "Accessory" switch, which enables the stereo and turn signals (maybe more, not sure yet). I'm not sure why he did it this way, except maybe the ignition cylinder doesn't have an accessory position? (That's question #1). I know the cylinder itself is partially defective, as one must turn the key to the on position and then use a separate button (PO installed) to start it. This may be the reason he wired a separate accessory switch. Anyway, I left the switch in the ON position while she was parked for about two weeks, and the battery was totally flat when I went to start up today. I jumped the car and shortly after nothing was happening I realized I jumped it with the cables on backwards (oh crap). So I started fishing around for the fuse box to replace everything (did this once on my MG and everything was fine, but every single fuse in the vehicle had blown). Couldn't find it in the engine bay where I expected it, and I got under the dash and there was nothing there either. There was, however, what looked like a homemade distribution junction. Lots of brand-new looking wires leading in and out, neatly secured to a central location under the dash. Also, there were lots of relays in there as part of this setup, which I did not expect. I may not have thought any of this odd (except that it's all new), but I couldn't find a single fuse anywhere. At this point I began cursing the PO because obviously it was his fault I'd destroyed my car's electrical system, and not my stupidity :-). More rifling around revealed a large main fuse in the engine bay, which upon inspection proved to be between the battery and the rest of the car (thank god). Changed it and we're good to go. I like this setup because it saved me from a lot of mucking about after doing something stupid like that. I don't like it because if I get a short or something within the rest of the wiring harness I could blow components.

Anyway, I expected a bunch of bullet connectors and an old-style fuse box mounted on the fender or somesuch. Was I expecting the right thing? I just ask so that in the future I'll know I'm not looking at an Opel wiring setup.

-R

[namba209]

Oh Boy, the dreaded PO strikes again. Then again it might be a good thing, if, he left you a schematic of how/why he wired up the relays and new fuse box. I can tell you Opel GT Source can repair ignition switches for the GT. Pricey perhaps, but there are none to be had elsewhere. Could be the PO put in the relays to keep all the power from going through the ignition switch as it normally does. I don't know if it will help, but J J Wheatley of DESTEC has an outstanding 14 X 22 inch, plastic laminated, full color coded schematic of the GT. It may assist in tracing out the wiring you have now. At least it will show where the wires are supposed to go and may give you some idea of how the new wires are run. One thing sure, you'll need a schematic and a V. O. M. to trace out the wiring you have now, along with an understanding of how the relays are wired in. Lotsa luck with your project.