'79 Fairmont stock column wiring

[TeeJayTee]

I bought an aftermarket wiring harness and I'm trying to figure out how to wire up the stock switches(turn signal, wiper, hazards, and ignition). I've looked at the http://www.mc-machine.com/pdf/1979.pdf one online and it's still a bit to complicated for me.. I just need to know where the stock wires go to. I hope you guys can help me.

Thanks!

[bosanjo]

Hey man, sorry, I just got home. I spliced my wiring harness into the stock plugs on the steering column. That's the hardest part, but if you look at the wiring schematic, it tells you what pin is for what item. If you use the headlight switch that comes with the harness, there are even less wires to worry about. If you don't want to splice, you can remove the wire altogether from the stock plug and insert a new one with a new female end. I can show you how to keep everything on the steering column functional, dimmer, horn, etc. The picture I attached should help some, I have more for the entire car if you need them, really easy to read. I'm using an MSD ignition with a 3G alternator, it cuts out a lot of the stock stuff. If you wanted to keep a stock 40/75 amp or whatever alternator, it will require some of the stock plugs but you can get those donor if you don't already have them.

You won't need to route wires for a lot of stuff, just the horn, wipers, turn signals and ignition. You could easily change back to steering column dimmer/headlight if you want.

I had a neat drawing I made of everything I routed, I just can't find it. I'll post it when I do. Hope some of this helps.

Edit: Ok, those thumbnails are horrible quality. I uploaded them to photobucket, links below.

http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/...o/IMG_1099.jpg

http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/...o/IMG_1097.jpg

http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/...o/IMG_1092.jpg

http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/...o/IMG_1089.jpg

http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/...o/IMG_1085.jpg

http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/...gnalswitch.jpg

http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/...lugnumbers.jpg

If you need any more tracings, let me know. I also have a picture of how I routed all the cables in my car I can send you, but the drawing is crude. Cheers!

[TeeJayTee]

I'm running the 3G and i have an MSD but i need a new one.. I think with all the things you've given me and a little more poking with the test light i'll be able to figure it out. Thanks for all the help!!

[bosanjo]

No problem, I used the MSD digital 6al with the rev limiter. It's fairly straightforward. As for the 3G, there are different kinds and they wire differently. The easiest is the 1-wire but in terms of difficulty, they are both pretty simple.

[TeeJayTee]

No problem, I used the MSD digital 6al with the rev limiter. It's fairly straightforward. As for the 3G, there are different kinds and they wire differently. The easiest is the 1-wire but in terms of difficulty, they are both pretty simple.

Gonna go with the 6al too. I have the 1 wire alt. I think that means i just hook the smaller wire to the wire that says alt on the wire harness..

[bosanjo]

When you get the MSD unit, it has specific instructions how to hook up to your distributor. The distributor I'm using is a summit knock-off of an MSD unit and has this 3 connector pigtail coming out of it. I uploaded a picture so you get a rough idea of how I wired it.

I just used a wire gauge distance chart off google to determine what gauge to run and I looked at manufacturer specs for the specific item.

Your Charge wire for the alternator will be kind of large, like anywhere from 4ga to 1/0 depending on how conservative you are. The wire that says alt-ign is the exciter wire.

There is a page on the instructions that has it all drawn out, I would take the info you need from that page.

http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/...o/IMG_1101.jpg

[TeeJayTee]

When you get the MSD unit, it has specific instructions how to hook up to your distributor. The distributor I'm using is a summit knock-off of an MSD unit and has this 3 connector pigtail coming out of it. I uploaded a picture so you get a rough idea of how I wired it.

I just used a wire gauge distance chart off google to determine what gauge to run and I looked at manufacturer specs for the specific item.

Your Charge wire for the alternator will be kind of large, like anywhere from 4ga to 1/0 depending on how conservative you are. The wire that says alt-ign is the exciter wire.

There is a page on the instructions that has it all drawn out, I would take the info you need from that page.

http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/...o/IMG_1101.jpg

Ok the alt wont be a problem at all then. I ran 0/1 gauge wire because i figured i'd probably do it in the future if i did audio at all.

My distributor is a jegs 2 wire. I have all the wiring for that figured out, i just need to put the MSD in and wire it. (i had a street fire MSD, but it made the timing jump around. It's till wired in, just bypassed it.)

[TeeJayTee]

Well i sat outside for 2 hours with a test light figuring everything out on the stock column. I think i'm going to take a picture of the wires i cut and then photoshop them, tagging what i thought the wires were and then hopefully i can get some feedback whether i'm right or not. Possibly later tonight i will be able to upload a picture

[bosanjo]

When you were testing the wires, were you moving the switch to the proper position? Otherwise the circuit wouldn't be closed...

Were you able to get any readings when you were poking around with the light?

[TeeJayTee]

When you were testing the wires, were you moving the switch to the proper position? Otherwise the circuit wouldn't be closed...

