Crazy Electrical Problem Please Help

[greysave]

I just completed a 6 bolt swap into a 95 gsx. The car starts and runs fine, but I have a few electrical problems. First, when I turn the head lights on the horn starts blowing and I can't stop it until I pull the terminal off of the battery. Secondly, I have heard but am unsure though that the alternator has more then one cable. Where would those other cables plug in? It is a 2g alternator, I have the main power cable plugged in and the one for the wiring harnes. What else am I missing on the alternator?

 

[1993eclipseGS]

Not sure about your horn problem, But I also have a 6bolt swap. To turn the marker ligths on, I needed to d/c the horn, And I hafto keep the horn button pushed in for the marker lights. I just use a key or anything small enough to fit between the steeringwheel horncover that will wedge in there and keep the markers on. My headlights turn on like they should, It's just the marker lights that dont turn on, Which I do what I just said for them to turn on. Not sure exactly why, And I've been way to lazy to figure it out.

 

[justin0469]

Does the horn honk honk honk etc or one steady honk until you get it to turn off?

 

[greysave]

One steady honk until I cut it off.

 

[GTM]

One steady honk until I cut it off.

Howmany wires going to the alternator plug, 2 or 4? If it's 2 then you can use the 2 minute Alternator circuit test in the Tech Guide\electrical and wiring\~. The 4 wire is a lot more complex and since I don't have one I've not developed a test for it yet.

Here is what I know about the 4 wire plug:

2 wires may be similar in function, the small (R)red will be hot all the time unless a subrodinate fuse possibly in a sub-panel is blown. The black-yellow (BY) as in the 2 wire will have no power with the key off but will light a test light dimly with the key on and will increase in brightness with the engine running and the RPM increased to 2,000.

The other 2 wires (G) green and (W)white go to the Engine Control Module. Please note I have conflicting color codes so they may not be correct.

Look at the thread below and see if there are any answers.
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=220470&highlight=horn+alternator

Please do keep us advised of any findings, solutions, or questions

Cheers,
GTM

 

[greysave]

Thanks I will try that.

 

[Logue]

The horn thing happend to me it was the 100a Alt. fusable link. In the fuse box. It went when i grounded the B+ to the chassis when working on the o2 housing.

 

[greysave]

What condition set off your horn? I am inclined to try the horn fuse, but the only curious part is it only happens when I turn the parking/headlights on.

 

[greysave]

Oh yea what is a b+?

 

[GTM]

What condition set off your horn? I am inclined to try the horn fuse, but the only curious part is it only happens when I turn the parking/headlights on.

The B+ is the large lead that is on the back of the Alternator and labeled as such on many alternators and schematics. It must be hot at all times because it is the output source to charge the battery and run the car's electrics.

The horn button is on a grounding circuit, either direct connect or through a relay as it is in DSMs. In otherwords the wire in the steering column has power and the button then grounds that circuit. Even if the relay fused closed it cannot toot until the button is pressed. It doesn't mean the wire cannot be shorted but this is highly unlikely. That is an oversimplification for the alarm system is tied into this as is the alternator which is why I suggested since you were having charging problems this should be checked.

What were your findings?


Cheers,
GTM

 

[jott5555]

if you have the factory alarm system i guess this could happen.. i removed it so i didnt have any simular issue on any of the car's ive done 6bolt swaps on with or without factory alarm's

 

[GTM]

if you have the factory alarm system i guess this could happen.. i removed it so i didnt have any simular issue on any of the car's ive done 6bolt swaps on with or without factory alarm's

The problem with removing the alarm is a project by it's self, introducing that into the mix at this point will only compound his current problem. I am suspect a relay has come loose, blown a fuse or died in the process of the swap and he either doesn't have the schematics or having problems reading how to get there from here. It's hard enough sorting it out but without knowing where they may have made the mistake along the way it's like pulling teeth.

Even as a professiona it's possible to spend hours and hours with this even with the car in front of you for there are so many variables. Without input from the poster except what's a B+ it's safe to conclude there is trouble in river city.

Cheers,
GTM

 

[greysave]

I think it is the alarm. It is now a factory alarm it is an aftermarket alarm. When I pulled the fuse out of the horn the lights stayed on. I put the fuse back in th horn and pulled it out of the lights and the horns continued to honk. When I pulled both fuses my chirper for my Alarm started operating normally. Up to this point my chirper always sounded kind of like a dead dog, I didn't realize it was my horn trying to chirp with the alarm chirper. My guess is they tied in a horn line when it didn't need to be. What are your thoughts on that diagnosis?

 

[GTM]

I think it is the alarm.
...
I didn't realize it was my horn trying to chirp with the alarm chirper. My guess is they tied in a horn line when it didn't need to be. What are your thoughts on that diagnosis?

It make as much as much sense as anything else. Have you found a wire that was not of your doing or the factory? I'm sure you figured out by now to roll the windows down so you can reach inside without opening the doors and resetting the alarm sequence or timers that make you wait 5 minutes.

Working through this is just grunt labor and the schematics along with the mods you had to make with the engine swap. They never tell you about the nightmares that take as long as the whole swap.

Cheers,
GTM