possible electrical short

92_LSL · #1 10-07-2011, 12:47 PM

Hi, I'm having a problem with the electrics in my car.1986nate and I finished doing another 4.11 transmission swap on my car but now It's giving me problems. When I first test drove the car everything on the car worked except for the speedometer, minus the fact that it was starting of in 3rd gear. I stopped the car when I noticed the FWD light was on, shut the car off and removed the fuse. Once I turned the car back on my tachometer, warning lights, windows, sun roof, ac controls and radio stopped working. My turn signals, gauge cluster back light, power driver's seat and ac control back light still work. Nate had suggested that my speed sensor wire (which has no plastic plug socket, only pins) might have been put on backwards causing a short. I am in dire need of a running vehicle and any input would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

-Joe

icingdeath88 · #2 10-07-2011, 12:58 PM

Look for blown fuses and try unplugging the speedo.

Starting off in third gear means that there's a problem that the TCU knows about and it's bad enough that it's in limp-home mode. Check codes.

92snowmachine · #3 10-07-2011, 01:01 PM

should probably try reversing the wires on your speed sensor and replacing any bad fuses first, it's possible that if the wires touched each other it blew the fuse for tcu and possibly others.

92_LSL · #4 10-07-2011, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by icingdeath88

Look for blown fuses and try unplugging the speedo.

Starting off in third gear means that there's a problem that the TCU knows about and it's bad enough that it's in limp-home mode. Check codes.

I can't check codes, my gauge cluster isn't working.

Subaru Alliance · #5 10-07-2011, 04:18 PM

try plugging the the fuse back for FWD and see what effect that has on the short, maybe it will get some of those electrics working and start to narrow down the problem

icingdeath88 · #6 10-07-2011, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 92_LSL

I can't check codes, my gauge cluster isn't working.

I can see how that might be a problem...

Well first go through the fuses with a fuse tester. Can you post a pic of the speedo wires (or you can text it to me and i'll post it)? That is where I would first focus my attention.

1986nate · #7 10-07-2011, 10:42 PM

Let me update this. First I will clarify that I did in fact do the differential swap on the transmission, helped bolt it up but figured Joe could handle the rest since he's done a couple trans swaps already. Thought it would be no big deal.

So in more detail, from the sounds of it, The car went from when he first started it up and took it for a test drive, everything worked fine but the speedometer. Tach worked fine, dummy lights all worked as they should, etc.
When he stopped and took out the FWD fuse, he lost tach, dummy lights, pwr windows and sunroof, climate control and in the time that I was able to come back over, the radio had worked but then stopped working. The backlighting on the gauge cluster and climate control still all work, however not the button on the end of the stalk that lights the clock and other stuff back to full brightness with the lights on. I know about the breaker under the driver seat but typically that knocks out the power seat as well but that still works as it should. If it can kill the sunroof and windows separate from the seat, that would be valuable information.

There were no blown fuses and inserting the FWD fuse back in made no change except that might have caused the radio to stop working when we plugged it in and unplugged it a little later. (Didn't notice the change in radio function right away as the volume was off and was not something of focus until it was not working. Also, all grounds appear to be fine. I was not able to look too deep into anything as it was very late, it was dark, and I was tired from a long day of doing other work as well. Also, I'll be the first to admit that I hate electrical issues and advised Joe to come on here as there are a few here that are well versed in the wiring and electronics of the SVX. Hopefully this can clear some things up and help get some more solid leads for him to check out.

Edit: Also advised Joe to leave the speedo wires unplugged for the time being and taped up so they cannot short out against each other. I do have another harness with connector from the junkyard for him to splice in that I will be giving him tomorrow so that this can't be an issue.

oab_au · #8 10-08-2011, 12:44 AM

Nate, you left out the "starting in third gear", is that still the case?

Harvey.