Ignition Power Wire Problems

[davidpater]

Hey.

I have a 92 2.3L and have upgraded the head unit and had everything working great. I was adding a CB radio to the car yesterday, and that again worked just fine. However, today I again pulled out the head unit because when I was talking into the CB it was coming out of one of my car speakers, and I went and eletrical taped up everything again to make sure of no touching of metal. But, when i went to plub it all back in, nothing would turn on.

I have since, using a volt meter been able to see that my red ignition power wire is not working. The yellow, always power works giving my voltage, but thre red one sends nothing. I tried going back into the plug where the red wire emerges and testing back there, but still no success. I don't know of there is anyway to replace this wire, but I would not mind at all adding a new wire to takes it's place, I just have no idea where to connect it so it is only on when the ignition is on.

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[strokedandblown]

check your fuses, thats always a good starting point, if not tap into the 12v lead to the cig lighter, if it turns off when the car is off, you can also run a new line from the fuse box.

 

[davidpater]

Yes the radio does turn on when the car is off if I connect both the constant power and ignition power to the same wire coming from the battery. This is ok, but I really don't want to have to remove my headunit's faceplate everytime I turn off the car for risk of running out my battery.

It seems that my cigarette lighter is not connected at all.

Running a new wire from the fuse box is something I'm intrested in, but I have no idea where to begin to find the right fuse for the ignition switch.

 

[strokedandblown]

there shold be some open fuses that are not bieng used, i would first try tapping into the cig lighter since its right there, i just dont remeber if its a constant or remote operated.

what you cando is run a jumper wire from the fuse pannel, just get a 15 or 20 amp fuse and when you push it in to the slot wedge the end of the wire into the cold side of the fuse slot w/ the fuse. this is not permanent but it will get you going.


i sometimes just take out my volt meter and check every wire @ the main harness untill i find a wire that will work. hope that helps

 

[92Patrol5.0]

I used an open fuse to hook up my autometer gauges. There was an open one in mine for power locks or power windows or something. I don't have power anything. Obviously to me that was an ignition only fuse so that's the one I use. Put an inline fuse in there and it's all good. You might want to look at the fuse panel and see what open ones you have. One of them may be obvious based on it's function that it's ignition only so you won't have to do any guessing.