The 283 Rebuild Begins

[MacAttack]

Well – now we go into Bizarre-O-World with the truck’s electrical system:

Without the brake pedal applied – the stop lights blink of and on and I can hear the signal canister “pinging” under the dash. Apparently, it’s been doing this from getting the truck back from the shop – weeks ago.

I tried switching the canister out with a new one – same / same. If that’s not odd enough, sometimes (other than when I put the brake on) it stops on its own. Has no effect on the tail or front parking lights, but turn signal sticks on – when I apply the brakes.

Tried everyone’s ideas on my alternator wackiness, but nothing is working. Still not a single amp of charging and nothing showing on the dash gage. Truck runs fine – but still having to use the trickle charger to be able to drive the rig around.

Mac.

[padresag]

turn signals and brake lights have their one circuit different from the taillights
grounding problem?
ron

[padresag]

hey Mac they didn't pull your wire did they?
if they did the screw driver nbr on the column they may have buggered some of the wires in there. did they pull any off under the dash>
ron
. do you have the later str column with the 4 way flashers

[MacAttack]

They butchered the steering column and the wiring therein, in some drug induced attempt to get their 3-speed linkage to function.

The column was/is bone stock, for an automatic - but it was so tore up I had to take what was left of the original shifter off, plug and paint over the hole and put a Gennie shifter on the floor.

I replaced the turn-signal canceling unit and wiring (with the horn ring hardware) with all new stuff and my transmission place plugged that into the stock plug, further down the column.


The really good news is - I just called my old-school auto electrician and he's closed up shop and retired.

Mac.

[MacAttack]

At lunch today - checked out a source for getting my electrical gremlins zapped.

Went by my old guy to see if he was actually gone - he was. Bummer.

New possibility seems like he knows what he's doing, has a 66' Chevy P/U and because of my scheduling issues - can't drop my truck off until Monday (11/23).

He's open at 6AM which is kind if unusual and really cool.

I'll make him a hit list and we'll see how he does.

Mac.