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I Gone an' Done It Part Deux

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J

JoshP

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Just like Nunyas, I 'gone an' done it'; I let some smoke out of my wires. I was pulling into my driveway and noticed some smoke coming out of my shifter (!). I immediately cut the motor, disconnected the battery and removed the shifter knob.

I saw the cause almost immediately: the two wires that connected to the OD shifter switch, particularly the red one, looked like a dog had chewed them up. If that wasn't an accident waiting to happen...thankfully, the only things damaged were a couple of wires and a melted bullet connector.

My opinion is that the flexing of the wires when I shifted caused the bare part of the wiring to rub against the shifter itself, thereby causing a short to ground. Thankfully, I'm only out a few bits of wire and a bullet connector, instead of a gearbox harness or a whole car.

Would you believe that tomorrow's project was to fuse the OD and fuel pump circuits? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Maybe this was the car's way of telling me to do it, or else...
 
On a side note about the cylindrical slit connectors that connect into the OD shifter switch, does anyone know what those are called and where I can get them? I've never seen them anywhere else.

Also, I can't find the style of bullet connector that is in use on the car. I do have a different set of bullets available(clear plastic insulated variety), but are those original styles available anywhere locally? (I'm also open to just removing the bullet and straight connecting.)
 
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cylindrical slit connectors

[/ QUOTE ]

Think there's been a DPO inside there...
 
It's a very good possibility; I do know that the OD lockout switch is either nonexistant or has been bypassed. When I took the shifter knob and boot off, I found that there was a brown/white with a single bullet connected up to the red wire. The OD works in all gears (I have been doubly careful about using it only in a forward gear; I treat it as though it's just 5th gear.)

Per the wiring diagram (the one that Kenny sent to me, thanks again!) there should be a yellow coming up from the lockout switch. So, yes, it does appear that there was a DPO in this car's history. Not too surprising, but it seemed like those cylindrical slit-type connectors are the ones that would fit there.

What is supposed to go there? (I've checked Moss and VB diagrams, no clues yet)

Little side story: when I first bought the car from the PO (he wouldn't have done anything like this, IMHO), I asked him what the switch on the shifter was for. He said that it was the OD and that it was operable in all gears including reverse (YIKES!). However, he'd never had any desire to use it in reverse or a low gear. He treated it like 5th, which I do as well. Thought someone might find that interesting.
 
You mean "Lucar" connectors? Same as the rest of the car? Moss sells 'em, as does Britiish Wiring. If you intend keeping the car get an assortment. Cheap part to stock to keep the car original, IMO.
 
The Lucars are the smallish bullets, right? If so, the connectors I'm still in question about are the ones that connect to the OD shifter switch. The ones I have are copper in color, about 1/2" long, cylindrical shape with a cut that goes down the length of it. It did fit the switch's electrical tabs pretty well, FWIW.

If these aren't the original units, does anyone know what the originals are called and where I can find them? Thanks in advance for any help!
 
ACK! Okay, the wiring and connectors in the shifter/knob/switch. They were thinner gauge and the connectors were not Lucar. Yours are likely OEM. Have you looked around in Radio Shack for a similar type yet? That'd be my suggestion. A "reasonable facimilie thereof" should be on the shelf there.

If you can find something that works, I don't think the electrons will know the difference! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jester.gif
 
Thanks, it's just that I'd never seen those type of connectors anywhere before. I may have to take one of them with me and see if I can match them up at a store.

If I had to, I could probably salvage the old ones, although they're almost as bad looking as the melted bullet.
 
OD should only work in 4th & 3rd (if you're above the minimum speed for it to engage)....there should be a lockout that keeps it from activating in reverse...I'm in a hotel so don't hve wiring diagram with me - however, as I recall, there is no color change in any of the OD wiring....& that yellow wire is prominent!
 
My OD works in all gears, although I do know that it shouldn't work in any gear but 4th ('77 model, as I understand, has the lockout set to allow only 4th). My guess is that a DPO didn't want to fix/replace that switch or just wanted OD in all 4, so he bypassed it.

I have a diagram here; it reads that there's a white/brown which connects to a yellow/purple to the AWOL lockout. A yellow comes from the lockout, connects to a two-bullet. One yellow goes to the OD switch, the other to the spark control.

Under the shifter, I have two yellows connected to a double sleeve, a single white/brown and a black with a melted bullet. Then the wires that connect to the shifter switch.

Apparently, those slit connectors are the OEMs and are hard to find. None of the catalogs list them, and British Wiring doesn't sell them separately. I managed to salvage the ones I had. I shouldn't have too many problems fixing this, although I am a newbie when it comes to the electricals.
 
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..it shouldn't work in any gear but 4th

[/ QUOTE ]

Check - I think it'll also work in 3rd above 45 mph.

[ QUOTE ]
...those slit connectors are the OEMs and are hard to find

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't remember the connectors on the OD being any different than the other connectors on the car...gotta look when I get home.
 
The connectors are the ones that connect to the OD shifter switch; I couldn't find any similar replacements, so I called John Twist on his tech hour to ask if he knew of anywhere to find them.

He knew the ones I was speaking of and referred me to British Wiring. BW includes them with their gearbox harnesses, but they don't sell them as a sundry item. Apparently, they're like hen's teeth, so I just salvaged the ones I have.

I'll check into the matter of OD working in 3rd and 4th; some of the earlier LH OD cars had lockouts to allow 3rd and 4th, but I remember reading that the '77 model year cars had a 4th only lockout.

Anyhoo, I've repaired the wiring that shorted out and checked out the rest. All I've left to do now is replace that melted bullet, fuse the circuit and I'll be good to go again!
 
The verdict: I have OD again!

It wasn't totally without incident though; I fused the fuel pump and OD circuits. I wired everything back up in the OD and took the car out. No sooner had I put the car in reverse, I heard a loud 'pop' crackle sound. Back to square one. As a side note, the OD fuse did blow, so it did do it's job (I fused the OD and fuel pump circuits separately even though both can be fused on the same white circuit. That's so I don't lose both things if one should FUBAR.)

I found that another section of the wiring to the OD switch had rubbed through the insulation, just underneath the original shrink wrap. I ended up making a new pair of connector wires and put those in. Less trouble that way.

I buttoned everything back up again, when surprise! I was putting the shifter cap/switch on, and the cap cracked! Back off with that and super glue it. It's holding together, but won't quite snap on to the knob as it did before. Looks like a new one is in my future. That's okay though.

Everything's back to the status quo, at least for now!
 
Whew! Quite an adventure. Glad to hear it works now.
 
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