oldsconv

Trying to figure out exactly how wiring connects for 70 Cutlass COnvertible SX that I and adding PW to. I added PW to my 70 Chevelle - it came from 71 Cutlass junkyard car years ago. The main red (10 gauge?) wire went to a circuit breaker (the factory littelfuse brand one with the rubber cover) on the firewall just like a conv top uses and then on to the horn relay BAT terminal. Should PW be the same and do I add a second circuit breaker next to the Power top one? The small wire on my Chevelle from the relay went to the IGN or similar terminal on the fuseblock that only gave power to the windows when the car is on - as it should be.

The PW set-up I got from a guy in CT for this Cutlass Conv. has a heavy (i.e. 10 gauge) orange with black stripe wire and the idiot proof plug on the end that would only fit perfectly in the top terminal on the fuse block and it shows in the shop manual that the 20A fuse there is for electrical acessories. The smaller gauge wire has the same idiot proof plug, so I guess it may have originally had a two into one connector. This implies that this PW set-up connects all thru the fusebloack and does not go to the horn relay like the power top does (and my Chevelle PW). Anyway, can someone with a 70 Cutlass Conv with original PW look at where their PW wiring hooks into the fuse block. I have spare littelfuse breakers and can add one to the firewall just like my Chevelle and the power top on this Cutlass, but want to see what was original - I am confused and the shop and assembly and Fisher body manuals are all vague about this.

Thanks, Pete

Bluevista

I have a '68 GTO and it also connects at the fuse block. The circuit breaker is on the block, some have a bypass bar in it's place that you remove and replace with the circuit breaker if it had no power accessories originally. I have a pic of mine, don't know if it's the same as an Olds? I think the firewall mounted breakers were used later? You connect everything through it if it does have one and don't use two. I just put power windows in my '71 Vista Cruiser and that's what it specified to use if you already have the breaker for a power top or wagon back window, etc..

68fuseblock.jpg

2blu442

I've removed power windows from several Oldsmobiles and one difference I remember is that they all had a relay under the drivers side kick panel. I believe all the windows went to that before going to the fuse box. John

Lady72nRob71

X2.
All connections were through the fuse block for the early 70's Olds A-bodies. Relay was under the kick panel. The 40A circuit breaker was in the upper left of the fuse block.

Bluevista

Not all connections in the early 70's were made through the fuse block.
In the '71 assembly manual the convertible top and the wagon rear window feeds connect to a firewall circuit breaker. Otherwise it looks like windows did connect through the fuseblock if you didn't have the power top or back window. Pink relay wire goes to any ignition switch energized source as oldsconv mentioned.
Check out the relay for the power top. There is a a pigtail in the harness with an open Packard connector already provided in mine for the power window harness so they meant for it to connect there in those cases and shows it in the books. I just plugged it in and the windows worked, maybe some convertibles have it too? My power locks have an eyelet connector on the harness feed wire and it goes directly to the firewall circuit breaker terminal and is doubled up with the relay feed. My goat convertible uses the same relay for both too but it connects to the fuse block like the pic shows, original power windows.

Lady72nRob71

Make that "all that I have seen so far..."

1972 did not have one. Must have been a cost cutting technique... The manual does not show it or mention it. I have none but I think it should...
The 72 power top hot lead plugs into the fuse block near the circuit breaker. The lead has a terminal where other power options can be piggybacked into it. (I have yet to know how that term came to be )

I guess there are more wiring variations in the early 70s than I thought...

oldsconv

Here are some pics for more info. Note on my fuse block, the terminal nearest the flasher is where the red plug would fit (left side of Pic) and there is actually a glass 25a fuse there that is for PWR acessories, not a black 40AMP one like on the 68 GTO posted earlier. Is this 25A enough for PW? Note my wiring with relay has two wires that need to go into the same spot - the smaller one with red plug (left side in pic) comes from relay (right side in pic) and has a small inter-connector as seen in pic. The larger gauge orng/blk one with same red plug is for main power. That larger Orng/blk wire comes from a 3 to one plug as you can see, but that red plug/smaller wire from the relay does not fit in there- I tried. I am sure that 3 into one is to feed other accessories as the previous post mentioned, like power seats, etc. The last pic is unrelated to these power windows, but is a spare 40AMP breaker I have that is normally used for power tops or the PW on my Chevelle and bolts to firewall - engine side. Any other thoughts would be great as I am still confused. I can always go the route of my Chevelle and run the large Orange/BL wire to the breaker on my firewall as the other post said, but it seems like my fuse block has spots for all this if I can figure out whether both red plugs are supposed to go into the same spot. Maybe these PW I bought are from a later model like 71-72.

Lady72nRob71

The plug with the thicker wire goes to the ACCSY PWR terminal. You have a 20A fuse for that, which should be enough for pwr windows. If it blows, replace it with a 20A breaker if you can find one - it pops in just like a fuse.
That 25A fuse is for the heater fan.
That smaller wire connects to a key switched power terminal that get pwer when key is in RUN position. One of those two bottom tabs will be it - use a volt meter to find out which is RUN powered. It should be the one beside the DIR SIG fuse (with IGN below it).

This wiring enables the windows to only operate with the key on.

oldsconv

Thanks. I knew the smaller wire needed switched (IGN) power, but the weird thing is that the plug shape is the same as the large wire, so will only fit in the ACCESS terminal like the large wire. I can look in my bag of tricks and find a different GM plug to swap it out with so it will fit into the IGN spot, but I was confused as to why both plugs were the same. Anyway, I can make it work safely.