Originally Posted by derotoreut
Too funny. OK I grounded the brake warning light and it does come on when the key is in the "On" position. Right now I can't test it in the "Start" position because I'm in the middle of a carb overhaul. When hooked up to the prop valve switch, the warning light does NOT come on in the "On" position. Are the Temp & Brake lights supposed to come on in only the "Start" position, or in the "On" and "Start" positions, and then go off when running? Yes if you think about it if they came on in the run position they'd be on anytime the engine was running and we only want them on when there's a problem.
I checked for a black (ground) wire at the ignition switch. I do not have one. The key switch must be internally configured to ground these two wires when the start position is selected I mentioned that in the first post and Fixit-p also mentioned it in his post.
The GM type ignition switch connection was prewired by Painless. This all started as a result of replacing my harness with the Painless harness. I am not able to get the Temp light or Brake light working. With this kit there is a Temp Gauge wire (Green #921). There is also a separate Temp light wire (Green #983). Both wires come out in the engine compartment. I tested the temp gauge by putting the Green #921 wire to ground and turning on the key. The needle pegged hot, which is what I would expect. I tested the temp light by putting the Green wire #983 to ground and turning key to "On". The light worked. I also tested the Brake light by putting the wire (Tan #975) to ground and turning the key to "On". This also worked.
This is a test that simulates the sender going bad and is not the vehicle test, which grounds the wires internally when the key is set to start.
I called Painless today to see how the two temp wires were supposed to be hooked up. They told me they are both intended to be connected to the temp sender. However when I connect them together and put them on the sender, the light does not come on in the "On" position. Yes you removed the ground for the lights and unless the sender was bad, or a malfunction occurs in the sender to ground the wires, then the light will not come on until the key is selected to start.
The same goes for the brake light; once connected to the prop valve switch it does not light in the "On" position (again unless they are supposed to only light during "Start", which I can't check right now). It would be on all the time while you were running if that were the case.
According to Painless they told me that their harness is not designed to go through the test light mode during cranking. If the sender wires for the lights and were run to the ignition switch, and I think they are, and if the key switch was configured to ground internally as I believe it is, then it will test the lights automatically.
The only way to make these lights work would be to connect them separately to a 12v source that only comes on during cranking, (Not so, the lights are already connected to a separate 12 volt source in the dash circuit.) which would be starter solenoid wire (purple #919) at the ign switch.
It seems that if I did this these lights would only serve a function of lighting during cranking and would not provide any protection indication as they were designed. You are correct that's why you cannot wire them this way. When you get the harness all in, then you can test the lights easily by just leaving the shift lever in drive and turning the key to start. The lights should come on but the engine won't crank because the NSS is open. I'm thinking that Painless is FOS on the test not wired in, or else they misconstrued your question. I agree with Fixit on the liability issue , and like I said, if the key switch is correct the test will happen automatically. .
I'm confused on this because the Temp light wire (Green #983) and Brake light wire (Tan #975) go into the ignition switch as well as the instrument panel. Wouldn't you think if they went into the switch it would be to provide a momentary ground path for them to light during cranking? As I said above.
The other wire for the Temp Gauge (Green #921) does not go through the ign switch, but I would expect that it wouldn't; just like the stock wiring diagram shows. True
I was thinking that maybe my prop valve was shot and not working, but that might not be the case if the Painless harness is not designed to test the lights during start up.
If the painless harness routes the wires to the key switch and then to the instrument panel plug, When you turn the key to start the lights should come on. What can I do to check this out? Get a voltmeter and do a continuity check on the two wires from the prop valve and the temp light, to the key switch body, and turn the key to start and see if you get zero ohms.
Any help is greatly appreciated.
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