Any ideas what this is? It was wired into my radio harness, attached to the orange dimmer wire. A capacitor of some sort? I’m trying to clean up some hackery by the PO…

Do i need it?

 

That is what's called a "Choke" in the electronics world, and it's function is to smooth out electrical "ripple" that causes noise in the radio. It can be useful if the alternator is causing a whine in the radio's sound, although the best noise filtering is that which is applied right at the source of the ripple. For instance, a capacitor connected to the alternator's output terminal is commonly used.

Listen to the radio with the engine running and all the other electrical devices turned on, both with and without that choke in place. If it whines more without it, use it. If it sounds the same with or without it, eliminate it.......

 

PS,

The orange wire is not the dimming wire, the orange wire is the always hot source that keeps your radio station presets and clock time correct.

Here is a thirdgen radio wiring diagram. I know it's for 1992, but the colors didn't change from year to year......

 

As already said, it is a suppressive inductor coil (Choke)...

It suppresses/ chokes/ filters the higher Frequency Noises associated with Direct Current.

 

The Dimming Circuit will have a Coiled-Wire to pass Voltage through, and a Leg to Ground that will allow the Circuit to act as a Variable-Resistor.


Call it a "Var-istor" or a Rheostat, or whatever you want!

 

This is why I love this site, learning something new

 

thanks all! I appreciate the wisdom!

Now I just need to figure out why my radio is blowing the ACC fuse...is the radio supposed to be wired to anything on that fuse, or only the RADIO fuse? Right now it seems to be blowing both fuses

 

Refer to the diagram posted above. It shows two fuses. Are those the fuses your having issues with?

 

If your IPBEC (Fuse Panel) does NOT use an "ARC" Fuse...

Then instead, the Orange-Wire is Powered by the "ACC" Fuse (This Circuit is powered all the time, to keep the TIME on the Clock Running) even with the Vehicle completely OFF.

 

yes

 

Is this the same as the CTSY fuse? I’ve found that one, and it’s not blown, but the RADIO fuse is blown. I’ve lost radio and all courtesy lights. What could be causing that? I wasn’t aware that the courtesy lights were tied into the RADIO fuse

 

Please Post an Image of your IPBEC.

 

here we go

 

Yes.


Your IPBEC uses the Name/ Label: "CTSY" (COURTESY) instead of the Name/ Label: "ACC" (ACCESSORY).

The Image below is of the same IPBEC that is in your Vehicle, but with the White Lettering still mostly visible:



So the 2 Fuses that power your Radio are:
-The RADIO Fuse.
-The CTSY Fuse.

 

thanks very much! that's nice to have with all the lettering still visible okay so I made a mistake, the CTSY fuse is the one that's blowing, taking out the radio, lights, etc.

can you confirm that i should be getting 12V constant power to the radio (from the CTSY fuse) via an orange wire, on a 2 wire connector in the center console area? it's got an orange wire and a brown wire in it, and it seems to also feed the cigarette lighter?

 

Yes, the Circuit would be that Orange-Wire.

 

great, i appreciate the confirmation! Now i guess i need to figure out what on that circuit is shorting out. i know that the cigarette lighter is a common culprit, but mine has been unplugged for a long time so it's not that. are there any other usual failures i should look out for especially?

 

Real common problem with that is, interior lights, aka "courtesy" lights.

Each light has an orange wire that's always hot (or not...), and a white wire. The white gets grounded by the door switches or the dash switch to turn them on. Should be 2 footwell lights and the dome light. I'd look there first.

Along with, of course, any hackage and sodomy involving any aftermarket radio, amplifiers etc., alarms, and car starters. Inspect all orange wires carefully.

 

I just dealt with the same problem on my 84. CTSY fuse kept blowing over and over again. I’m no electrical engineer and thought maybe the new radio was the problem. Turns out one of my kids jammed the cig lighter so hard in there that it couldn’t release when it got HOT so the fuse blew. Ever since then problem gone

 

 

The cig lighter is a classic. Some foreign, conductive material inside, corrosion and shorting of the heater element...seen it many times.

 

I found a really good picture once of the wiring diagram for the ACC fuse but i can't find it again...does anyone have one they would be willing to share?

Immediate question: does the ACC fuse control the rear hatch pull down motor if i operate it from the rear of the vehicle? or does it only control the release button inside the cabin?

 

simply sharing a story was all, I can read and don’t need you to blast it back at me.

 

....

 

I do not currently have access to the particular Server in My Server-Rack for Third-Gen Firebird Documents...
Otherwise I would look at the Schematic and the Line-Diagram for you, then Post an Image of it here for you.

Try looking for something via "Austin Third-Gen" (ATGO).
Website Hyperlink below:
LINK

I have the Camaro Schematic and the Line-Diagram, but the Firebirds are not wired the same as Camaros.
Often the Designs used for the Firebirds are superior to the Camaros.

At least for the Camaros, The Lock-Cylinder for the Hatch Latch, has NO Electrical Components.
Turning the Lock-Cylinder for the Hatch Latch just opens the Latch/ Pops-Up the Hatch.
(Hopefully one of the usual Guys here with a Firebird, can confirm if this is the same or not for the Firebirds).