I'm not sure what genious wired this thing, but here are the problems I have: The Voltimeter in the car never reads above the mark just past the dangerzone. Alternator tests great at just over 14. Battery is new. After the new battery and alternator, I drove it around for about 20 minutes with the A/C blasting and the lights on and it didn't seem to drain...Some genious rewired the radiator fan and it appears to get power from the brown and white wire that runs from the alternator (pic below). What is the purpose of the brown and white wire from the alternator? Could this be why the Voltimeter is reading the way it is? Can you suggest a better power source? Another problem I'm having is that the fuse that controls the dome light, floor lights, and (I'm assuming) the third brake light blows as soon as a fuse is put in it. Not sure what the deal is there. Any ideas would be appreciated. There's no fuse in the spot marked Radio...Anyone know what goes there? The fuses used everywhere else on the box don't fit in the radio spot. On the the fuse box, at the front is a single spot that looks like it is for a fuse, but it is not labeled. Any ideas?

The voltage gauge and alternator brown wire are two separate circuits, they do not influence each other. The brown wire on the anternator needs to have 12V on it with the key on for the alternator to charge, that's all.

If your other gauges work fine, I'd suggest it's the voltage gauge that's at fault.

If your ACC fuse is blowing, check the cigarette lighter for coins (VERY common problem). You can also unplug it and see if the fuse stops blowing.
The third brake light should be on a separate circuit and fuse (brakes/hazards) but it's hard to tell since you failed to mention what vehicle model year we're looking at. (it would be the best to put it in your profile)

The radio fuse should a standard blade 10A fuse. Got a picture of the fusebox?

There are unused spots in the fusebox, I wouldn't worry about it, unless some circuits in the car are inoperable.

Hope this helps.
Lou

Sorry about that. It's a 1988 Pontiac Firebird, L03, 700R4. I just ordered a service manual for it too, so hopefully I'll have that in a week or so.

I will get a picture of the fusebox when I get home.

Thanks for the tip about the coins...Why would someone put a coin in there though? I'll have to see if I can even find the damned thing. I'm not real familiar with everything yet.

The cigarette lighter plug is in the center console, I believe next to the ashtray under the lid (I am not 100% familiar with Firebirds).
People tend to store change in the ashtray and a stray penny often finds its way into the cig. lighter plug.

The FSM is a great thing to have but meanwhile, feel free to use these online diagrams: http://www.austinthirdgen.org/index.php?pid=19

Lou

This fuse panel is from an 89RS but looks identical to mine. See where it says "Radio" It looks like there is an arrow pointing to another slot. I was told that the radio slot is the one with a 10 amp fuse in it. If so, what is the arrow all about? Anyone know?

good ****!

From that pic - you have the radio fuse in the correct slot - the 10 amp RED fuse IS the radio fuse slot.

Where the arrow points that says RADIO - that's a place where you can add an additional radio power wire, like for power to an external graphic equalizer or tape deck (ok - old school here, how about power for a CD changer?). It's not a fuse slot, just a place to connect a spade connector for an additional power wire. This is the LEFT slot in that pic. This slot will only have power when the key is ON, or when the key is turned backwards to ACC position.

OK - see the RIGHT slot ... In the middle of the two slots here, we see where it has BAT and an arrow to that RIGHT slot. Same thing here - it's an unused slot where you can add a power wire using a standard spade connector and you'll get battery power there - meaning it's a DIRECT connection to the battery + and whatever you plug in there will get power ALWAYS. This is where I linked a power wire for my 4th gen power seat - that way I could move the seat BEFORE I had to crawl into it (wife is short, leaves the seat forward, I can't get in to insert key until I move the seat back). Make sense? That BAT slot has power always.

Lower left of pic - you'll see a slot or 2 that are empty - one of them has IGN with an arrow - this slot is similar to the BAT slot - an additional outlet to run a power wire for an accessory - but this one is a run-in-hot connection - it only has power when the key is ON.

Hope that makes sense.

PS - With your new knowledge, now you can wire in all kinds of goodies! Dig that disco ball air freshener out of the closet - now you have a place to wire it in and make it glow!

This thread seemed to be the closest to what I'm having issues with.

I've also got a firebird, 92' V8, with a very similar fusebox. I'm having a couple issues with it. (Also I thought having a few more fusebox pictures on the site may prove helpful to others in the future as Haynes' is a little schematic and I found little on the net)

Anyway so my dome light went out after working a bit, which I read is on the same fuse as the cigarette lighter which also doesn't work. (I haven't found any coins yet but I'll dig deeper, it is pretty ashy in there so I'll clean it too). So I replaced the ACC fuse which was fried, and as I'm sticking it in I see some sparks, and of course the new one blows after the dome light is on for about 3 seconds while I'm trying the lighter. Then the blown fuse starts glowing red...? I'm assuming the wiring or something is messed up but I'm not sure how to go about changing that or want to if it may be something else.

My second issue is the trunk latch fuse. I know its out, but I don't know where the thing is. I read in another post its separate and somewhere by the side of the box, but I'm not seeing any side/detached fuse slots, of regular size anyway, so hopefully this picture is helpful.

Also, this is my first post but I've gotten a lot of work done on this 'new' bird of mine through the help of these forums so thanks to everyone for making/contributing to this place. Glad to be a new member.

Your hatch release works from one of the fuse box fuses, there are no other fuses anywhere in the car except one, it is for the fuel pump circuit and it's under the hood between battery and fender in a weatherpack.

What I think they were referring to is the hatch release relay.

This might help you chase your demons - wiring diags for almost all 3rd gens: http://www.austinthirdgen.org/index.php?pid=19

Welcome to TGO!

Thanks for that, very helpful indeed. Here's the article I mentioned, regarding the fuse location:

http://www.thirdgen.org/techboard/el...fuse-link.html (trunk latch fuse link for electric pull dowm motor)

I have a 1987 Iroc and just yesterday i noticed that my sterio, back hatch release, interior lights were not working for some reson and they were just working earlier in the day. Anyone have ideas of what is wrong and how i can fix it?? thanks