gremlins

[alauder]

I have multiplying Gremlins in the electrics. Hoping some one knows the system well enought to point me in the right direction

It started 6 months ago. The relay under the dash that makes the turn signals flash started ticking ocasionally then continually when ever the ignition was on. It had no noticable efect on anything and after having a wee look round I gave up trying to figure it out.

When I switch on the turn signals or
hazard lights the ticking gets a bit louder to it's normal volume and everything works fine. One other thing to note is that the green light on the Tach only flashes once when you switch on the turn signal.

Today the Brake warning light (big red one directly above the fule guage) started to flash in time with the ticking.
I don't think it means my brakes are failing as there is pleanty of fluid and the brakes still work fine!!!
I was under the impression that the warning light was ment to come on only when you pressed the brakes if there was a problem.

I have cleaned the ground contact.
Also I have tried a replacement relay but the new on ticked just the same.

I suspect a wiring short either behind the guage cluster or around the fuse pannel.
However it is a real rats nest and inpossible to see any.

Your thoughts on which wires might be shorting would be greately apreciated.
Otherwise I'll just have to go through the whole lot with a fine tooth combe
and a copy of the schematic.

Thanks

Andy

[Germain]

Most electrical problems are caused by wires breaking out of their rubber houses and ventureing out towards their other wire friends or ground. I would suggest looking at all points where the wire touches the car. It would be pointless to test of conductivity in the correct places since you most likly have a short. I'm not sure but I think the hood cable runs next to some of the wireing harness, check there too.
I know this could be a chore, I've done it myself on a differant car, found about 20+ wires that were all stripped of their rubber coatings and just hanging out. Took about 3 days to fix. So on that note, good luck!

[John Rogers]

I had a very similar problem on our race 914 and it turned out to be a short on a wire to the emergency brake switch beside the switch. Seems that the emergency brake switch, the master cylinder switch, the emergency flasher in the left gauge and the turn signals are all connected some how. I could not figure it out from the electrical diagrams which I can usually decipher, but replacing some of the wires cured the problem. I'd look at the parking brake switch wires, etc. Good luck

[JP Noonan]

I had the exact same thing happen to my turn signals. The outside lights blinked but the inside only once. It turned out to be the grounds behind the headlights. They are a 3-spade connector that is welded to the uni-body. The rear tail lights should be checked too, they are grounded to the ground point under they relay board in the engine compartment. Last check the sockets and bulbs are in good shape, no corrosion.

The flashing light either means the brake system is low on pressure, or the e-brake is on. To eliminate the master cylinder unplug the sensor on the side of the M/C. There is a reset button on the sensor, maybe try that first. The e-brake can also be eliminated by unpluging it, but that only eliminates the switch itself. Another possibility is the brown ground wire that goes through the center tunnel and under the driver seat got chafted and is grounded out. Check under the seat.

Since you have both problems appearing at the same time, I would also look at the ground point under the dash above the fuse panel. It is key that you dissconnect the battery before removeing the fuse panel, otherwise the fuses can short out to the sides of the dash. I haven't been up there in awhile but I "think" (a dangerous thing I assure you) the fuse panel needs to come out to get to them.

To clean ground points use a wire brush ("why-her-brush? Cause it works!) and clean the ground point and the inside of the ring or spade terminal. If the terminal looks REAL bad cut the wire back until it is shiney and solder on a new connector. After it is re-connected smear lithium grease all over the connection to avoid future corrosion. Look at the tech articles on this site, I think Jim T. has a starter system toubleshooting article that goes more indepth about chasing down electrical problems.

[alauder]

Thanks JP

I cleaned all the grounds thourally, which fixed the little green light in the tach.

Then I tried the Brake Warning Light switch on the Master Cylinder. When I disconected it all the other problems went away.

I could not see any way of resetting it though. Should I remove it or will brake fluid come pouring out? How else can i check that by brakes are not faulty?

I have been looking at the schematic and that switch is connected via the warning light to the turn signal emergency flasher unit.

Also the schematic shows two wires comming out of the Brake Warning Light switch but I only have one which disapears into the wall behind the M/C but does not reappear on the other side anywhere arroung the peddle cluster??? I persume the Ground is provided by contact with the chasis.

Any More thoughts?

[John Rogers]

My 914 has a master cylinder switch without the reset. It came on the 19mm master cylinder I think. You would have to pull the old one and put in a new one to cure the problem. Put saran wrap under the fluid fill cap and it won't come gushing out, but you have to hurry. Good luck.

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Don't pull the M/C apart just yet!

The single-wire switch is fine--the other wire was a ground, and the one-wire switch grounds through the body of the M/C. Make sure that the correct wire is hooked to the M/C, though--the brown-with-yellow-stripe wire should be plugged in, not the plain brown one.

Check for a rubber "nipple" on the switch, near where the wire plugs in. Press that nipple inward toward the body of the M/C--there is a button underneath that which you will also be pressing. That's the reset.

--DD

[jimmcd]

Had the same problem. It was the grounds in the headlights. Weird.