Electrical question/owner's manual?

M

Mike_Gold

True Classic
I'm trying to sort out a rat's nest of electrical issues in my 1979 X. The nice color wiring diagram on this site for the 80/81 doesn't seem to completely match my '79, and the '75 diagram doesn't either. The Haynes diagram is not much help . . .

The PO pulled the air conditioner, radio and heater controls, so none of that wiring is connected. The wiring that IS needed is spliced, cut and otherwise intended to confuse. :mad2:

I'm currently trying to get the dash lights to work. The rheostat has a hot lead that works, a ground, and a third wire that goes up into the harness. There are no obvious wires for the dash light switch that I can sort out, so I am tracing things with a multimeter.

The dash light switch has 2 positions, can anyone tell me why? I tried to find an owner's manual online, but the link is broken.

Thanks for any thoughts,

-- Mike
 
Thanks for this! Downloaded to my hard drive. :)

Still would like to know why the dash lights switch has two positions.

--mike
 
brightness?

Maybe dim and bright? Or since it is a Fiat, dim and dimmer? :)
 
Jim, that would make sense; however, it IS Italian,

So if you had a two position switch, why have the rheostat?

I'm poring over the wiring diagram as we speak -- Thanks!!
 
Dash Light Dimmer Switch

Page 9 of the '79 Owners Manual

"Instrument Cluster Light Dimmer
Pressed at Top = Dim
Centre = Bright
Pressed at Bottom = Off"
 
IIRC

I think the rheostat controls the console lights, the gauge cluster lights are controlled by the switch.
 
As Jim said... the rheostat only controls...

... the ONE bulb behind the center console that (should have) 4 or 5 fiber-optic leads that go to each of the 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 console switches.

Fun stuff, huh!
 
Thank you Larry, Jim, and Tony

It now makes sense. The console is gone. I could not figure out where the fiber optic thingie was; obviously it is not in Tennessee.

Italian is crazy enough, Tony -- Italian modified by Southern is just over the top!! Think "wire nuts and electrical tape." I'm glad I didn't look closer, though. I wouldn't have bought it and I would have missed out on the X-web family!

I'll take a picture for you, and show you what fun I'm having!!
 
Bob Brown's Nightmare

Thanks, jvandyke -- I've downloaded that manual, too. Here's my problem:

mess1.jpg



cut%20wires1.jpg


cut%20wires2.jpg


I'm trying to clean up this mess, but like James Bond, I just don't want to cut the wrong wire!
 
Wow!

That brings up recent memories of BB-4RE when I had to fix that electrical 'situation'.

I notice you have the old fuse block in there.

From what I see, the amount of work it will take to bring that back might be better invested in replacing the wire harness altogether.
Would that be an option you would consider?

If so, check with Matt Brannon on his availability to the late model harnesses and fuse panels.
Overall, you'll get a better and more reliable system, especially for the long term.
Plus, you can make the necessary fixes (easy fixes) to the new harness to make it a rock-solid install.

Otherwise, good luck with this. Not an impossible fix, but certainly an involved one.
 
The wires in 3rd pic...

Look like the ones that would normally go to the fan speed resistor in the cowl area (where they come from in your pic). The toasty ends look familiar, probably clipped from the resistor connectors and abandoned.

Hope that helps.
 
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