acerocks666

Hey everyone trying to get my 83 z28 back on the road and am having some very strange electrical issues. Before when I had the car going my button to pop my hatch and my clock in my center console worked just fine. Now for some reason whenever I push my button for my hatch my brake light comes on WTF and my clock is not working at all anymore. I am assuming I got some wires crossed or something going on somewhere just don't know how it would start all of a sudden.....

Rockguy

Let me get this straight. Hatch and clock worked fine. Since you said "Before when I had the car going" I assume for some unknown reason you parked it for awhile. You decide to get it back on the road. You jump in and clock isn't working and hatch button makes brake lights come on. "You say I am assuming I got some wires crossed" Did you work on the wiring in that area before things stopped working right? If not, I've read around here where some guys have had rodents get into their wiring when a car was sitting. Give us the best picture of what happened as you can. I.E. the car was sitting in an old open barn for some time. At any rate, I imagine you are going to have to trace the wiring so here is a diagram so you can get started. I had to plug in 305 because there is no 5.7 option for this model year.

The orange wire going to your clock is spliced in with the horn, cig lighter, courtesy and dome lamps, hatch release. Use your multimeter and check for power at the clock. If there is none there, ground your meter with a jumper wire from the battery and check the orange wire again. If working, you have a bad ground. If not the problem is on the power side. You have to trace back to find where the power is and isn't so to speak.

acerocks666

I have been working on brakes and such which is why the car has not been on the road for some time. Recently when I got brakes done and I test drove the car I found other issues which the biggest being my speedometer not working and tach was way off. I did replace the gauge cluster and it has all been working properly since then. The only thing I have ever done with wiring inside the car would be putting in stereo and that was years ago and everything worked fine after. To me it seems like after i messed with my gauge cluster is when these things started because even before that my clock for sure worked just fine....

acerocks666

also both orange wires the one going to hatch release and the one going to the clock both have power

Rockguy

Ok, you say after replacing the cluster things worked properly. Then at the end you say it seems like after I messed with the cluster it started. I'm not quite clear there but, from what I am seeing, it doesn't look like the cluster wiring is involved so all you could have done was accidentally mess up other wires. IE pinch, cut. I don't think this is the case though. Like I said, the best approach will have to be looking at the diagram and testing for proper results. If you have seen the thread 86 IROC fuel pump not working, we worked through and found a break in the guys harness at the back of the engine. You can get this working right again. It's just going to take a little old fashioned troubleshooting. I can include the clock circuit. I need to know if you have pwr windows and locks or not?

Rockguy

OK, I didn't see this post before my last post went up. For the clock, did you put your meter leads with red on the orange wire and black on the black wire at the clock? It's important that you check the clock that way.

acerocks666

Appreciate your help on this rockguy first of all. I just went out and did a little more checking and I have got the clock working now. The hatch release still just turns on the brake light but I see that the other wire from this goes to a connector with the horn relay. I don't think the horn has ever worked in this car do you think it may be the relay?

Rockguy

That's great. One problem down and you have gained the experience of finding it yourself. Good job. Is your car an auto or manual tranny?
I am not seeing the horn relay in the diagram I posted. Are you seeing this in the car or on the diagram? Anything is possible but, since you didn't change any wiring around, my first thought is a ground issue. To test the hatch release relay, the black wire leaving the relay should get power when you operate the switch. If it does, the relay is good. If it's good, I think I would troubleshoot this like you did the clock. I'd get at that release solenoid and look for power and ground. Now this is going to require help because obviously you can't push the button and be back at the rear of the car at the same time unless you can brainstorm a way. If you have quite a voltage drop, then you have corrosion in the wiring.
Is there only one wire going to the release solenoid? That's what it looks like from the diagram. If that is the case, you could unhook it and try a jumper from the battery positive and touch it to the solenoid positive terminal. If it works fine then, it's time to find where that positive voltage stops.

P.S. The horn is another issue. Here is the diagram.

Rockguy

I've just looked closely at the horn diagram. The orange wire to the relay should have power at all times. If so, that wire is good. The black wire should go to ground when you push the horn switch. The dark green wire should power when you push the switch. If orange and black test good and dark green does nothing, it's likely the relay is bad. If this is the case, you can jumper the orange wire to the dark green briefly. If the horn honks then, it confirms bad relay. Be careful you don't jumper power to anything else. Don't bump metal with the jumper wire. If you get other results and don't know what to check, just post the results here. Be as descriptive as possible.

acerocks666

Alright so after a little investigating I took off my horn button assembly and found that the wire that hooks to the button had come out of the connector and was just a live wire touching everywhere. I also found that when I turn the key on to the ignition that the hatch button does not turn on the brake light but just does nothing. I am still thinking the relay went bad with that live wire disconnecting but my horn assembly has seen better days also. Think I will see if I can find another off another car and grab a relay and see what happens....

Rockguy

You're making good progress. You'll have this thing in good shape in no time.