Alright. The last problem(hopefully) with my 81 dl. None of the lights work. No head lights, no tail lights, no dash lights, no brake lights, no hazards. The only outside lights i have is blinkers. I know weird huh. Well it gets better... I also lost the fan settings on the heat. At the same time the lights quit. Doesnt even try to kick on in any setting. Now the weird part. When i turn the lights on the door chime comes on until i turn the lights off. The same happens when i press the brake pedal. No brake lights but the chime comes on until i take my foot off the pedal. Same thing happens with the hazards. Any ideas are greatly appreciated

Get a preist!

Check for Loose / Corroded \ Burnt connections on Fusible Links / Fusible Box \ Relays.

 

Kind Regards.

Nice Godsmulligan!  Ha!  Well you are getting power to the switch at least if the chime goes, I would assume.  So it has to be a relay, or a bad earth further down the line...  Good luck, sounds like fun.

Along with checking the fusible links under the hood and no trouble is found there then check the grounding to the dash area. You could try running a temporary ground wire from the battery to see if that helps.

+1 fuse links by battery check that has power on both side of links check alt voltage no more than 14.50 I see thiss when alt is over chargeing

Fusible links are the first suspect, also check for loose chassis grounding.

Welp figured out the light situation. Blown fuse by the battery. Disconnected the door chime. Still no heater/ac fan speed. Anyone know where the fuse for that is? Im on my way to search that right now.

Welp figured out the light situation. Blown fuse by the battery. Disconnected the door chime. Still no heater/ac fan speed. Anyone know where the fuse for that is? Im on my way to search that right now.

The fuses by the battery are the fusible links everyone was referring to.  An '81 will have two in-line right off the terminal.   I recommend switching them to the fusible link box* that the '83-'84 maybe '82 wagons used if you see one at a junkyard.  The heater fan uses a Nichrome wire resistor pack that is located down by the driver's side right foot area, kind of on the tunnel (someone correct me if I am remembering that incorrectly).  It has two phillips head screws holding it in place.  If you have blown a fusible link, it stands to reason you could have also blown the resistor pack.  Check your fuses with a multimeter.  On '81s there are also like three inline fuses tucked under the driver's side dash, but I can't remember if any of them go to the heater.

 

*The fusible link box goes where the external voltage regulator goes on the '81.  I highly recommend deleting the external VR and switching your car over to an internally regulated alternator.  RenaissanceMan posted a thread on how to do so on the old forum, doesn't look like it made it over here unfortunately.

Edited June 5, 201312 yr by ferox

The fuses by the battery are the fusible links everyone was referring to.  An '81 will have two in-line right off the terminal.   I recommend switching them to the fusible link box* that the '83-'84 maybe '82 wagons used if you see one at a junkyard.  The heater fan uses a Nichrome wire resistor pack that is located down by the driver's side right foot area, kind of on the tunnel (someone correct me if I am remembering that incorrectly).  It has two phillips head screws holding it in place.  If you have blown a fusible link, it stands to reason you could have also blown the resistor pack.  Check your fuses with a multimeter.  On '81s there are also like three inline fuses tucked under the driver's side dash, but I can't remember if any of them go to the heater.

 

*The fusible link box goes where the external voltage regulator goes on the '81.  I highly recommend deleting the external VR and switching your car over to an internally regulated alternator.  RenaissanceMan posted a thread on how to do so on the old forum, doesn't look like it made it over here unfortunately.

Yep. Thats why i checked there first. The guy i bought the car from must has changed them over. It has two flat two prongged fuses now. One was popped. Replaced it and now all the lights work again. Today is my bday plus its raining like an s.o.b out. When it stops im gonna do some fishing:) then ill check under the dash. Thanks for the help guys.

check heater fan realy should have green white stripe and red with white stripe heavy wires going to it