spencerforhire "By your voltage readings, it's obvious someone has the pink ignition feed hooked to Bat+ instead of Ign+. That is causing the drop when you hook up the battery. Try disconnecting all that mess at the fusebox and run your own new wire to the HEI."
Hey guys, good news from the front:
I had to find out/trace where those 2 black wires [with the attractive metal splice] went to. Wanted to make sure it was safe.
Sidenote.............. DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW TO REMOVE THE VEGA DASH? Got the dash pad off okay (3 pressure clips on the right); but the main part of the dash (held on by 2 factory Rivets (on the bottom)........ It seems impossible to remove the dash (for access to wiring) unless you drill out the wonderful factory Rivets.
After about 3 hours ........... this is what our team found out:
1) Ignition Switch (on column)-Pink Wire -- 12g, Fat, Pink Wire joins -- like you would expect-- the other wires in the main wiring harness (black tape wrapped bundle). The main wiring harness goes behind the instrument cluster and moves toward the fuse box at the firewall. At the fuse box, the 12g Pink 'Wire goes behind the upper-left corner of the fuse box. (Appears to exit out the front of firewall [firewall junction].) Also there are 3-4 approx. ~16g pink wires that go behind the fuse box with the rest of the wiring harness.
2) 2 Black wires [with attractive metal splice] -- Wow. What a PITA to trace these wires from Gehenna.
Couldn't remove the entire dash so clearance was difficult -- had to 'adapt and overcome.'
So here's the play-by-play: a) one of the black wires goes about 12" from the metal splice & then is grounded to the metal dash framework with a screw. The other black wire ... follows the main wiring harness.... goes over the top [inside] of the dash ..... down over the rear of the odometer/cable hookup....(where it is reaaaaaaaaaaaaalllllllllllllllllllllyyyyyyyyyyyy tight; had to use mirrors.... wires with hooks etc.) then goes into one of the (approx. 7) Dash Light Sockets. The dash light socket has only a black wire [from Gehenna] and a yellow wire going to it. * At the top of the dash is a stock looking white, dash light socket (with no light) that is taped up to the main wiring harness. (It appears to be the original one.) The light socket with the Black and yellow wire appears to be a new addition (it also had no bulb). So now we know where those 2 black wires go to.
* Do you guys think this whole setup was one of those "Optional Ways to Wire Power to the HEI -- using the IGN terminal?"
And the dash light socket was the resistor?????
Photo shows:
1. Center of photo -- shows the ~ 4" long ~12g Pink Wire coming out to the Bulk Head connector, with a Blue Plastic connector, looping quickly around to the 4" Dark Blue 12g wire.
I was thinking of separating those two wires at the plastic connector -- and running the Pink Wire directly to the HEI?? What about the Dark Blue wire?
2. Red 10-12g wire goes to a fusible link. Anyone know what the Red wire is for?
3. Orange 12g wire -- at center of photo, goes 8" to its black plastic connector on the firewall. Anyone know what that is for? (I'm taking notes on all of these wires;
Thanks a lot.