Beob

This is just what I was affraid of, electrical issues. This is a restored 69 442 with all new wiring. I hooked up the battery for the first time, and there are many problems. The first problem was the horn was stays on, the steering wheel is not on yet, I disconnected the harmonica and it stopped. Next, the dash and parking lights do not work but the headlights do work. Also the heater, radio, wipers do not work. All fuses are good. Any help appreciated.
Thanks, Rob

MDchanic

I am not going to be able to solve your problems right now, but I would make some observations.

First, if you've got non-original wiring, then all bets are off. Whoever did it could have done anything, any wire could be connected wrong, anything could have been left unconnected. If by "new wiring," you mean reproduction wiring from a reputable manufacturer, then the wiring itself is probably good, but anything could still be connected wrong or left unconnected.

Second, the factory wiring diagram is your best friend, but only if someone hasn't "rewired" it in some new and different way.
It sounds as though you have at least two problems that are likely caused by different things. Since you've never actually seen the wiring work right, it would be a good idea to start at the battery and trace each circuit out to be sure everything goes where it should, starting, obviously, with the things that don't work.

You'll get it sorted out, but it may take a fair amount of time and patience.

- Eric

compedgemarine

like Eric said, if it is an aftermarket harness it could be anything. who did the wiring? what is the harness? the horn is triggered by a ground wire in the column so if it is touching anywhere the horn will blow. if it is an aftermarket harness then it is possible that the wires are in the wrong place. I have corrected many cars that someone put the harness in wrong. the 46 Ford I just fixed was so screwed up that I had to pull out every bit of wiring and start over. I fixed one a while back where they had put all the wires in the wrong place on the ignition switch. as stated you need a wiring diagram and then start checking.

MDchanic

I've done a '47 Mercury.

Darn near simplest car in the world to wire (well, maybe a Model T would be simpler ), though those bullet connectors can cause some aggravation.

How on Earth could anyone screw one up?

- Eric

compedgemarine

the 46 is a street rod with a small block and power windows, locks, a/c etc. several things never worked when he got it back from the people who originally wired it and it was so sloppy and such a rats nest I had to start over. several things had been wired wrong and some had never even been hooked up. the worst was a 39 Ford street rod I wired and had to modify the original head light switch in the steering wheel to be used as a turn signal switch. several relays and some creative modifying and it actually works and looks completely stock inside.

Beob

The main harness and fuse box were in when I got the car back, I did the rest of the wiring. Its an OEM from American Autowire and I really dont see how it can be in wrong. Everything has its own unique plug that only goes on one way. But I will start the painstaking process of tracing each circuit, starting with the grounds.
Thanks for help, Rob

compedgemarine

american auto wire makes nice stuff so not likely that is the problem. the horn relay is looking for a ground from the horn button so either the wire is damaged or it is plugged in wrong on the relay. the other issues need to be addressed one at a time. you say the fuses are good, did you look at the fuses or use a test light? need to know if you are getting power out of the fuse box. several fuses pull from a strip in the box so if all the fuses on that strip are dead then it is in the supply to the fuse box or in the fuse box.

69442C

While this may sound like a dumb question, did you have the ignition in the "run" position when you tested some of those items? Wipers, heater fan and radio need the key to be in the run position. You probably know that but I thought I would ask. Also heater fan will not operate if the selector is in the far left or off position. Slide it to heat or vent and see if the blower works. There is a black ground wire that connects to the brake pedal bracket. If it's not there, start looking for a thin black wire with a ring terminal somewhere above and near the steering column. Is the engine harness and forward light harness installed? Do you have power to the termnals the fuses plug into?

MDchanic

Which, not to be a wisenheimer, is where the wiring diagram becomes indispensable .

- Eric

Beob

Key is on, heater switch on, all fuses checked with an ohm meter. There is a black wire thets hanging from under column. This needs to go to brake pedal?

69442C

The black wire is connected to the brake pedal bracket. If you are sitting in the car, the hole in the bracket will be on the botttom right hand lip and closer to the dash than the firewall. This is the bracket that the brake pedal mounts to (also clutch if a manual trans car), it also has the studs for the booster/master cylinder and also is held by the same studs/nuts that bolt the steering column to the dash.

Ditch the ohm meter and use a volt meter or test light. You need to see if voltage is present at different points in order to trace the problem. Are both of the harnesses under the hood, that connect to the engine side of fuse block, installed? It's through these harnesses that power is brought into the car. If you have those connected, have they been modified in any way? Like was mentioned, get the CSM electrical schematic and start at the 12V source, check it with the test light and then go further along the circuit to see if you can find where the voltage is not present when it should be. I would also check the ignition switch (electrical one lower down on the column) to make sure it has 12V on the main red wire and then see if you get 12V to the wires that are supposed to when the ignition is placed in the run position.

69442C

DUH! I supppose you do have at least the forward light harness in place under the hood since the headlights work, unless you found a way to send power wirelessly! Connect that ground wire under the dash and go from there.

Beob

Got the horn working. Under the lock plate theres a horn contact with 3 tabs that hold it to a plastic housing. One of the tabs was touching the lock plate. The blinkers are now also working. Im getting a test light tommorow, will hook up some grounds and then start poking around if still not working.
Thanks for help, Rob