Just when I got brave enough to say to my buddy, "You know, I think I have everything under control...no repairs pending...I can just enjoy driving my car for a while," my 84 GSL decides "NO WAY, I WANT ALL YOUR ATTENTION," and throws me an electrical puzzle.

It all started innocently enough. Went to turn start her up one day and while the dash lights came on, not a hint of noise from the starter. Bump started fine. Battery, alternator and connections check out fine. Starts fine for the next few days then same thing again. Time after that, turn key...clock dims to 1/4 power, dash lights 1/4 power...leave the key on for a 30 secs and full power to dash lights, guages leap to life, but when I try to engage starter...the whole process starts again. Well today I got in, turned the key to "on"...no dash lights, no life...then tach starts bouncing between 0 and 1500RPM and high rev buzzer starts going off for about 20 seconds. (Car's not running remember). Once that settles dash lights come on 1/4 power, power windows don't work right and process starts over again. If I don't try the windows at this stage, dash lights come on full power, now windows work, but no hint of action from the starter when go to turn it over and bouncing tach/rev buzzer come on again.

Just replaced the starter 8 months ago but haven't had time to test it yet, but that will be my next step though the rest of the goofy stuff doesn't point to starter. Has anyone else had this happen and is there an easy fix?

 

Sounds like the car is in need of an exorcism to me...

 

Might be a dead battery... might be a bad connection. You need to watch system voltage when it's acting up. (with a test meter, not the one one the dash) If you have low voltage say, at the cig lighter (an easy place to tap into), then check the battery itself. If the batt voltage is good, you've got a bad connection. If it's not, either the battery is bad or VERY discharged.

Kerry

 

Id first check out the battery cables, just pop em off and give em a good brushing and sanding... also this may seem trivial but make sure they are tight... remember K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid)

 

baking soda and water on the top of the battery works wonders... Just make a solution of the stuff and watch it eat away at all the crap thats on it.

 

Slap the dash when it does this. Also, try jiggling the key some. Loose connections probably casue this. That's 90% of all intermittnet problems. If it does turn out toe be solved by this, track down all connecctors, pull em apart adn look in em. See a good clean contact? Odds are no. Goto Radio Shack or a TV shop. Get contact cleaner or, if you can swing it, TV tuner cleaner (For OLD TV's with rotary tuners.) Shoot some of that onto the contacts inside any connectors you can seperate. Also if you can figure out how to, shoot some into the ignition switch, they tend to go bad due to dirt inside.

That should do ya, also check the main fusible link. It's connections get dirty as well.

 

Well guys, conncections were the first thing I dealt with...wire brush on posts and clamps...battery checked out AOK, and accepting charge from alternator just fine.

Jiggled the key plenty but no effect. Have yet to give the dash a smack yet.


Will start checking connections with meter for continuity, and I like the contact cleaner suggestion.

Thanks

 

How about the ignition switch, maybe the wires to and from?

If that isn't it, THEN punch the dash.