Eeeeek ! - Electrical issues with the Eldo.

Roadkill · December 18, 2007, 03:36:36 AM

O.K.

When I got the car a few months back everything worked fine . . . lights, economy meter except the dashlights that occasionally went a little dim.
This was corrected by giving the switch (a on/off/dim type) a wiggle.

Then every now and then on starting the car the lights would automatically come on, despite the switch being "off".
Again, this was remedied by turning the switch on/off and adding a bit of wiggle. (not jiggle)

So I consulted Carl and we both decided it sounded like a headlight switch.

Cool, easy fix . . . . . . . . . . .

However, and this may well be unrelated . . .

Last week she wouldn't start . . well, she fired, then stalled then wouldn't restart . . . . . I left her 10 minutes and she fired again so I assumed it was lack of service and severe cold (it was very cold that morning).

Then, later that week, I noticed the economy meter was flickering . . . then throwing up random numbers . . . again it kinda seemed to be related to the flickering of the dashboard lights . . . but by this time giving the switch a wiggle didn't seem to do much . . .

Then, yesterday, I noticed on the way home that the headlights are diming in time with the dashboard lights and now the economy meter rarely even lighted up . . .

This morning the headlights were still flickering as were the dashlights and the economy meter was off and on . . .

But

I did notice a kind of pattern . . . . . .

When I put my foot down the economy meter went blank and the heater fan slowed right down . . . . as soon as I eased off or was just rolling in Drive the meter lit up (although starting flickering again) and the fan went back to full speed.

The E meter/dashlights/fan are all inconvienences but the headlights I obviously need.

Originally I though it was the headlight switch but I'm guessing there may be something else ?

Duff battery ? Bad Earth ? Damp ?

55starchief · December 18, 2007, 03:44:09 AM

I would check the alternator

EDGE · December 18, 2007, 03:54:54 AM

and the grounds.... dont forget wha happened to Andy's STS...

55starchief · December 18, 2007, 03:59:14 AM

hmm anymore

Roadkill · December 18, 2007, 04:43:36 AM

What grounds should I be checking . . ? And how do I check the alternator (no multimeter) . . . ?

EDGE · December 18, 2007, 04:48:54 AM

dude... maplins voltmeter is less than a fiver!!!! or borrow one. You could !!! hook a bulb up to the alternator, it should glow way brighter with the engine running as it'll be somewhere near 14v... i wouldnt recommend that though as your likely to kill yourself...

check the engine grounds, and the grounds behind the dash

art b · December 18, 2007, 05:43:15 AM

batts and alts are a favorite fault at this time of year,

lots of power stuff on,short journeys ,fooks batts, check at ya batt just under 12v with engine off ,14v with engine running,

your probs sound like corroded connections earthing ,connections/plugs,

ya cant beat an intermittant leccy fault to drive ya.... BANNANAS

Roadkill · December 18, 2007, 05:48:34 AM

Quoting: EDGE

i wouldnt recommend that though as your likely to kill yourself...

Recommend it you say . . .

Seriously. I don't do electrics. I was born with appauling colour sight and do my absolute best to avoid the leccy stuff.

art b · December 18, 2007, 05:50:42 AM

is the economy meter electrical or vacum...?

Roadkill · December 18, 2007, 06:02:21 AM

Quoting: art b

is the economy meter electrical or vacum...?

Pass. I'd original assume vacuum . . but as it throws random figures maybe electrical . . . . ?

Roadkill · December 18, 2007, 10:32:09 AM

philoldsmobile · December 18, 2007, 01:34:35 PM

uhhh,,, earth strap between engine and body? if thats bad the engine would possibly be drawing power from anywhere else available? i dunno, i'm not great with electrics

i had a somewhat similar problem with my old volvo, on a run home one night, i went from high beam to low beam, and the engine hesitated a bit... then next time i went to high beam the engine cut out, i flicked to low beam, and as i was slowing down, i flashed my mate i was following to tell him i had a problem. oddly, as i flashed, the engine came back to life, it would only run in the flash position!!!

turned out it was a bad connection in the fuse box, and it was taking the closest available earth path to run the ECU, this happend to be the headlight flasher!

Gator · December 18, 2007, 01:42:56 PM

check the alternator you should have about 14v dc withe the engine running if its ok it sounds like a short in the dash harness to me these old cars have butchered wiring and bad old worn cores

its like plumbing if theres a hole in the system the electrickery will leak and you will loose pressure and get dim lights

have you changed the headlight switch yet Dean ?

Roadkill · December 19, 2007, 04:11:22 AM

Quoting: Gator

have you changed the headlight switch yet Dean ?

No.

Struggling to find one at the mo . . . I find loads for the 84 eldo and before but none for 85's.

Gator · December 19, 2007, 11:37:16 AM

Quoting: Roadkill

No.

Struggling to find one at the mo . . . I find loads for the 84 eldo and before but none for 85's.

is it the GM style pull out switch or the sliding one

and i aint seen this ere car stick some pics up mate

Roadkill · December 19, 2007, 11:41:18 AM

Quoting: Gator

is it the GM style pull out switch

Pull out = on

Push = off

Turn = dash display lights dimmer

Turn fully ACW = interior lights on

Quoting: Gator

i aint seen this ere car stick some pics up mate

Gator · December 19, 2007, 11:56:14 AM

thats baaaaad man

that switch is a complicated bugger then id say it was the cuase of your problem though

might be worth drowning it in contact cleaner

Roadkill · December 19, 2007, 11:59:06 AM

Quoting: Gator

might be worth drowning it in contact cleaner

Would IPA do ?

55starchief · December 19, 2007, 11:59:13 AM

Thats pretty much the standard switch for all GM's even my 55 has the same pattern. I wil ask dwain if it is the same as a 85 or later

Incursus · December 19, 2007, 12:06:09 PM

Quoting: 55starchief

Thats pretty much the standard switch for all GM's even my 55 has the same pattern. I wil ask dwain if it is the same as a 85 or later

Duster and Mustang are the same as well.

55starchief · December 19, 2007, 12:30:33 PM

82-85 are the same 86 was different

Roadkill · December 19, 2007, 07:16:41 PM

Quoting: 55starchief

82-85 are the same 86 was different

I'll go hunting tomorrow . . .

art b · December 19, 2007, 07:43:52 PM

my dodge has the same....

Roadkill · December 20, 2007, 04:31:43 AM

O.K, this one says it only covers up to a 84 Caddy Eldo . . .

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1985-85-Cadillac-Deville-Headlight-Head-Light-Switch_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1638Q2em118QQcategoryZ50459QQihZ021QQitemZ310005323040QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWD1V\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1985-85-Cadillac-Deville-Headlight-Head-Light-Switch_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1638Q2em118QQcategoryZ50459QQihZ021QQitemZ310005323040QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWD1V

Or there's this, that looks the same, is cheaper and says it fits mine . . . . . but is vague in its description.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/CADILLAC-DEVILLE-ELDORADO-SEVILLE-HEADLIGHT-SWITCH-NEW_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ50459QQihZ020QQitemZ300182886934QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/CADILLAC-DEVILLE-ELDORADO-SEVILLE-HEADLIGHT-SWITCH-NEW_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ50459QQihZ020QQitemZ300182886934QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

55starchief · December 20, 2007, 04:34:46 AM

Well acording to the GM computer its the same part for 82-85