Hot 442

Problem...I am getting ready to finally start the new engine. Eveythings all hooked up and ready to go. As I connect the battery - I find that I have the "GEN" and "BRAKE" idiot lights on.

The key is out and in lock position. Car not running or even started for the first time yet!

Emergency brake is released - I checked that...and brake fluid full too. But even if these were a problem that still doesnt explain the GEN light.

As soon as battery is connected - lights come on and stay on.

With key forward GEN light goes out - BRAKE light stays illuminated. Unplugging the connector to the Alt had no effect - both lights illuminate when battery connected.

Any thoughts?

Hot 442

Anyone????

Help!!!!!!!!!!

CQR

Is it internally regulated? if not, what happens if you unplug the regulator?

Hot 442

Yup internally regulated.

Unplug it and no change.

Whats with the brake light too tho??

Lalo442

Check the wire to the brake distribution block on the inner frame rail drivers side , unplug it and see if the light goes out ....if it does the inner switch is grounded and you may have a brake line leak or faulty distribution block ....

Hot 442

Ok will do. So you figure I have two separate issues here?

One being the GEN light turning on when batt connected and the other being the BRAKE light issue??

Seems strange...I had the battery connected briefly when I restored my dash guages to see what it looked like and I didn't have any lights .... Now I do and I've done nothing in the meantime.

New ( rebuilt) alt too.... I don't get it.

CQR

I think you are getting a backfeed somewhere. Both of those should do a bulb check in the crank position, was the column messed with? fuseblock? bulkhead? what all did you do besides the motor?

Hot 442

I'm really havin a tough time with this one. Not a huge electronics guy it always stumps me.

Only thing I've done is rebuild of motor, trans, re and re them....rebuilt alt and starter.....no messing with bulkhead or fuse block etc. Only issue I ran into wiring wise was the red wire that runs to alt.

The pigtail that comes off the alt connector (top) needed to be soldered to a ring type connector that allows it to be bolted to the back of the alt. The larger red wire and smaller red wire going to the back terminal were hacked up and taped together horribly so that's why the repair, they had to be connected properly. Otherwise the other small gauge wire that is part of the top connector and goes to the gen light is fine.

stellar

possible ign switch problem or a short feeding the lite circuits. There should not be power to the lites until the ign is on.

Hot 442

I figured it out. My own stupidity really. I was advised to run a power wire directly from my fuse box BAT to the positive terminal of the coil. I disconnected the wire and boom no lights on dash after battery cable connected.

Oh and I could not shut the car off by the ignition either! Duh what was I thinking. So I guess the question is what's the correct way to run this wire??? Through the ignition switch somehow?

I'm running it in addition to the factory resistor wire.

oldcutlass

You need to find a 12v source that is on when the key is in the "On" position only (off in Accy), and connect your coil feed there. Simple!

MDchanic

Yeah.

BAT is always HOT. Like the BATtery.
ACC is hot when the ACCessory circuit is live, and
IGN is hot when the IGNition circuit is live.

SOLDER it to the heavy pink wire from the ignition switch.

- Eric

Hot 442

Thanks Eric...feelin dumb here. You said that before in my thread about the MSD Distributor!

I just needed to apply some common sense when I did this the first time!

Going to switch it to the pink wire now and be done with it!!!

This wire was also the source of my back feed issue which I found strange but it fixed the idiot light issue when it was removed.

Thanks again for the help fellas!!