Electrical gremlins

[scud001]

I just picked up a 92 Talon, NT. It runs great when it doesn't drain itself dry. Here is the problem.

The guy before used a harness adapter on his stereo.

You turn the headlights on the stereo comes on, you turn the ignition to on WITHOUT starting it and all the lights come on. Tail, Markers, Headlights.

I've already pulled the relays and checked them, out lights go off, in lights come back on. I know it's a short somewhere but I'm at wits end as to where to start checking.

I've also unplugged the stereo he had in there and noticed that he had the dimming/ignition wires crossed on the adapter. But have since removed the stereo and the adapter and the problem remains. The factory harness is untouched.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[Raph]

sounds like you have [ 15 ] (ignition) on everything.. the car is reroutng power through its grounds,causing everything to come on ...

check to see if the guy put wires under relais and such things.(to bridge them)

also check the cigarette lighter to see if any hack work was done there (hackers love the acc)

 

[scud001]

ok I did check that and no wires cut/spliced anything. I also noticed that my hi-beams were not working, switch them on they don't stay on. Checked the relay and it's no good. But everything under there looks normal, no out of place wires or anything.....

Also the way he wired the stereo, he put the Ignition and lighting wires together. Would this cause a possible short somewhere along the line?? Or fuse wires together at some point? Because if I turn the lights on, it's like the car is on but nothing is running. Also when I turn the key to the on position, the exterior/interior lights come on.

Hope this might help with whoever decides to throw some help my way.

Again thanks in advance.

 

[Raph]

check all the grounds,undo then,clean them up and check to see if that helps... every ground,in the engine bay etc.

so he hooked it up to te dash lighting? ?? he hooked up the radio to the dash light? start looking in that area for wires that are stripped and touching ground

oh,are your attery terminals on good too?

 

[grnchevyz]

Putting ignition and lighting together will cause the car to appear as its running when the lights are turned on but the engine not running. Basically, you turn the lights on without the key and everything turns on because now you are feeding 12v on your ignition wire.

Seperate those wires ASAP.

Unless the aftermarket unit needs lighting wires hooked up, just cut it and cap it. I'm sure you'll see the problem go away if you do this.

And just fyi, the way he wired it up, will not cause a short in any way shape or form but rather feed 12v on ignition wire when the lights are turned on.

 

[scud001]

Thanks guys for the input. I've already seperated the wires but still the problem remains. Now I'm gonna have to trace back from the stereo terminals all the way to the column and beyond for both wires and see if they got so hot that they fused together somewhere down the road.

Least since the seperation the major battery drain has stopped.....fix this and it should all work out.

Too bad my manual is on order.......

 

[BOBS90TURBO]

My nephew just bough a 93 with the exact same problem, and you can tell the guy had a load of sterio stuff in the car, let me know if you get it fixed.

 

[scud001]

Well I've noticed a couple of other 1g around where I live and for some reason all they're lights are on in the middle of the day.....so I think it may be an all around problem.

My car did decide to choke and puke out my started which is great and I need a new alternator too boot. So it's time to buy parts.....

Does anyone know what size of pipe I need coming from the header??? I have a gaping hole in the flex pipe and need to fix it...sounds like shit. I can either just cut it out and weld a new section in or put a new downpipe in...but preferabley just cut and put a new section of pipe in for now.....

 

[Raph]

you have to weld in a new flex pipe ,isnt stock size 2 inches? but it would be a better idea to measure it first.

 

[luv2rallye]

Well I've noticed a couple of other 1g around where I live and for some reason all they're lights are on in the middle of the day.....so I think it may be an all around problem.

Canada DSM's have Daytime Running Lights - U.S. doesn't.

 

[luv2rallye]

Also the way he wired the stereo, he put the Ignition and lighting wires together. Would this cause a possible short somewhere along the line?? Or fuse wires together at some point?

It depends on which wires were put together. Which wires were they (color w/wo what color stripe) and where did they go or what did they connect to?

 

[scud001]

It depends on which wires were put together. Which wires were they (color w/wo what color stripe) and where did they go or what did they connect to?

It was the Blue 12v ignition wire and the green/yellow lighting wire that the guy had spliced together.

I know Canada has DTR lights, but the problem with this is that it's ALL the lights that come on, rear markers and interior lights as well...I've ordered a CD of off Ebay that shows all the wiring schematics and such so I'll eventually source it back this winter when the car is torn apart.

 

[luv2rallye]

Don't see a green/yellow. There is a green/white from the taillight relay to all these lights. Maybe the white faded into yellow? To help you I also need to know if you have the DTR lights and theft alarm (different diagrams). Also where they were connected (in engine fusebox, under dash, or ???).

 

[scud001]

I don't have a car alarm but I do have DTR. I installed a new alternator...old one was shot and a new starter...old one fell apart. Everything seems to be in working order, I think it was the fouled started that was mucking things up, cause now that the charging system is up to snuff everything is working properly.

This car is a project car and I'm hoping to take a N/T 2.0 and change it up to a turbo this winter while it's in the garage. With a stand alone EMS and upgraded injectors, fuel pump, intake, turbo, intercooler and a 3" test pipe back exhaust set up, racing pistons and rods, turbo cams, 6 puck racing clutch....you guys get the idea. Possibly even custom port the intake manifold to accept Nitrous as well, I'll port it but plug the ports until I get a kit.

No body kit for me, the springs were swapped out on this car so it rides alot lower than standard ride height.

I will post pics of the build up somewhere on this forum for everyones viewing plesure.

Thank you to all that extended your wisdom and help.