No blower, AC, cluster gauges

[trashycamaro]

Hey guys, fishing for some ideas. Recently replaced my fuse box as a couple of the fuses had melted due to a short in the wires under the box. After replacement my blower, AC, and cluster gauges are not working. However, when I first start the car, that moment as the starter itself is turning, these things all work, but then die as soon the key goes back to on.

I am pulling out the voltmeter today to start troubleshooting and I already replaced the two relays that affect those guys. Any other ideas?

[trashycamaro]

So running through some testing and pulled out the ETM. Pretty sure this is the key:

NOTE: Unloader relay coils are grounded through starting motor except when starting. Battery voltage is applied to both sides of unloader relay coils and relays are de energized.

But I do not know what this means. So apparently my starter ground is bad? The ground on the starter? Any thoughts?

[trashycamaro]

Symptoms:

Blower/AC/Cluster works when starter motor is activated, and only when starter is activated.

Blower/AC/Cluster do not work when black/green wire on the starter is removed.

It would seem the ground on the starter is not working properly? Does this mean the starter is bad?

[trashycamaro]

Great thread I found about aftermarket replacement starters if anyone ends up here, should probably get a sticky: http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=140181

Anyway, turns out my ground on the starter tests fine...but weird thing happened. I bumped the live wire on the starter and everything came on. Did I reverse the polarity in my car? I am tempted to wire the ground up to a switched power source, but I know this is wrong. Any ideas on how it got backwards so I can fix it?

[StereoInstaller1]

OK, let me see if I can illuminate why this is kicking your ass.

The top terminal of your starter is for the "unloader" relays. It should have a green/black wire on it.

Here is how it should test: key on or off: ground Key in "start" position it should show +12V.

These 2 unloader relays cut power to the HVAC and the windows ONLY...no other circuit is affected.

So, as a quick test, disconnect that green/black from the starter terminal and ground it. Your windows and heater fan should run whenever the key is on.

GL!
Luke

[trashycamaro]

Hey Luke, thanks for dropping in! Really appreciate your work and someday when the electrical and mechanical are straightened up, I will be looking for a box. Until then...

I went down and double checked and sadly, the issue you are describing is not the issue I am having.

With the green/black wire connected in its current location, AC/Blower/Cluster does not work EXCEPT when the key is turned to START. (Oddly, the windows are unaffected and work when they are supposed to).

When I ground the green/black wire, AC/Blower/Cluster do not work with the key in any position.

When the green/black wire touches the constant 12V post on the starter, regardless of key position, AC/Blower/Cluster come on.

It seems the ground part of the circuit is requiring power??

As far as I can tell, all other electrical functionality is working fine (radio, lights, hazards, interior lighting, OBC, etc. etc.).

I am totally stumped as to how this can happen.

[StereoInstaller1]

Hey Luke, thanks for dropping in! Really appreciate your work and someday when the electrical and mechanical are straightened up, I will be looking for a box. Until then...

I went down and double checked and sadly, the issue you are describing is not the issue I am having.

With the green/black wire connected in its current location, AC/Blower/Cluster does not work EXCEPT when the key is turned to START. (Oddly, the windows are unaffected and work when they are supposed to).

When I ground the green/black wire, AC/Blower/Cluster do not work with the key in any position.

When the green/black wire touches the constant 12V post on the starter, regardless of key position, AC/Blower/Cluster come on.

It seems the ground part of the circuit is requiring power??

As far as I can tell, all other electrical functionality is working fine (radio, lights, hazards, interior lighting, OBC, etc. etc.).

I am totally stumped as to how this can happen.

Holy crap...that is weird.

You do understand how it is supposed to work, ya?

[trashycamaro]

Yeah I think so. Trying to figure out of the fault is with the rebuilt starter, the newly word in fuse box, or somewhere else.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[StereoInstaller1]

The starter is an easy test, should show +12V on crank only, groundrd the rest of the time

[trashycamaro]

Yeah, going to spend the day on electrical tomorrow. Starter test should be easy (hope that is not the problem) and have a power drain as well (which I could not trace to the fuse box by pulling fuses etc.). Thinking it is something in how I wired the fusebox, so going to troubleshoot that. Also have GregM's ground wires to install so hopefully that will clean up the system as well.

Not excited.

[Cabriolet]

Yeah, going to spend the day on electrical tomorrow. Starter test should be easy (hope that is not the problem) and have a power drain as well (which I could not trace to the fuse box by pulling fuses etc.). Thinking it is something in how I wired the fusebox, so going to troubleshoot that. Also have GregM's ground wires to install so hopefully that will clean up the system as well.

Not excited.

I would hightly doubt this starter is the cause, unless one of the wires was not hooked up to it. But there is a small chance that it is.

you can kinda see the pic there. there is an 8mm top wire, bottom 10mm and the 2 wires that attach on the 13mm post, one is from the batter, the other goes to power the car.
the top one is the 8mm, "black with green wire that goes on the upper stud, this is the 'unloader' relay trigger wire."
you can jump that from the 12V post to see is the issue in the starter. otherwise my guess is that you have something fried in the fuse box.

as an fyi the lower stud, this is your 'start signal'

[trashycamaro]

Yep, loose wires in the fuse box/blown fuses. I'm dumb.

Thanks for chiming in guys.

- Dan