New GT owner Needs some help?

[skibby]

Hello,

My Name Is Ken Sciberras I am 30 years old and I am in the U.S. Air Force stationed at Tinker AFB Oklahoma. I am a Aircraft Mechanic and love turning wrenches. I was bit by the Opel Bug when I was a Kid. My mom used to have a 73 GT that was in great shape and she used to take me to school in it. Anyway when I seen a GT at one of our local classic car lots I had to stop. I was told the car was not running but had to have it. After telling the owner of my childhood stories he let me have it for 800 dollars. I am in the process of fixing up the car for my daughter Lindsey who is about to be 8 years old. (perfect father daughter bonding)

I got the old Solex carb cleaned up and tried to start the car with no luck. With a multimeter and a little patience I found the problem was a short in the starter wire jumped the starter to the battery and she fired right up. Any way my problem is not with the mechanics of the car as it is running great! The only thing is when I hit the brakes, all my gauges act like they are grounding out. Would the brake switch cause this? All my lights work including my brake lights. I just need somewhere to start looking for the problem Any way if you have any Ideas email me back. Also What is the Fourth peddle to the left of the clutch? Thanks!

Skibby:

[First opel 1981]

I will answer the easy one.

The "fourth pedal" is the windshield washer. It can also be used as an intermittent wiper control.

When working properly, you press down slowly on the "pedal" and it squirts washer fluid on the windshield and engages the wipers for one swipe. Keep your foot on the pedal and it will keep wiping.
If you need a quick swipe, touch the pedal lightly and it will engage the wiper without squirting washer fluid.

[Anonymous D]

Article, written for "new" Opel GT owners:

GT "Things to Know"

[trlmr]

I would look at the #2 fuse in the panel under the dash. Did someone replace it with a larger one? On my 69-70 wiring diagram that circuit powers the brake lights and powers some of the instruments also. Maybe you have a short in the brake light system. If there is a short it would cause problems in the instrument circuit before it would blow a fuse, even more so if the previous owner "fixed" it by installing a 20a fuse. The brake switch is just a momentary on switch, I doubt that is the problem. I'm just trying to give a few suggestions for you to take a look at. I'm sure others on this site will give you more things to check.

Nice to have you in the opel community.

Tom

[skibby]

I would have never guessed windshield wiper fluid I was thinking High beams! Anyway I was going thru my Chilton manual and found out the brake switch is hooked thru the flashers I assume the flasher control was on the column somewhere. Mine is all taped up I bet if I untape it I will find the black and red wire listed on the diagram I will also check the fuses as recommended. Thanks for the quick responses!

SSgt Ken (Skibby) Sciberras

[OpelJim]

Ken,

I hope you and your daughter enjoy the Opel for many miles and smiles

jim m aka Opel Jim

[Motor Mouth]

Originally Posted by First opel 1981 The "fourth pedal" is the windshield washer. It can also be used as an intermittent wiper control.

The first time you take your friends out in the rain, you can tap the 'pedal' and watch in amazement when your friends wonder how the wipers worked without you lifting a finger from the wheel.........you can tell them that Opel invented Rain-sensitive windscreens.

[Jeepsbeme]

What do you mean by "...all my guages act like they are grounding out"?

But even without knowing the exact symptom, if applying the brakes is affecting your gauges in any way, I wouldn't condsider the brake switch as a possibility since it's a simple on-off switch. My suspicion is you've got a ground issue due to corrosion or a broken ground wire.

[tomking]

Perhaps the first place to look for a bad ground is the brown ground wire at the fuse panel itself. The fuse box is attached with two studs at the front of the fuse box. This is also the location for the fuse box ground wire. Search and find it and then clean it up. Good Luck.
PS: get you an enlarged wiring diagram from DESTEC on this site. It is a great help.

[First opel 1981]

[quote=Motor Mouth;188602]

Originally Posted by First opel 1981 The "fourth pedal" is the windshield washer. It can also be used as an intermittent wiper control. QUOTE] The first time you take your friends out in the rain, you can tap the 'pedal' and watch in amazement when your friends wonder how the wipers worked without you lifting a finger from the wheel.........you can tell them that Opel invented Rain-sensitive windscreens.

I did exactly that. I had a friend who believed me for the entire winter. One day he saw me do it and wanted to kick my butt.

[trlmr]

I don't think it can be a ground problem since the tail lights ground to the chassis. The instruments (oil & temp) ground through the senders they are connected to. Just my thoughts.

[traytodd]

The turn signal stalk is on the column but the flasher control (unit) is on the bottom left of the central instrument column, i.e. below the left hand set of 3 switches. Extract the bolts holding the stearing column (underside) and lower the stearing wheel to remove the instrument cluster.

Terry

[hrcollinsjr]

Originally Posted by trlmr If there is a short it would cause problems in the instrument circuit before it would blow a fuse, even more so if the previous owner "fixed" it by installing a 20a fuse. The brake switch is just a momentary on switch, I doubt that is the problem. I'm just trying to give a few suggestions for you to take a look at. I'm sure others on this site will give you more things to check.

I knew someone (not me ) that swapped the ground wire for a power wire on the front turn signal. It didn't blow a fuse but created havoc when the flashers or turn signal was on. Funny thing it worked properly when the lenses were hanging by their wires but the problem returned when I started to reinstall them into their housings. Then I noticed the owner had swapped the wires. You might check to make sure the ground wires on the brake lights are hooked up to the metal frame of the lens base.

Nice to have you in the opel community. Tom

What he said.

Harold

[wrench459]

1156 is a two wire circuit
1157 is a three wire
So if you ground the tail(brake) light wrong you'll get some FUNKY feedback

[First opel 1981]

Originally Posted by wrench459 1156 is a two wire circuit 1157 is a three wire So if you ground the tail(brake) light wrong you'll get some FUNKY feedback

and since a light bulb is, in fact, a resistor, then it's safe to assume an improperly wired tail light would cause electrical feedback when the brake pedal is depressed without blowing a fuse.

[wrench459]

Then we get into "glowing resistance" of a bulb.
Humm it's more like a variable resistor.