OK- so I finally got my 1987 BRAT (big blue) running good and hooked up with a working alternator from a 94 pathfinder (seen here) and I've still got a few wiring issues and would really appreciate some help figuring them out!

 

Problem 1: Fuel sender wire got burnt off during some welding, does anyone know where the 2 wires come out of the cab from? Wanna just take them back on a set of new wires anyway, stuff on the rear end isn't too pretty.

 

Problem 2: Does anyone know where the power wire for the Dash/Heater control back lighting is? Power to those are out, while the headlights and stuff all work.

 

Minor problem: The dash voltmeter ALWAYS reads full volts, no matter what. Even if the battery is pretty much dead, it just pegs itself at maximum voltage++

 

 

Thanks in advance- I can almost see the light at the end of the tunnel with by BRAT.

 

-CL

1.) The wires go into the harness inside the passenger side quarter panel i would just patch whats bad other wise run new wires from the dash back.

2.) I take it you have already played with the spin nob on the end of the headlight switch to turn them on/dim on the head light switch? If you have i would say take it apart and try cleaning it.

3.)Have you put a multimeter on the battery will running to see what it's actually reading? While doing the test see what it reads at idle then at 3000rpms. If that checks out at around 14v i would say the gauge is read high. The stock gauges suck and get out of calibration. I've had them read 8v-16v but when i go test them they read around 14v

Wiring harness for the rear has a few connection points in it.

Behind the PS kick-panel,

Behind the "B" pillar trim,

Behind the front and rear access panels in the bed.

 

The heater control panel lights have a wiring lead that's about 6" long and plugs into the main harness behind the panel.

If the rest of your dash lights work properly, it may be that the panel lights have burnt out.

Going strictly off 10 year old memory, I think there's 2 bulbs there.

 

+1 on what Turbo said about the gauges.

Got the dash lights back on (re-did a couple PO wires, and a fuse), and no longer really care about the dash multi meter as I know it's running acceptable voltage, might rig up a custom one into my switch panel at some point down the road.

 

Now my left turn signal light on the dash is permanently on however, but I don't have any working turn signals as it is, so I'll wait to plug some in to decide if it's really broken.

 

Thanks a lot guys!

Edited January 20, 201610 yr by comatosellama