1. If you have recently registered with a gmail email address, you must contact me, as gmail will not forward our confirmation email to you. Contact me and jim@trishieldperformance.com to complete your registration.
    Dismiss Notice
  2. In and effort to reduce the spam on the site, several years ago I had went to a program where I manually approve each and every new registration. This approval gives you full access to the site, to pictures, and to post, among other things. To be able to enjoy the full potential of the board for you, you need to be fully registered.. and that's easy.. Just send an email to me at jim@trishieldperformance.com and I will verify your registration. This policy will remain in effect indefinitely, as it has completely eliminated the bad actors from our site, who would spam and hack it, once they gained access. Thanks JW
    Dismiss Notice
  3. The "Group Buy" for the 1967-68 Deluxe Steering wheel recasting is now officially "Open". Now is the time to start sending in the wheels. The latest date that the wheels must be received by Kochs is 31 March 2025 The cost for each wheel is $750. The only "up front cost" is your shipping the wheel. If you send in more than one wheel, each additional wheel will cost $700. Shipping and insurance to Kochs and return shipping will be extra. You will be contacted by Teresa to make payment for the wheel(s) and return shipping and insurance when your wheel(s) is complete. The shipping will be factored on your delivery address and insurance. I will be sending the contact information all of you have sent me to Teresa at Kochs. Send in your wheels, horn pad and hardware and paint color sample if applicable. Please include: First and Last Name Shipping Address Phone number email address V8Buick "Member Name" Wheel Color (SEE THE BOTTOM FOR WHEEL COLOR) Pease read the "shipping to Kochs" below. There are two addresses. One for USPS Mailing One for FedEx and UPS shipping You can use USPS/Mail, UPS or FedEx to send in your core. Use the appropriate address depending on what service you use to ship. If you use USPS/Mail ship to: Koch's P.O. Box 959 Acton, CA 93510 Attn: Teresa If you use UPS or FedEx ship to: Koch's 7650 Soledad Canyon Road Acton CA 93510 Attn: Teresa Kochs Contact: Teresa (661) 268-1341 customerservice@kochs.com Wheel Color If you wheel is Black, you can list that in your information you send in with your wheel. For colored wheels, please contact Teresa about specifics for wheel color if you do not send in a color sample to match. Please contact me if you have any questions. Thank you to everyone for your participation in making this a reality. And "Thank You" Jim Weise, for allowing and facilitating this project! Michael .................... to remove this notice, click the X in the upper RH corner of this message box
    Dismiss Notice

*THE BUICK GODS HAVE HELPED ME FIX IT*No lights of any kind. I think my car may burn down too.

Discussion in 'Sparky's corner' started by derek244, Jan 27, 2022.

  1. derek244

    derek244 Gold Level Contributor

    So a few months ago, all of my lights stop working. Whenever I put the vehicle and drive everything shuts off, but they all turn on again when the shifter is moved to park. No brake lights/head lights/ interior lights etc etc. I removed all the fuses and checked each one, nothing wrong, however I went ahead and replaced all of them just in case. Completely by accident one night, I smelled an electrical burning smell from under the hood after moving the shifter back and forth a few times. It was dark, and I saw the cotter pin holding the steering column shifter arm to the shift linkage to be glowing red. Wth. No fuses blown. I literally have no idea what this could be, or how to check it. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I don't see any wire harnesses rubbing near or around the steering column or linkage. It's all stock. I am dumbfounded. Due to this issue, the vehicle is not drivable. I have taking a close up picture with the pen pointing towards the pin that will get so hot it glows. Any ideas? I am at at loss. I don't even know where to begin. I guess I should include it is a 1970 Dec 70 built Skylark no-post 350...I am the second owner since 1991. 16432638645833578096057539202451.jpg
     
    Last edited: Jan 27, 2022
  2. BuickGSrules

    BuickGSrules Gold Level Contributor

    Someone will chime in, because I have no knowledge about steering coloum shifters. There is a contact in there that tells where the shifter is positioned, it has to be something in there.
     
    derek244 likes this.
  3. Briz

    Briz Founders Club Member

    My guess is that that pin becomes a ground when the shifter in in the D position causing or due to an internal short inside the column. As a test remove the pin and that linkage then try again. Also check all the way down to the trans to see if anything is rubbing a harness.
     
    derek244 likes this.
  4. 436'd Skylark

    436'd Skylark Sweet Fancy Moses!!!!!

