- Mar 24, 2018
- 30
- 1
- 18
So after smoke checking a smaller wire attached to the back of the alternator because the large gauge black wire - that turned out to be the supply for the gauge harness - is not a ground (Black does not = ground in Ford wiring harnesses and Scott Drake doesn’t put a wiring diagram in with their wiring harnesses) but now that it’s hooked to the Batt+ side of the start solenoid (relay), I was able to hook the battery up without any smoke or drama. Success? Well, sorta...
But now I have the following issues and need some help figuring out how to diagnose and fix them, for background here is what has been installed during the last few weeks:
- New Heading, gauge, dash and taillight harnesses, headlight relay upgrade for LED headlamps
- New headlight switch
- 140amp 1-wire powermaster alternator, with 150 amp fuse (removed voltage regulator)
- New starter solenoid (relay)
- Dakota Digital VHX gauges
- Retrosound Stereo
- Electric fan with relay
- New LED underdash courtesy lights and door jamb switches
So here are the issues:
1. Underdash courtesy lights
- driver side on constant, even with door closed, switch has no effect
- passenger side doesn’t come on with door open or closed
2. Both headlights work in hi and low beam and hi-beam indicator light on VHX gauges comes on, but driver side DRL/turn signal on constant, passenger side DRL doesn’t come on at all, but when headlight switch pulled halfway out to activate the DRL’s only the driver side DRL and taillights start to blink erratically.
3. On VHX gauges the left turn signal indicator light on steady until turn signal lever moved to the ”up” (right turn) position, then it goes out. At this point the right turn indicator blinks normally, but the front right turn signal/DRL does no come on. The left turn signal/DRL blinks when the turn signal lever is placed in the “down” (left turn) position, but the turn signal indicator light on the VHX gauges stays on steady.
4. Taillights: both running lights come on with headlight switch on, but when brake pedal is pressed the running lights do not get brighter. So no brake lights. Turn signals work on both sides in the back.
5. Stereo won’t come on.
I’m going to try and get a video of this so you can see it in action. If anyone can recommend how and where to start looking for where things are jacked up and how to fix them, I’d greatly appreciate it. I took a lot of time during the wiring to ensure I cleaned all the grounds and sanded the attaching points until they were bare metal and used dielectric grease on all connectors.
I’m wondering if having the gauge power supply wire grounded when I burned up the small alternator wire, if that caused something else to burn up or ground out?
But now I have the following issues and need some help figuring out how to diagnose and fix them, for background here is what has been installed during the last few weeks:
- New Heading, gauge, dash and taillight harnesses, headlight relay upgrade for LED headlamps
- New headlight switch
- 140amp 1-wire powermaster alternator, with 150 amp fuse (removed voltage regulator)
- New starter solenoid (relay)
- Dakota Digital VHX gauges
- Retrosound Stereo
- Electric fan with relay
- New LED underdash courtesy lights and door jamb switches
So here are the issues:
1. Underdash courtesy lights
- driver side on constant, even with door closed, switch has no effect
- passenger side doesn’t come on with door open or closed
2. Both headlights work in hi and low beam and hi-beam indicator light on VHX gauges comes on, but driver side DRL/turn signal on constant, passenger side DRL doesn’t come on at all, but when headlight switch pulled halfway out to activate the DRL’s only the driver side DRL and taillights start to blink erratically.
3. On VHX gauges the left turn signal indicator light on steady until turn signal lever moved to the ”up” (right turn) position, then it goes out. At this point the right turn indicator blinks normally, but the front right turn signal/DRL does no come on. The left turn signal/DRL blinks when the turn signal lever is placed in the “down” (left turn) position, but the turn signal indicator light on the VHX gauges stays on steady.
4. Taillights: both running lights come on with headlight switch on, but when brake pedal is pressed the running lights do not get brighter. So no brake lights. Turn signals work on both sides in the back.
5. Stereo won’t come on.
I’m going to try and get a video of this so you can see it in action. If anyone can recommend how and where to start looking for where things are jacked up and how to fix them, I’d greatly appreciate it. I took a lot of time during the wiring to ensure I cleaned all the grounds and sanded the attaching points until they were bare metal and used dielectric grease on all connectors.
I’m wondering if having the gauge power supply wire grounded when I burned up the small alternator wire, if that caused something else to burn up or ground out?