Were you able to get any readings when you were poking around with the light?

Yep! i got the wire to the starter solenoid, the ignition wire, accessory wires, and 2 main power wires. Give me a few mins and i should have a picture with the labels to show where i got everything. The only position i didn't do was all the way back, but i think i know what wires those were. going to take a pic now.

[TeeJayTee]

Ok, I guess somehow i didn't label all my wires.. I thought i did, but there are a few i don't know.

What i got was:
purple wire: No idea
Grey with yellow stripe: Fuse box accessory on
Yellow wires: Power from fuse box and battery
Red wire with blue stripe: Starter solenoid
White wire with light blue stripe: No idea
Red wire with brown stripe: No idea
brown wire with red stripe: Constant power on on position and while in start position
Black wires: accessory to fuse box



The ones with the red question marks are the ones i'm not sure of..

Sorry for being such a noob.. I'm just a bit confused and you guys seem to know it better than i do..

**EDIT** Is this how it's supposed to be?


if so all i need to know is where these plug into the new harness.

[bosanjo]

http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/...o/IMG_1089.jpg

I posted the pictures on photobucket, this one explains all of them. If you look at the picture for your connector, it is flipped from this one:

http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/...lugnumbers.jpg

But the wires you are asking about are

16/20 - The red/light green wire traces to the electronic voltage regulator and a fuse for the tachometer. For your setup, neither one applies. The light blue/white wire goes to the same system, different connections. So I guess both wires can be removed since you are using a 3G alternator with an MSD ignition box.

297 - splits into the printed circuit stock voltage regulator and a few other things like wiper and radio...but the aftermarket harness has individual wires for most of what it went to so this can also be omitted. Well, it depends on what options you had on the car that you want to keep. You can see where else it went to here:

http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/...o/IMG_1089.jpg

Look at the bottom for the white numbers in black circles 20-22.

977 - brake indicator. When the ignition was taken to 'start', it would temporarily illuminate the e-brake lamp to do a bulb test.

I don't know where you got that connector picture from, I'm sure it's right but it's very vague. If you look at this picture, just check the number and the color code and you will be able to see what's what.

[TeeJayTee]

http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/...o/IMG_1089.jpg

I posted the pictures on photobucket, this one explains all of them. If you look at the picture for your connector, it is flipped from this one:

http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/...lugnumbers.jpg

But the wires you are asking about are

16/20 - The red/light green wire traces to the electronic voltage regulator and a fuse for the tachometer. For your setup, neither one applies. The light blue/white wire goes to the same system, different connections. So I guess both wires can be removed since you are using a 3G alternator with an MSD ignition box.

297 - splits into the printed circuit stock voltage regulator and a few other things like wiper and radio...but the aftermarket harness has individual wires for most of what it went to so this can also be omitted. Well, it depends on what options you had on the car that you want to keep. You can see where else it went to here:

http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/...o/IMG_1089.jpg

Look at the bottom for the white numbers in black circles 20-22.

977 - brake indicator. When the ignition was taken to 'start', it would temporarily illuminate the e-brake lamp to do a bulb test.

I don't know where you got that connector picture from, I'm sure it's right but it's very vague. If you look at this picture, just check the number and the color code and you will be able to see what's what.

Ok i think i got it now. I'm going to try to attempt to wire it up this weekend.

EDIT: do i need the (977) purple wire then? being that i don't have any indicator lights?

[bosanjo]

Let me know if you run into any snags, it shouldn't be too crazy. Instead of splicing into those wires, I would replace them altogether. There is a little pin inside that you push and the whole end comes out. Just replace the end on your new wire and you can pop it in. If you do that, be careful since you can easily brake the plastic bit inside, ask me how I know.

[TeeJayTee]

Let me know if you run into any snags, it shouldn't be too crazy. Instead of splicing into those wires, I would replace them altogether. There is a little pin inside that you push and the whole end comes out. Just replace the end on your new wire and you can pop it in. If you do that, be careful since you can easily brake the plastic bit inside, ask me how I know.

So far it's going good. i mounted up the fuse box and i sorta ran the wires to where they need to be hooked up. I poked the hazard switch and turn signal switch with the test light and i think i have that all figured out. the wipers were easy and the heater were easy. I guess the only question i have now is what wire do i use for the brake switch. I left the one that went to the hazard/turn signal switch, but i'm not sure which one on the new harness goes to it. on the instructions it shows 2 "brake switch" wires.

I will probably ask about wiring for the tun signal switch and hazard switch. Somehow i can't wrap my head around those schematics.. but i'll try to figure it out myself first..

And can i just eliminate all those other wires on the igintion switch, other than the ignition, accessory, starter, and battery wires?

[bosanjo]

Yes, you can eliminate the extra wires for the ignition switch.

You don't need wires 16/20, eliminate those.

