Eddie 70

I just made a funny, to me, discovery about my car. I have always left the key in the ignition when I wasn't driving my car. After putting in a new wiring harness and getting everything setup, I noticed everytime I started to install the switch for the drivers side courtesy light, the relay under the hood would start to buzz. It never buzzed before with the old harness. I thought there was something wrong with the wiring so I just left the switch hanging. Today while troubleshooting the passengers side light, I was looking at the wiring diagram and found out why the relay was buzzing, I had the key in the ignition and the key warning buzzer was working. I couldn't believe it. All this time I thought something was wrong with the wiring. I didn't even know these cars had these warnings. Just thought I would share.

Did you ever discover anything about your car you didn't know on accident? Tell me about it.

wcsinx

Seems like everyday I do.

I never knew you had to have the transmission in reverse to 1: lock the column and hence 2: pull the key out because my lock cylinder was so worn that I could just pull the key out whenever.

Didn't know why I had 4 different keys for this crazy car. ...eventually figured out one was for the alarm lock on the fender?!?!? and the other was for the spare tire

blower motor never worked until one day I was behind the dash working on the brakes, and I must've knocked a wire back in place when it suddenly started blowing leaves et. al. crap all over my face

OHSIXX

For the longest time I did not know the alarm switch was suppose to be on the fender. Someone along the way moved mine out of sight below the rear plates.

AndreG

What did it sound like and did the noise come from insise the dash or from the engine compartment? I replaced my horn relay, (on the driverside inner fenderwell) and there was an additional wire that wasn't previously attached. I could see where it was supposed to go given an existing bend in the wire and it would buzz at me every second or so. I also do not have the door jamb switches hooked up was the only thing I could guess it may be unless it was possibly alarm related. Real irritating as it would continue to buzz indefinitely so long as the ignition was on and continued with the car running. I elected to simply disconnect it once again until I was ready to fiddle with the door jamb switches of which one is either missing or has fallen back through the hole.

Thanks
-Andre

Dave3

alarm switch?? hmmmm i was wondering what that thing was for! mine too is right below my plate! i have wondered what that was for. mechanic traced it back to about the center of the car and then lost it...

i have 3 keys, ignition, doors, gas.... should i have a fourth key? should i "lock"/"unlock" the switch?

which one works for the spare??


DR

motown 71

I was surprised to find a vacuum actuator in the rear window tray that opens the rear outter deck vents for ventillation.

bqce

I keep finding a blue pillow in the driver's seat. I think it's from the 5' tall bride driving the thing without my knowledge!

Star79

After about 3 months I found out I had a 4-speed auto (in a 79). Never knew since the tach was broken and 3-4 shift was so smooth.

Also, since I'm completely retarded, I didn't know I had a Telescoping column until a few days ago. I've had my car over a year, and have taken the entire interior out and back in again except for the column.

Shark Racer

If you give the car too much gas pedal coming out of a u-turn, you WILL face the median. The simple solution is to let off the gas pedal and decrease your steering angle.

I found that out after adjusting the ignition timing. Picked up so much low end torque that I truly accidentally went 90 degrees farther on my U-turn than I expected to.

Honestly though, the funniest thing was that I did not believe our car had interior lights for the first 6 months or so that I had my car. My uncle told me that was BS, and fixed the busted fuse for me. The fuse had been blown so long, my grandma thought the car didn't HAVE lights. Go figure.

-Steve

2K14C7

>>>Did you ever discover anything about your car you didn't know on accident? Tell me about it.<<<

Was changing the rear emblem on my 82 and discovered a light under the rear of the car. Found out it illuminates the spare tire area in case you have a flat at night.

Eddie 70

Andre, when I got my car there were no door switches in mine either plus the wiring harnesses were a mess. The buzz comes from under the hood at the horn relay. If you take your drivers side kick panel off you should find two wires, one orange and one black. The black wire is the one that activates the key buzzer. If this wire is grounded, normally by the door being open and the key in the ignition, you will get the buzzing sound from the horn relay. There should be a white wire bundled with the black wire, this wire is for the interior lights.

Hope this helps Andre.

SharkAttack

Funny. My ignition warning buzzer has worked since I bought this Vette 5 years ago. Now that I just replaced all the keys and tumblers, it no longer works. I was very careful but must have done something wrong.

wcsinx

Did you have the ignition lock cylinder in the "run" position when you pulled it out and reinstalled it? I've read that you can damage the buzzer if you don't. Jim Shea is the C3 steering god. You could ask him.

wcsinx

Don't feel too retarded. I just recently figured out how to operate my telescoping function too. Tilt was obvious, but for the life of me I could never figure out how to telescope. Who knew you had to twist that damn ring beneath the horn!

BSeery

I found out that my factory alarm system works.
I was working in the garage, at about 2 a.m. and was playing with the door locks. They were very hard to turn, so I was cleaning them out with some WD-40. I had the T-tops off so I could get around the inside of the door easier.
I then closed the door and turned the door lock and set the alarm off (since the t-top was not in place).

That alarm horn is very loud in a closed garage at 2 a.m. when the wife is sleeping just down the hall, and the neighbor shares a common wall with us (townhome).

mvftw

Same thing. Just bought the Vette and unlocked the drivers door at night and the horns going off...So I ran to get a wrench and take off the battery cable. Then I read the owners manual and

GreyGhost

Yeah, the low fuel light does not work on mine

AndreG

Thanks Eddie70,

Just ordered a decent wiring schematic today and will get some of the electrical gremlins cleared up. I have done a LOT of research these past few weeks and am anxious to get stuck into the car again. This helps and is something that has been puzzling me for a long time as I figured it had to be alarm related given the HORN relay was involved, and you would THINK the door buzzer, GOD FORBID, would actually be installed inside the CAR ;-) This is what happens when you apply logic to 35 year old designs as opposed to research:-)

Thanks again,
-Andre

Edzred72

Wuzz-Up Eddie?
Yeah, I was also pleasantly suprised when I removed the old carpet from my 72 last year. I found a rear defroster blower motor back there All the duct work, switch & vent were gone...but after testing it......WORKS!! Bought all the missing pieces and now have a rare 72 rear defroster.
Eddie

SharkAttack

Did you have the ignition lock cylinder in the "run" position when you pulled it out and reinstalled it? I've read that you can damage the buzzer if you don't. Jim Shea is the C3 steering god. You could ask him.

I inserted the new ignition tumbler in the "off" position after confirming from numerous sources you could insert it in any position. I'm not inclined to tear everything back apart just to fix it right now, but will probably do it this fall just because I don't like things that don't work properly (yeah, kinda ****...).