Simpliest way to wire 85 fog lights to work with the parking lights like later years
09-23-2014, 07:45 AM
#1
Simpliest way to wire 85 fog lights to work with the parking lights like later years
On my 1985 Iroc I just bought, I know that the foglights only come on with the headlights, but this was changed in 1986 so that you could have them on anytime the parking lights are on.
I want to wire my 1985 Iroc fogs to come on like the 86 and later years. What is the simplest and easiest way to do so? I would imagine I need to find where the fog lights get their signal from the headlight harness to allow them to come on and just replace that with a signal from a parking light source, but I don't want to tear into this all original wiring any more than I have to, to find that source.
Thanks!
Chris
I want to wire my 1985 Iroc fogs to come on like the 86 and later years. What is the simplest and easiest way to do so? I would imagine I need to find where the fog lights get their signal from the headlight harness to allow them to come on and just replace that with a signal from a parking light source, but I don't want to tear into this all original wiring any more than I have to, to find that source.
Thanks!
Chris
09-23-2014, 08:04 AM
#2
Re: Simpliest way to wire 85 fog lights to work with the parking lights like later ye
You'll need a switch and wire it so that it get's power when the headlamp/parking light switch is engaged, that way whenever you pull to turn the parking lights on all you need to do is simply flip your other switch and the fogs come on.
You could also just hardwire them in so that the switch gets power whenever the key is on and then you could flip them on whether any other lights were on or not. I personally like this option because it eliminates the possibility of leaving them on by accident (i.e. when the key is out they get no power).
Of course you'll want to put a fuse before your switch with whatever option you choose.
*edit*: for a little credability, the second way is how I wired in all of my offroad lights on a jeep that I previously owned (four 6" on the roof and two 6" on the bumper). Ran them for 8 years with no issues.
You could also just hardwire them in so that the switch gets power whenever the key is on and then you could flip them on whether any other lights were on or not. I personally like this option because it eliminates the possibility of leaving them on by accident (i.e. when the key is out they get no power).
Of course you'll want to put a fuse before your switch with whatever option you choose.
*edit*: for a little credability, the second way is how I wired in all of my offroad lights on a jeep that I previously owned (four 6" on the roof and two 6" on the bumper). Ran them for 8 years with no issues.
09-23-2014, 08:27 AM
#3
Re: Simpliest way to wire 85 fog lights to work with the parking lights like later ye
They are already factory wired in. I could surely wire a switch in or anything like that, but it's not needed because they are already factory switched and wired in.
From the factory(in 1985 only) they are only allowed to come on with the headlights. I want to change that and allow them to come on with the parking lights. I realize I could just change the signal wire that allows them on from the headlight wiring to the parking light wiring. I just want to know where the easiest place to do that is at.
From the factory(in 1985 only) they are only allowed to come on with the headlights. I want to change that and allow them to come on with the parking lights. I realize I could just change the signal wire that allows them on from the headlight wiring to the parking light wiring. I just want to know where the easiest place to do that is at.
09-23-2014, 08:39 AM
#4
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Re: Simpliest way to wire 85 fog lights to work with the parking lights like later ye
I would make a simple harness to allow the parking light wire to trigger a relay to provide power to the foglights-this way you can safely run HO fogs if desired and you won't excessively draw power through your factory headlight switch which is a good thing. Heck, while you're at it why not run your headlights too off relays? Not exactly DOT compliant but you can run all 6 lights at once if desired-I build harnesses like that for the offraod 4x4 guys with a 4-HI option and its amazing how much light you can put out. Not recommended for highway use but....nice to have that on a deserted highway at night!
09-23-2014, 09:33 AM
#6
Re: Simpliest way to wire 85 fog lights to work with the parking lights like later ye
They are already factory wired in. I could surely wire a switch in or anything like that, but it's not needed because they are already factory switched and wired in.
From the factory(in 1985 only) they are only allowed to come on with the headlights. I want to change that and allow them to come on with the parking lights. I realize I could just change the signal wire that allows them on from the headlight wiring to the parking light wiring. I just want to know where the easiest place to do that is at.
From the factory(in 1985 only) they are only allowed to come on with the headlights. I want to change that and allow them to come on with the parking lights. I realize I could just change the signal wire that allows them on from the headlight wiring to the parking light wiring. I just want to know where the easiest place to do that is at.
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09-30-2014, 08:38 AM
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Not sure how your setup is currently, but I would say grab the complete light harness out of an 86+ and wire it in yours. Its a little bit of work but you will be wiring everything like a factory 86+ car, which would take care of what you want to do.
Just my thought, but I rewired my harness for a Megasquirt so thats the option I would choose personally.
Or better yet, get both wiring diagrams an see what is different between the two, then add the wire/wires that are missing to make it work the way you want it to.
Just my thought, but I rewired my harness for a Megasquirt so thats the option I would choose personally.
Or better yet, get both wiring diagrams an see what is different between the two, then add the wire/wires that are missing to make it work the way you want it to.
10-07-2014, 03:59 PM
#10
Re: Simpliest way to wire 85 fog lights to work with the parking lights like later ye
FWIW, I did it this weekend. I wanted to make it as simple as possible, without cutting any wires so that I could go back to stock easily.
I pulled down the dash on the drivers side, traced the signal wire from the switch(after relays and such) and just changed the signal wire for that to the instrument cluster terminal in the fuse box. While I was at it I also bypassed the high beam cutoff(so they stay on with brights as well)
I could put it back to stock in just a couple minutes..... NO cut wires!
I pulled down the dash on the drivers side, traced the signal wire from the switch(after relays and such) and just changed the signal wire for that to the instrument cluster terminal in the fuse box. While I was at it I also bypassed the high beam cutoff(so they stay on with brights as well)
I could put it back to stock in just a couple minutes..... NO cut wires!
10-07-2014, 04:12 PM
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Re: Simpliest way to wire 85 fog lights to work with the parking lights like later ye
could you post a picture? Im interested in doing the same thing.
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