Wire 297 went to clock, a/c clutch, radio, windshield wipers, cruise, rear de-ice, and trunk release through 3 different fuses.

You have radio, wipers, and I think cruise on the new harness. Plus, the new harness also has a few extra fused accessory wires that you can use for these if you want. So rear de-ice and the a/c clutch are the only other big ones but you aren't running a/c so just de-ice.

The wire from the ignition (297) went to a 25A fuse to wire (29 which fed the de-ice switch. From there it goes to a de-ice relay and from there it fed the rear window de-ice. The relay got power from a heavy, probably like a 6ga, yellow wire with a fusible link.

You don't REALLY need the 977 wire for the brake indicator. If you want it to perform the same function, you would just splice it in to your parking brake feed. I put a closed end tip on the wire, labeled it and left it in case I wanted to mess with it in the future.

The new harness comes with a brake switch input and output. If you look in the instructions, there is a specific page for the branch that the brake switch wires are in.

[TeeJayTee]

Alright nice! My car doesn't even have rear defrost so that's one last thing.

I sat outside for an hour trying to figure out the hazard and turn signal switched. I'm sorry,but the schematics i still don't get. Is there anyway you could draw up a super simple wiring diagram of those 2 things?

Here's my plugs for the switches. I just can't get my head around it.. Simple pictures is how i work haha

Hazard:


Turn signal:

[bosanjo]

Haha, sure, no problem. I put the wire code and what it did in the pictures you put up, should help.

[bosanjo]

12, 13, and 15 don't have to go in unless you plan on using the headlight switch on the steering column.

[TeeJayTee]

12, 13, and 15 don't have to go in unless you plan on using the headlight switch on the steering column.

awesome!! I actually looked at one of the diagrams you put up before and wrote out my own to simplify it I got all the wires figured out and i think i'm good to go.

I used the stock wire from the brake switch to the turn/hazard switch. I thinki i just need to use the wire from the fuse box that says "brake switch" and i should be good.

I might also try to use the stock headlight switch too.

there are a few wires now that i am not exactly sure one and it's not too clear in the directions what to do with them.

So there is a wire that says "dimmer switch feed" that i'm not sure where to put because i'm using the stock hi beam switch.

Next is the "Ctsy. ground". Not sure what that goes too either.

And lastly the "parking lights" and "rear running lights". would those be something that go on the stock headlight switch?

Thanks again for all the help!! i really do appreciate it

[TeeJayTee]

Do you have the wiring diagram for the stock headlight switch too? (a simplified one..)

[bosanjo]

Could you tell me the wire number on dimmer switch feed? That would make it easier to trace out. If it is a yellow wire, that should have been plugged into a connector when you got the harness, allowing it to connect to the headlight switch that came with the harness. Was it loose?

There are two brake switch wires on the harness, one is for the brake input and the other for the output.

Ctsy ground is explained in the instructions, it allows you to have the dome light (I think, I'll have to check) on when you turn the parking lights on (one click on the headlight switch).

Rear running lights and front park lights are the same thing, they come on when you click the dimmer switch one notch back. You should have a wire labeled 9b, that goes to the rear running lights, 9a goes to the front. I just spliced it into the stock lights that were there, I will upload a picture so you see how it gets wired in. I think there is a resistor wire in there somewhere.

[bosanjo]

Here is the stock headlight switch and its relevant pins, hope it helps.

http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/...o/Untitled.jpg

[TeeJayTee]

Could you tell me the wire number on dimmer switch feed? That would make it easier to trace out. If it is a yellow wire, that should have been plugged into a connector when you got the harness, allowing it to connect to the headlight switch that came with the harness. Was it loose?

There are two brake switch wires on the harness, one is for the brake input and the other for the output.

Ctsy ground is explained in the instructions, it allows you to have the dome light (I think, I'll have to check) on when you turn the parking lights on (one click on the headlight switch).

Rear running lights and front park lights are the same thing, they come on when you click the dimmer switch one notch back. You should have a wire labeled 9b, that goes to the rear running lights, 9a goes to the front. I just spliced it into the stock lights that were there, I will upload a picture so you see how it gets wired in. I think there is a resistor wire in there somewhere.

The dimmer switch # is 10. I'm going to use the stock high beam switch though so i'm just wondering where that wire (#10) would go.

I figured everything else out though. just need to wire the stock ignition switch and the headlight switch now.

EDIT: i better just ask now.. I'm trying to figure out which wires to use on the stock ignition switch to use to go to the wires on the harness. Do you think you could photoshop one of the pictures i posted up of the connector?


(sorry for asking so many questions.. i just don't wanna mess up and end up screwed..)

[TeeJayTee]

just found this online:

Constant 12V+: Yellow
Starter/solenoid: Red/Light Blue
Ignition: Red/Light Green
Accessory: Black/Light Green