Clutch kills the lights

[EyeDontPlay]

Hello all,

I've found this message board with about half-throttle on my tricked out search engine.
so I'm new to it.

I have an 85 GT Hatchback, 5.0, 5 speed.

so far the only thing on the "done" list is full length headers, and Flowmaster one-chambers (yeah really, they're freakin loud)

here's the most annoying thing in the world...

you're driving along at night, and just about everytime you disengage the clutch, the lights cut out.
sometimes all the way and they stay off until you let up, sometimes they just flicker while you're mashing it, sometimes nothing at all.
risky business when there's cops around already suspicious of your racing stripes and loud exhaust.
no I'm not signaling you! quit looking at me, it's an old car!

it's not that it's just cutting out the lights, because in the daytime when they're off, you'll reset the radar detector (cigarette lighter) most times you hit the clutch.
that's annoying too.

this isn't my primary car, and right now I have the dashboard half ripped apart trying desperately to see where the clutch's mechanism is up under there wherever it's grounding out something, but no luck yet.
it's hot out and I don't have a garage, or a fabulous selection of tools, so I get pissed off pretty easily working on it.

I noticed that the clutch/starter safety switch thing is bypassed, which I don't have a problem with, but I found the wires for it rather exposed under there, they just snipped them, stripped them, and twisted them, don't think that's anything relevant though, why did I mention it?
the little white box that those wires originally go into is still mounted to the clutch pedal, but as much as I move it around and stuff, nothing seems to effect it.


HELP!!

thanks so much for any and all input!

-Josh near Daytona.

[PKRWUD]

Check the ground wire at the radiator.

Take care,
-Chris

[EyeDontPlay]

Thanks for replying!

ground wire to the radiator?

I've never heard of such a thing.
I ran out and took a peek under the hood to see if I could see anything that looked right.
it just so happens the radiator isn't in the car right now, because awhile back the water pump seized up, the fan sheared off, and went into the radiator, damaging it.
enough to make it leak, but not unrepairable, so it's at the welder's shop now.
the only ground wires I see screw into the frame piece that the upper radiator brackets mount to.
they seem to be individual ground wires for each headlight.
they're both tight and seem sound.

am I looking at the right thing?

am I off in thinking it's something under the dash that the clutch pedal is hitting when moving?

thanks again,
-Josh

[PKRWUD]

There is often a small ground wire that runs from the negative battery cable to the radiator brackets, which acts as a body ground, mostly for the light circuits, which usually ground there. Dozens of headlight complaints have been solved by checking this ground connection, and verifying that it's good. Sometimes that means cleaning the metal surfaces. Anyway, that's usually my first response. If that isn't your problem, let me make sure I understand your situation. Correct me if I'm wrong:

1) Movement of the clutch pedal causes a temporary break in the voltage to the lighting circuit and the cigarette lighter.

2) The clutch switch is still mounted to the pedal assembly, but there's nothing plugged into it.

3) The wiring that did go to the clutch switch has been spliced together.

Let me know if that's correct.

Take care,
-Chris

[EyeDontPlay]

Chris,

I don't believe there's any such wire going to the radiator brackets, to ground the body.
I think I would have noticed when taking them off, that's why I'm confident saying that.

you're exactly right in the three things you said about what's going on with this old car.

it doesn't effect the ignition at all.
well, I should say it doesn't affect the spark, but actually it does affect the starter.
if the motor's off, and you're trying to start it, and just for the heck of it pretending that that clutch switch is functioning, then you can muck of the engaging of the starter if you mess with the clutch while turning the key.
but if the motor's running, dancing on the clutch never effects the engine.

dangit, I hate being so disorganized, but I just thought of something else.
the tachometer is affected by it too.
not as often, but sometimes when you hit the clutch the tach dies.

ughh!!!

thanks so much for your thought on this !

-Josh

[PKRWUD]

Try this:
Run a jumper wire from the battery pos. post inside the car. Then, disconnect the ground wire from the cigarette lighter. Next, connect the aligator clip end of a 12 volt non-powered test light to the cig. lighter ground wire, and clip the tip of the test light to the end of the jumper coming from the battery. The test light should light up. While it's lit, move the clutch pedal until the light goes out. While doing this, try and determine if the light goes out at the same clutch pedal location every time, or if the light goes out at different spots. Also, see if you can isolate a place in the pedal travel where the light goes out, and stays out. Next, crawl under the dash and see what the pedal is doing when the light goes out. Look for other wires the pedal may be hitting during it's travel. If you find a spot where the light stays off, try turning the steering wheel to see if that makes the light come back on. Let me know what you find.

Take care,
-Chris

[EyeDontPlay]

Chris,

tomorrow's my day off, so I'm dying to give your test a whirl.

-Josh

[gtsr515]

Yea?, when looking for that ground wire to the radiator brackets, be carefull of the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups flying out of the cap! they are filled with bull$hit!

[EyeDontPlay]

Huh? wow, your car must be faster than my comprehension.

either that or mine is so low to the ground that everthing goes over my head.

-Josh

[PKRWUD]

Originally posted by gtsr515
Yea?, when looking for that ground wire to the radiator brackets, be carefull of the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups flying out of the cap! they are filled with bull$hit!

??????