    You have no engine to chassis ground. Start there.
     
    derek244 likes this.
  5. derek244

    derek244 Gold Level Contributor

    Oops. Yes December 1969
     
  6. Duane

    Duane Member

    Sometimes the ground wire breaks in the rag joint and then you have no ground.

    I don’t know what that would do to the electrical system but do know you need that, so you might want to check it.

    For 1972, they went with a wire mesh embedded in the rubber for a ground instead of a wire.

    This style makes the rubber look like a steel belted radial tire.
    Duane
     
  7. Duane

    Duane Member

    There is also an electrical connection near the end of the steering column that has a side to side adjustment. If that moved to the wrong spot it can do what you are talking about.

    Did you change the column lately.
    Duane
     
    derek244 likes this.
  8. LARRY70GS

    LARRY70GS a.k.a. "THE WIZARD" Staff Member

    Clean and check ALL of your battery and starter connections. Then install a braided ground strap between the driver's side cylinder head and the firewall.
     
    derek244, Darron72Skylark and 1973gs like this.
  9. CJay

    CJay Supercar owner Staff Member

    Start disconnecting stuff systematically. If it's in the column, just unplug the directional switch and see if the issue goes away. By doing that your essentislly tsking the column out of the loop. Also check the dimmer switch on the floor. The connector on those melt.
     
    derek244 likes this.
  10. LARRY70GS

    LARRY70GS a.k.a. "THE WIZARD" Staff Member

    The bottom line is if your grounding between the engine and chassis is poor, electricity will look for one with some unpredictable consequences/symptoms.:)

    Grounds are even more important in newer cars. My 98 Riviera has multiple grounds all over the place.
     
    Last edited: Jan 27, 2022
    derek244 likes this.
  11. derek244

    derek244 Gold Level Contributor

    Thank you guys! Now I have hope in figuring this out.
     
  12. derek244

    derek244 Gold Level Contributor

    I have not sir. I basically have just been scratching my head on and off for the last few months. I really had zero idea on where to start.
     
  13. TrunkMonkey

    TrunkMonkey Totally bananas

    Until you find the source of the problem, disconnect both battery cables when you are not standing in front of the car with a fire extinguisher in your hand.

    Wire fires in cars in a garage can turn into an inferno faster than Johnny Storm.
     
  14. derek244

    derek244 Gold Level Contributor

    20220127_211853.jpg Well, thanks to your suggestions I did find this tonight. I'm pretty sure this ground strap should be connected on both ends. :eek:
     
    Last edited: Jan 28, 2022
    TrunkMonkey and FLGS400 like this.
  15. 436'd Skylark

    436'd Skylark Sweet Fancy Moses!!!!!

    You should also have one between the battery and core support.
     
    derek244 likes this.
  16. derek244

    derek244 Gold Level Contributor

    I ran a jumper cable from that ground strap to the ground point on the engine ( just to test it, I have a new ground strap on order). You guys don't know how long I've been chasing this issue. I really never brought it up before, because I could not even fathom that a suggestion would be out there. I have lights again. And moving the shifter around makes no difference, everything works. I am absolutely beyond thankful. I'm not going to get too sappy, but one thing that my 14 year old daughter and I love doing is cruising this vehicle from whenever it gets warm in Ohio, to whenever it gets too cold. Which, is why I never do any disassembly and keep limping it along as far as fluid leaks etc. Unless something is broken, I just leave it alone. With my current situation, if I start doing major disassembly the vehicle is sure to be down for a very long time, and father-daughter time in the old Buick is too precious to me. We were not able to do any cruising for the last month of cruising weather due to this issue, and she was disappointed.

    So, thank you. Thank you all 1000 times.
     
    Last edited: Jan 27, 2022
  17. derek244

    derek244 Gold Level Contributor

    Question though. This ground strap is mounted the firewall, but were did the other end attach to on the passenger side of the block?
     
  18. Dano

    Dano Platinum Level Contributor

    The back of the head. Surely the bolt and other end of the strap is still there.
     
    derek244 likes this.
  19. derek244

    derek244 Gold Level Contributor

    Thank you for a the diagram. Now that I see the voltage regulator, I am reminded that my regulator is still mounted in place, however it is deactivated. I installed an upgraded higher amp alt with an internal regulator many years ago. Silly question, but I assume this will have no effect on the ground strap hole (?)
     
  20. LARRY70GS

    LARRY70GS a.k.a. "THE WIZARD" Staff Member

    No effect. Just a convenient place to attach the ground strap.
     
    derek244 likes this.

Share This Page