I understand the choke light can refer to a bad alternator (or parts of...)
With this info in hand, here is my problem:
Got off work today, started up the car to go home, choke light stayed on.
Voltage meter shows 14V (?)
-CD player doesn't work
-blower fan doesn't work
-rear defrost works
-headlights work
-dome light works

What should I be checking? I have a voltage light and multimeter...
My belts still make a bit of noise, I think I may have a too loose/too tight alternator belt...
Could that be my problem? Fuse somewhere?
It seems odd this problem just popped up today... I drove home about 4kms, no problems...
Thanks -J

 

Check the accessory fuse. That may be all that's wrong.

If replacing that doesn't fix the light, then check the actual voltage with the car running, using a real voltmeter of some sort. Even a $12 special from Radio Shack would be vastly better than the stock "dash trim package".

 

damn thing started working now. I went out and was going to start probing wires with the voltage light, turned the keys forward to get things hot, and the cd player turned on...?

I imagine this has to do with a m-i-c-k-e-y m-o-u-s-e ! wiring job...
I'll watch out for this. Out of curiosity, these circuits that were effected, where would I look for bad wiring that would effect all 3?

Thanks for the quick reply! -J

 

Those circuits don't really share anything in common, except that they're all routed through the fuse box.

 

There are 2 sections to the ignition switch, each with its own battery feed, that supply power to various circuits. You may have some hacked wiring in some one of those somewhere.

Why the hell do people feel it's necessary to hack on their wiring in the first place? Why can't they leave it alone if they don't know what it does, and put it back like they found it if they have to disturb it, instead of sodomizing it????

 

They cut them out because having all those extra unused wires in there just makes it harder to troubleshoot thair bastardized kludged in stuff anyway.

 

Well this is all news to me. As far as I knew, my choke light just told me whether the engine was running. With the key in the 'on' position, if the engine is running, it's out, and vice versa.

And I really hate those hacked wiring jobs. I have connectors and junk all over my engine bay, no idea what any of it is for...

I found a lot of fuses inline on various wires leading to *** knows where, so maybe you should try tracing some of them and see if there are any blown fuses/breakers there. My friend's Camry had a bunch of breakers in it's stereo. It was kind of funny.

 

The things that didn't work are on the "hot in run" circuit, the things that did work are on the "hot at all times" circuit, except for the rear window defogger.

 

Wow, thanks for all the replys fellas, all my favorite people helping me out, I owe you all beer

Anyway, I removed my alt. belt and the squeling (sp?) quieted down, so I put it on much looser and it seems to be ok. I'll keep an eye on the wiring and see if my cd player dies again....

Yea, when I bought the car it was mostly in pieces, I pulled out the deck to see why it didn't sit flush, all the wires were electrical taped on... Some not even, just twisted together ! I soldered some, then gave up since it's such a piece of crap deck... I have another one in the garage waiting to go in, I just don't want to burn it out now with screwy wiring...

I wonder if some of you Calgary folk (Aperion, Ryan, Sitting bull, 83_Camaro_83, or especially Stephen_87 know Darcy...? He was the previous owner of my car, drag raced it a fair bit, and now drives his '84 Z-28.... "It's a 10 second car that car there..."
I shoulda wondered why a GM "grandmaster technician" was selling a car that he really loved.... oh well, it's fun to learn.

Thanks! -J

 

Hm, dont think I know him. Name sounds sorta familiar at the last Calgary Firebird Club meeting I went to though...

About the belt, how tight is it, exactly? Because you said your voltage was ok.. Maybe the voltmeter is messed. I say this because sometimes mine does strange things too. Like drop to like 11 at a stop light, but if I rev it a little it goes right back up again. But there is absolutely zero squealing noise.

The belt is supposed to deflect 1 inch per foot between pullies when about 40 pounds is applied, right?

 

I asked the deflection question before and never got an answer, so I just tightened it as much as I could.... (during my inspection the guy said the alt. belt was a tad loose... It seemed fine to me using that test...)
So I tightened it, and it had a noticeable squeal. So just now I loosened it, and it went away...
The spec I heard was: 5/8" deflection for longest belt stretch, when pushed with one finger.... Now this is pretty ambiguous, my finger or a typical mechanics finger? (mechanic = popeye style...)
So now mine is as loose as my power steering belt and it seems fine..
I will have to check voltage some time... Right now I don't want to mess with a good thing...

 

haha I can relate to that. Like building a house of cards and then realizing one in the middle is facing the wrong way.