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shaunofthebus
Samba Member
Joined: September 19, 2014
Posts: 3
Location: NORTHWEST
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 Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2014 11:11 am Post subject: looking for dome light wires |
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| Have a '79 tintop with power to the red wire going up the left windsheild post and no power at the lights. Figure they are somehow disconnected at some junction point that's hiding behind the headliner. I am willing to cut the 'liner, but not all over. Can somebody tell or show me a pic of where the wires are routed? oh yeah, ground wires are working properly |
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skills@eurocarsplus
Samba Peckerhead
Joined: January 01, 2007
Posts: 17885
Location: sticksville, ct.
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| Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2014 11:55 am Post subject: |
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wires for the front have constant power (red wire) and are switched on by grounding via the door jamb switches.
As far as I know, there is no junction, and they are just home runs to the fuse box.
Did the bus have a mouse issue?
I would gently pull the wire from the dome light. If it comes out of the hole easily, you found the bad half
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my reason for switching to subaru is my german car was turning chinese so i said fuck it and went japanese....... |
| Jake Raby wrote: |
| Thanks for the correction. I used to be a nice guy, then I ruined it by exposing myself to the public. |
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SGKent 
Samba Member
Joined: October 30, 2007
Posts: 42810
Location: at the beach
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| Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2014 1:01 pm Post subject: |
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as I recall they run up the pillar to the dome light. Measure for voltage at the fusebox where it leaves, and again both sides of the dome light. If there is no voltage at either side of the dome light, you may be able to break the rounded end off an electrican's fish, straighten it so it loses much of its curl, grind the end smooth so it does not tear anything, then with the battery disconnected and some patience fish from the dome light down thru the pillar and pull a new wire. The old headliner will be brittle so you really want to leave it alone as much as possible.
_________________
George Carlin:
"Most people don't know what they're doing, and a lot of them are really good at it."
Skills@EuroCarsPlus:
"never time to do it right but always time to do it twice"  |
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skills@eurocarsplus
Samba Peckerhead
Joined: January 01, 2007
Posts: 17885
Location: sticksville, ct.
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| Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2014 1:49 pm Post subject: |
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I thought about that, but on my bus (early bay) the wires run up the A post, in the channel where the headliner bows sit, then make a turn in the roof support.
I don't think it would be possible to snake a new wire in there and not want to jab a screwdriver in your eye.
you almost could go diagonal from the light to the A post, but you would need to watch out for the headliner bows and not set off a domino effect.
tough fix for sure with the headliner in place
_________________
| gprudenciop wrote: |
my reason for switching to subaru is my german car was turning chinese so i said fuck it and went japanese....... |
| Jake Raby wrote: |
| Thanks for the correction. I used to be a nice guy, then I ruined it by exposing myself to the public. |
| Brian wrote: |
| Also the fact that people are agreeing with Skills, it's a turn of events for samba history |
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oc92
Samba Member
Joined: November 30, 2005
Posts: 530
Location: NC
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| Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2014 5:50 pm Post subject: |
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One day I installed the over-the-driver's-seat child's cot and the next day my dome light didn't work. Yes, I successfully severed the hot wire with the drill bit when I installed the cot's brackets on the pillar. I had to Dremel out a little flap and fish out enough wire to solder back together.
Don't suppose you recently installed a cot??
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" ... he walked the pavement of the city- a beggar and a king. Has it been otherwise with any man?" WOLFE
70 bug
96 mx5 |
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shaunofthebus
Samba Member
Joined: September 19, 2014
Posts: 3
Location: NORTHWEST
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| Posted: Sat Sep 20, 2014 9:21 pm Post subject: |
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| thanks for the input, fellow members. just hoping someone with the headliner out might share a pic or take a look for me. have to do it the hard way and start cutting..... |
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busdaddy
Samba Member
Joined: February 12, 2004
Posts: 53038
Location: Surrey B.C. Canada, but thinking of Ukraine
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SGKent
Samba Member
Joined: October 30, 2007
Posts: 42810
Location: at the beach
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| Posted: Sun Sep 21, 2014 11:38 am Post subject: |
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| shaunofthebus wrote: |
| thanks for the input, fellow members. just hoping someone with the headliner out might share a pic or take a look for me. have to do it the hard way and start cutting..... |
I'll see if I have any photos from my restoration but trust me, it is a heck of a lot easier to break out the voltmeter and report back on that then find out later it was a bad connector at the fuse box after you have made cuts in your headline. The headliner on a bus is pinched at the sides and wrapped under the windshield at the front. As Skills said, the original wire comes up the pillar and then goes along the channel and into the dome light. I believe that the ground goes back the same way.
_________________
George Carlin:
"Most people don't know what they're doing, and a lot of them are really good at it."
Skills@EuroCarsPlus:
"never time to do it right but always time to do it twice" |
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shaunofthebus
Samba Member
Joined: September 19, 2014
Posts: 3
Location: NORTHWEST
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| Posted: Fri Sep 26, 2014 11:09 am Post subject: thanks for the pics |
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| yup, the wire has juice in it right before it disappears into the windshield post. so there is a break somewhere. going to have to find the junction even if i have to snake a new wire. |
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SGKent
Samba Member
Joined: October 30, 2007
Posts: 42810
Location: at the beach
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| Posted: Fri Sep 26, 2014 3:10 pm Post subject: |
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use a pin to stab the wire about an inch from the spade lug where it connects to the light, and see if there is voltage there. You may have a crimp on the spade lug that has broken. Do you know if someone replaced part of the nose or around the windshield during it's life? A cut at the pillar is common on that repair.
_________________
George Carlin:
"Most people don't know what they're doing, and a lot of them are really good at it."
Skills@EuroCarsPlus:
"never time to do it right but always time to do it twice" |
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