Electricals: How to start troubleshooting?

[minxgirl]

Hey everyone...so I know nothing about auto-electricals - but I've been watching the bundles of tape around all the wiring and predicting things are gonna start going on me...sure enough trouble has started..

Yesterday I changed the oil and cleaned the plugs and was going for a drive and everything was great until all my electricals (aside from the speedo) went down Co-incidentally earlier in the day I bought a circuit tester *LOL* but I dont know how to use it and where to begin looking for trouble ...anyway my guess is a bad earth (?) because I only drove around the block and when I next started the car a few min later all guages were up and running...hmm so advice needed

I have the manual with wiring diagram - although Im uncertain how much use that will end up being as the manual is about the 18-r engines and my car has had the 2tgeu put in - but without the efi gear on (TA22, 1971)

[IN 05 NT]

the speedo wont go out as its cable driven not electrical,

first thing is to check all the fuses,....find the one that is blown...and just replace it...it could have just been a surge....and that what the fuses are there for,

if the fuse blows again soon as u turn the ign on, then you have a definate wiring problem in that area,...ie....lights, horn, fan.....

oh and if the fuses havent blown, and are all intact....most likely you have a loose terminal connection....ie ground,

multi meter's are easy to use, select VOLTS DC and hook it up....ground one probe, and then start probing power wires....

gluck again, blake

[minxgirl]

Thanks for that that explains the speedo being fine...they all came back on so Im guessing no fuses are blown Im gonna check that out now all the same

[minxgirl]

HMMMMM - I have some ideas as to the problem now...I removed the fuse cover and a small amount of water fell out (fuses fine BTW)

[IN 05 NT]

ok, now that you have had water around the fuses the fuse terminal may be corroded....that causing the problem, pull the fuses out and give the terninals a clean,..fine wire brush or similar,

hopefully thats your prob....

best problem is a problem that fixes itsefl!

blake

[minxgirl]

Excellent idea Blake - thanks again for that I will do that and Im going to try and find where the water got in and silastic it up THEN I will eventually get to the compression test this arvo and weather permitting I'll wash the car and have a couple of JD's making the perfect Saturday