Blake Weber

I have a situation with my 79 Corvette, I hope someone can help me - I'm stuck!

From my battery, I'm getting a full 12 volt read. However, in my door locks - when I put the volt reader in the plug that goes into the door lock actuator, I only get about 10.5-11 volts...

I hooked up some alligator clips up to my door lock actuator and the car battery and my actuator does in fact work that way, but it doesn't work when plugged in where it actually goes, even when the car is running

I'm not sure if the actuator doesn't activate without a full 12 volts, or if something else is the problem?

Can anyone help me?
thank you,
Blake

...Roger...

The wiring on these door locks makes them a PITA. Both switches must be good for the system to work. If both your switches are original I would replace both.


edit-here are the switches I use
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/par...fier=4899_0_0_

Blake Weber

you seem to be more familiar with this issue than I am, but I'm a little confused... I had the switches hooked up and held the lock switch and had a reading of about 10.5 volts... and I even held the lock button on the driver's side and was showing 10.5 volts on the passenger's side!

so is your last comment still a possible problem?

...Roger...

Yes its still possible ,as I said the wiring is a little weird. Both locks and switches ground through the drivers door and to get the lock actuators to go both ways the power and ground is reversed. Let me see if I can find you a diagram. Be back in a min.

...Roger...

Here is one for an 81 , ignore the 2 wires going to the theft system , I dont think yours ties in.
Can you make sense of how this thing works ?

...Roger...

Ok here is the correct one for your 79. I wrote the letters from the pigtail connectors on the diagram if you need them. Checking continuity of the wires between letters is about all you can do. I doubt you can check much on the switches. Hope this helps.

texaswilkins

Did you clean all the connectors and the ground? Been awhile since I had mine open but it seems like that ground wire is under the kick panel in the left floor board?

Bill

speedreed8

i had same problem with my 79, it was the ground, its in the passenger door for both locks, check it first. it wont work without it, mine was all rusty, corroded wires. good luck

Blake Weber

I've been trying to find my ground wire and haven't had any luck, is there anywhere I can turn to find out where it is?

I'm actually thinking that it's not there at all, so if it's not, I don't know where it's supposed to be connected to. I mean I understand that you ground something to the frame, but what's the other end of the wire go to?

...Roger...

Follow the 2 black wires coming from the right door switch , they should be screwed to the door sheet metal.

Imo Apita

Thanks a bunch for the diagrams Roger, great stuff!
I had already committed to a life without door locks

Blake Weber

The black wires are missing, so do both of the go into the door lock switch and both get screwed into together into the door frame?

speedreed8

yes both are screwed together from the right door switch. they are routed throught the console, up into the dash, over to the right side, through the rubber tube and into the door and are grounded to the metal support inside the door , you'll probably find a screw hole or screw where they were attached at one time. after you remove the door panel.

carajito

Hello Roger do you happen to have one of those diagrams for the 1982 Vette? or maybe is the same as the one you posted for the 1981.

I can see that in the 1981 print the switches are not the same, and yet when you make an order one switch they don’t ask if it is RH or LH.

Thanks