'80 Z28 almost there...a few(hopefully minor) glitches

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80 Z-28 work - 07 Feb 2007 05:12 GMT

I'm having trouble getting the back up lights to work in my '80 camaro
Z-28. Theres a diagram for them at http://www.nastyz28.com/camaro/wire/78w-rear.jpg
. I dont know if it's a fuse or not but I'm pretty sure theres nothing
connected to the back up switch, but I'm not sure which switch it is
or where it could be found. If you know where it would be, or if I
found it, what color wires hook up to the back up switch?

Also, my tach, oil pressure gauge, and gas gauge do not work after
removing the instrument cluster and playing around a little bit with
the wiring. Do they have any common power/ground sources that I should
check? Does any of them have a separate fuse/switch/relay that I
should check? If so, where would they be? Theres a diagrams of these
on nastyz28.com, at http://www.nastyz28.com/camaro/wire/78w-ip.jpg and
http://www.nastyz28.com/camaro/wire/78w-ip1.jpg but theres a big
difference to me in the pictures with abbreviations of these switches/
relays/fuses and what it actually looks like in person.

I just need to figure out atleast the tachometer(because it's a
stick), gas gauge (I'm too dumb to be able to tell by the mileage, and
I know it worked when I bought the car), and the back up lights (so I
can pass inspection) to get this baby on the road. Any help will be
greatly appreciated.

I dont know if it helps, but there is a decent thickness orange wire
coming through the firewall through a grommet that was definitely
there from the factory, and its disconnected before it gets to
wherever it needed to go in the engine compartment. I'm not sure where
it goes once it gets inside the car, if you can help me figure out
what it might be I can try and trace it.

There is also a gray .8 wire that comes from behind the fusebox the
got cut somehow that I'm not sure what it is. The ends of these wires
are easy to get to and I could test them if I knew what to do...

Thanks,
Brian

If anyone here lives around Massachusetts I'm willing to exchange a
full set of black Z-28 rims for help with the car or a trade or
cash...let me know.

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Terminal Crazy - 07 Feb 2007 19:24 GMT

> I dont know if it helps, but there is a decent thickness orange wire
> coming through the firewall through a grommet that was definitely
> there from the factory, and its disconnected before it gets to
> wherever it needed to go in the engine compartment. I'm not sure where
> it goes once it gets inside the car, if you can help me figure out
> what it might be I can try and trace it.

The orange wire sounds familiar. I last played 12+ years ago with my '78.
IIRC it should go the transmission. TH400 was on the drivers side rear half
above the sump. There should be a connection around abouts for other
transmissions.

HTH

Signature

Mitch - 1995 Z28 LT1 M6 terminal_crazy@sand-hill.freeserve.co.uk
Lancashire England http://www.sand-hill.freeserve.co.uk/terminal_crazy/

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Terminal Crazy - 07 Feb 2007 19:28 GMT

In article <1170825159.357127.243610@s48g2000cws.googlegroups.com>,

Just had another thought. I disconnected the linkage between the
transmission and the steering column, the one that drives the PRNDL on the
dash. IIRC I could rotate the ring behind the steering wheel and turn on
the rear lights, so it could be controlled by that.

Signature

Mitch - 1995 Z28 LT1 M6 terminal_crazy@sand-hill.freeserve.co.uk
Lancashire England http://www.sand-hill.freeserve.co.uk/terminal_crazy/

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Ed.Toronto@gmail.com - 07 Feb 2007 23:58 GMT

> I'm having trouble getting the back up lights to work in my '80 camaro
> Z-28. Theres a diagram for them athttp://www.nastyz28.com/camaro/wire/78w-rear.jpg
> . I dont know if it's a fuse or not but I'm pretty sure theres nothing
> connected to the back up switch, but I'm not sure which switch it is
> or where it could be found. If you know where it would be, or if I
> found it, what color wires hook up to the back up switch?

They probably still used the backdrive to the steering column switch
in '80. There are some linkages from the ST-10 transmission going to
an arm you can probably see on the firewall, coming off your steering
shaft.

The backdrive provided both the backup lights and the business where
the shifter must be in reverse to get the ignition switch to "lock"
position. As well, if the car is locked, the lever is stuck in
reverse. (Although if you reef on it enough, you can probably break
something.)

Anyway, this is how it works on my '78 Trans Am with manual
transmission. The backdrive linkage is often removed--it interferes
with headers, for example. I also suspect that it's very hard to
find, as the linkages were probably removed years ago, and now are in
demand for 100-point restorations.

> Also, my tach, oil pressure gauge, and gas gauge do not work after
> removing the instrument cluster and playing around a little bit with
> the wiring. Do they have any common power/ground sources that I should
> check?

I don't know the answer, but you should be able to get a cheap used
copy of the GM service manual. All the wiring diagrams will be in
there, with colour codes and all. There is almost no way to
troubleshoot the electrical system without the factory diagrams. The
factory service manual is essential for anyone working on their own
car.

....Ed

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KR - 12 Feb 2007 15:04 GMT

it would be the same as the T/A right?

If so I have the diagrams etc........email me at rockinrotho at yahoo dot
com

> I'm having trouble getting the back up lights to work in my '80 camaro
> Z-28. Theres a diagram for them at
[quoted text clipped - 37 lines]
> full set of black Z-28 rims for help with the car or a trade or
> cash...let me know.

Reply to this Message