A lot of little problems!!

[amc401]

OK,
So I just bought a 73 Opel GT last week for $300!!! Body is in very good condition, and the interior is somewhat there. The dash is junk, and everything but the instrument cluster was pulled out from the previous owner. I am now trying to put it all together. Never owned one, never looked at one before, but man am I getting to know it!! Car sat for around 2 years. Took me about an hour to get it some what running. The next day I went and drained the fuel system, put on new lines and a new fuel pump. Car starts and runs ok. Feels like it needs a new carb job and gasket. But now I am onto the electrical system . I am defiantly new to electrical!! I have it some what figured out ( ok not really ) but am stumped. Got the head lights working, oil light, amp light, fuel gauge, temp gauge and clock working. Still working on the running lights and instrument lights as well as the heater fan, tach, spedo, amp gauge, and oil gauge.
Questions:
1. How do you turn on the instrument lights?
2. How do you turn on the running lights?
3. There is a black/white/red (one wire) wire going to a point on the blower on the right side. Found out it links to the fan switch on the dash. There is also a black wire right next to it that also goes to the switch. I am not getting power to my instrument lights or that blower motor. I tested them and they work, but can’t seem to trace where they get there power from. I am getting power to the wiper switch, and the work! I am assuming all the grey wires for the instrument lights go to one point. But don’t know where that point is.

Any thoughts. Thanks
Amc401.

[Phoenix]

Hereis exactly what you need and it far superior to what is in the FSM.

Running lights are controlled by the switch closest to the driver and the guage cluster is the other switch in the same group of switches (middle not used).

[namba209]

I'm guessing what Phoenix wanted to show you was J. J. Wheatley's DESTEC schematic, and it is far superior to the FSM schematic. As far as the junction block for the gauge lights, that is between the speedo and the ammteter/oil pressure gauge. To answer your questions, the dash lights and running lights are turned on with either the parking light switch or the headlights coming on. For your fan switch, the Black/Red/White wire is the low speed side, the Black wire is high speed. The power to the switch comes from the cigarette lighter, a black wire that is powered by the Green Instrument Panel Connector, Pin #1 that is powerd by Fuse # 6 in the fuse panel, which is in the gang of 4 fuses next to the 4 studs in the center of the fuse panel. the gang of three fuses, powers the dash lights, Right Parking Lights and Left Parking Lights. All the above info was obtained by looking at my DESTEC schematic. HTH.

[markandson]

Here is a pdf of the 1973 schematic out of the FSM.

[opellane]

I would check the fuse box brass terminals that hold the fuses. sometimes if the car sat for a few years the terminals get real dirty and tarnished. I would clean up the brass terminals and replace the fuses. Also if you haven't already check that the headlight harness and see if it been replaced. The insulation on the orginal wires break down and crack this could be a fire hazard when you rise the headlights. Good Luck Lots of good info here. just keep searching this site

[amc401]

Thank yall for the help. I ordered the diagram from JJW, but until it gets here I am working of a smaller one. I got the interior lights working, but for some reason when I push the pump down for the washer fluid, the interior lights go off until the wiper stops. I dont think thats normal. I hope! Also the black wire from the fuse panel to the cigar lighter then to the wiper switch is getting no power. I have power at the fuse box, but its not getting to the cigar lighter. Is there a junction somewhere? Any ideas??
Thanks

[Phoenix]

Not saying that your lighting problem is the alternator but I'll warn you that the stock alt is only 35 amps. If your thinking about doing any audio you should think about the 105 amp upgrade from the C/K Truck. My amp gauge aproaches 0 just by turning on the turn signal.

[Dennis Texas]

Originally Posted by amc401 I have power at the fuse box, but its not getting to the cigar lighter. Is there a junction somewhere? Any ideas?? Thanks

Slide the instrument panel out (you are saying the black wire is hot from the fuse side) I just went through this on a 73 someone had miswired the heater fan and lighter. They ran the black wire to the switched side of the switch then jumpered over to the lighter, only way, which I never tried cause I didn't know, was to turn blower on and lighter would probably work not a good thing that puts al the current for lighter and fan on the contacts of the heater switch. Look at the little piece of drawing I captured and you can see the 12 black wire your talking about.
The foot switch on my wipers was messed up to it really ate my lunch until I looked at another car the switch wires are from side to side not top to bottom also I believe one is normally closed the other is normally open be sure the wires are on the correct terminals on switch.

[basic instinct]

make sure the wipers arent froze in place. i nearly caught mine on fire the very first day just sitting turned off on the battery. i didnt know how any of those rad flip panel gauges worked or anything lol.

the wiper motor got red hot with smoke. another to fix bug to squash.

i need wipers also!.... argh!.