TheSubaruJunkie Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 So get this right... When I turn the dash lights all the way up and click the knob... it should turn my dome light on. Instead, it turns on the low fuel indicator near the gauge. Doesnt matter how much fuel is there. Also. If I open my door, the "BRAKE LAMP" light on the dash comes on. And my Voltmeter only works after 4pm. Well, it probably works before 4pm, but it doesn't work at 7am when I drive to work... but at 4pm on the way home it does. I have no idea where to even start. Anyone have any suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bheinen74 Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 an 83 brat mut gl10 my dash brightness knob does not actviate the overhead light. that light activates by switch on the light housing., not the dimmer switch i would start checking for corrosive connectors all over. the door open switches are easy to find. mine needed some san paper and electrical contact cleaner to get back to new. good luk on a brat gl10 mutt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSubaruJunkie Posted November 12, 2008 Author Share Posted November 12, 2008 Well I know the door switch works, because it is triggering my BRAKE LAMP indicator. And every EA81 ive owned, the dome light was turned on by the dimmer switch. At least, i think it was... its been a few years. Maybe im getting old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crockettbrat Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 My 84 brat dome light is turned on by a switch on the light housing also. Very strange about the other lights. My volt meter also doesn't work in the morning sometimes. Seems like when its cold out it wont work until I'm 10 miles down the road and then it wakes up. Does the low fuel indicator work when you are low on fuel and the lights are off? I would pull the gauge cluster and follow from the bulbs back to the multi plug to figure out which pins are for these lights and then wire them correctly. If your door is turning on the brake light then do you know if the brake warning light is working too? What gauges do you have in there? They're probably from the other car and are just pinned differently at the multi plug. My brat gauges have a big round plug on the back that had several empty spots, so I'm sure different soobs of this era had different wiring back there even though the gauges all look similar. I'd start by pulling the gauges and figuring out whats what back there. Then borrow or find a stock brat gauge and plug it in and see if it works correctly. Good luck. Daniel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Durania Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 (edited) On the EA81's I have owned, the dome light was turned on by the bulb housing. Just want to throw this out here, is your alternator in good operating condition? I had some weird stuff because of a bad alternator in my hatchback (wipers coming on when radio was turned on). I am also going to throw out on the table the possibility of a very bad gauge cluster, the 4pm and after thing is very weird. Edited November 12, 2008 by Durania Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subiemech85 Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 reset the time to 4pm at 7am try slamming the door run it out of fuel and the dome light should come on :-p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSubaruJunkie Posted November 12, 2008 Author Share Posted November 12, 2008 reset the time to 4pm at 7am try slamming the door run it out of fuel and the dome light should come on :-p hahahah!!!! The fuel gauge is quirky as well. It shows empty after only about 150 miles. And no, the low fuel indicator never comes on. Im not looking forward to pulling the dash and messing with the gauges. But I think you are right. The prev. owner probably just started plugging stuff into different wiring... *sigh* I guess I'll figure it out when I do my EJ swap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crockettbrat Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 Brian: Getting the gauges out isnt that tough. I was dreading it when I did the ej swap, but in the end it came out in just a few minutes and I didn't have to pull the steering wheel either. I'd look for a gauge set from a brat in the junk yard and swap it out. Do you still have your old hatch? maybe the gauges from that would work. Daniel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 You clearly have issues related to the front-end swap. The voltmeter is probably corrosion on the back of the cluster as I mentioned on your board. The rest of the stuff is going to be a real pain to track down. The differences between the vehicle harness that the front end came from and the Brat's harness may be part of the problem but I would need to look at the car. I doubt you have a "problem" so much as you have an incorrect conversion. Does the brake lamp warning also illuminate when you remove a bulb and apply the brakes? GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSubaruJunkie Posted November 12, 2008 Author Share Posted November 12, 2008 I havent checked yet GD. And Crockett, no I do not have anything left from the Hatch. Also, the local junkyards hasn't seen a decent EA81 in a long long time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 It sounds to me there is a grounding problem possibly that is causing some of the trouble at least. Clean the ground wires running between the battery and the chassis. Also do the same in the dash area. Every car I have owned I was able to turn on the dome light with the dimmer switch. I haven't owned a Brat but it seems logical that it would be the same for it. There is a switch on the light also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 (edited) Test. Sorry about the test. For some reason my previous post was not showing up until I did this post. Edited November 12, 2008 by Cougar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virrdog Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 When I had crazy electrical problems on my Brat it was the wires going across the bottom of the tailgate area were corroded and breaking. Doesn't sound like you have quite the same problems, but it wouldn't hurt to pull off that access panel real quick and check them out to eliminate a possible problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSubaruJunkie Posted January 2, 2009 Author Share Posted January 2, 2009 Well, i pulled the gauge cluster out today. Didn't really know what to expect, but I didnt expect to see this!! I also found out why my display doesnt work for the door's, clock or anything on that side of the dash I looked everywhere for the other connectors on the harness, but couldn't find them anywhere. I imagine they used to come from this plug here.... Its a nightmare in there. All the masking tape you see is where wiring has just been cut. Nothing is labeled. There is some other wiring that is soldered together, some wiring thats spliced together. That main plug has 2 wires that are used, the others are taped up. So yeah. I have no clue how to even start repairing this. I really dont want to replace the entire wiring harness, but I am affraid I wont have much of a choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bucky92 Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 That looks to me like someone did the digi to analog swap actually..since it is/was a GL-10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomRhere Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 Whoa,,, that's some serious amount of spagetti. It probally could be sorted out and properly re-connected, but I would swap in another harness myself. It's a pain to pull the dash, yes... But It would take less time and work than to trace-out all of the wiring in there. I'd go for a harness from a non-Cali, non-feedback carb vehicle seeing as you plan an EJ swap. You won't need all of the computer or extra sensor wiring anyways. Less to mess with. But that's just me....... Believe you would need the dash harness, and most likely, the frontend harness for under the hood, lighting and whatnot. Wish you luck either way...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSubaruJunkie Posted January 2, 2009 Author Share Posted January 2, 2009 That looks to me like someone did the digi to analog swap actually..since it is/was a GL-10 I think you're right Connie. After looking through the FSM, it mentions that large connector is only for digital dash models. So now im wondering if a new harness will do me any good at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bheinen74 Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 are you going to cover new splices with masking tape too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSubaruJunkie Posted January 2, 2009 Author Share Posted January 2, 2009 No, actually my plan as of now is to replace the ENTIRE DASH. Im hoping I can get away with not stringing a wiring harness by just replacing the dash with the harness and gauge cluster already installed. Just need to find a decent replacement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s'ko Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 BRIAN i AM HEADED TO THE JY TODAY W/CRABMAN. WILL KEEP MY EYE OUT FOR SOME BRAT PARTS. PMING YOUR MY NUMBER Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSubaruJunkie Posted January 2, 2009 Author Share Posted January 2, 2009 S'Ko, thanks! Im looking for a complete dash. Blue prefferably. Uncracked but i know thats near impossible these days. Don't go out of your way for me, but if you come across something let me know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 Ohh, my eyes! After seeing those pictures I had temporary blindness due to the shock. You poor soul. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.