- 2,520
- 18
- 38
- Location
- San Angelo, Tx USA Planet Earth
I won a wiring harness for an M1009 on Ebay last week. With that in mind, I have been having all sorts of electrical problems.
There was one hot wire that appeared to go from the battery to the light switch (more on that in a minute). And another hot wire connected to the connection on the firewall that LOOKED like it went to the glow plug relay card under the dash.
So I figured in preparation to getting ready to remove the old wiring harness and installing the new (to me) wiring harness, I would at least track down where these two 'unnecessary' hot wires went to.
The one connected to the battery ended up connecting to a cigarette lighter in the normal place. The other hot wire that was connected at the junction on the firewall DID go to the light switch. But it was not a snip and clip type of job, just a 'strip back' some plastic and add this hot wire to the light switch. I guess those county sheriff guys had 'issues' with figuring out the how the two switches next to the light switch worked and just wired around it (so to speak).
ANYWAY, while removing that wire from the light switch and then covering the stripped wire with electrical tape, I noticed a wire just hanging there. It had a broken connection. I looked up under the dash and went 'no, it can't be that easy'.
It was a ground wire. I snipped the broken end off, put a new end on and then put it back in place on the drivers side wall up under the dash. There is a three pronged metal connector that is bolted to the side wall under the dash.
ALL SORTS OF ISSUES ARE NOW RESOLVED.
My windshield wipers now work (YEAH) - though I will need to replace the wiper motor because it's really S L O W - but that's an easy one and I think I've actually got a replacement in my truck parts anyway. My fuel gauge starting showing the CORRECT amount of fuel in the truck (always filled when just sitting in my driveway) - it had never shown more than 3/4's full before now. My turn signals worked but did odd things, like if you tried to turn on the windshield wipers, the turn signals turned on inside the dash, but not on the outside of the truck. My 'seat belt' warning light stayed on FOREVER. But now goes right off. The brake light never worked, but now comes on when you start it then goes off. My volt meter now shows I'm charging solidly in the green, which it has never done. Several other little minor issues that I could not figure out are now resolved.
Funny how one ground wire can cause all those problems.
Check your ground wires folks. It might be the resolution to all sorts of tiny little aggrevating problems.
There was one hot wire that appeared to go from the battery to the light switch (more on that in a minute). And another hot wire connected to the connection on the firewall that LOOKED like it went to the glow plug relay card under the dash.
So I figured in preparation to getting ready to remove the old wiring harness and installing the new (to me) wiring harness, I would at least track down where these two 'unnecessary' hot wires went to.
The one connected to the battery ended up connecting to a cigarette lighter in the normal place. The other hot wire that was connected at the junction on the firewall DID go to the light switch. But it was not a snip and clip type of job, just a 'strip back' some plastic and add this hot wire to the light switch. I guess those county sheriff guys had 'issues' with figuring out the how the two switches next to the light switch worked and just wired around it (so to speak).
ANYWAY, while removing that wire from the light switch and then covering the stripped wire with electrical tape, I noticed a wire just hanging there. It had a broken connection. I looked up under the dash and went 'no, it can't be that easy'.
It was a ground wire. I snipped the broken end off, put a new end on and then put it back in place on the drivers side wall up under the dash. There is a three pronged metal connector that is bolted to the side wall under the dash.
ALL SORTS OF ISSUES ARE NOW RESOLVED.
My windshield wipers now work (YEAH) - though I will need to replace the wiper motor because it's really S L O W - but that's an easy one and I think I've actually got a replacement in my truck parts anyway. My fuel gauge starting showing the CORRECT amount of fuel in the truck (always filled when just sitting in my driveway) - it had never shown more than 3/4's full before now. My turn signals worked but did odd things, like if you tried to turn on the windshield wipers, the turn signals turned on inside the dash, but not on the outside of the truck. My 'seat belt' warning light stayed on FOREVER. But now goes right off. The brake light never worked, but now comes on when you start it then goes off. My volt meter now shows I'm charging solidly in the green, which it has never done. Several other little minor issues that I could not figure out are now resolved.
Funny how one ground wire can cause all those problems.
Check your ground wires folks. It might be the resolution to all sorts of tiny little aggrevating problems.
