BritishV8 Forum

Scott, I'd follow back the largest red wire that powers that fuse block.

I will trace the red fuse panel wires today. This diagram is all I have other than some wire color descriptions.

Usually the largest red wire goes to the + battery terminal. There is another large red wire that feeds the battery from the alternator.

I checked the large wire at the fuse block that matches the larger red wire at the battery and got no continuity. I made up a temporary wire to run along that circuit to see if I get juice to the fuse block. And I got the anti-rattle shifter part from England (thanks Jim) and got hit with a $20 tariff.
Awesome!

DHL sent me an email when they received my parts explaining my package was on hold until I paid the roughly $20 tariff. Crazy

Quick update; I'll be redoing the MSD wires in an effort to remedy the fuse blowing situation. It's blowing the fuse at the battery that feeds the MSD box. Still no power to the fuse block. I have a guy coming by in a few days to give some input. Maybe I crossed a couple of wires, maybe a mouse chewed a wire somewhere.

Scott, look at page 33, #811 and  #812 to verify the MSD wiring.

Copy that! Found a crossed wire situation at the coil using a multimeter. I don't think that gets juice unless the key is on though??

The diagrams on page 33 show a different wire configuration than what my Control box has. There are less wires going into mine and different colors. But I'm going thru them again and the coil wires did get crossed which I corrected. Today I started looking at each fuse in the fuse panel and I did find one 20 amp fuse blown. I have a few more to check. Of course I didn't get anything but 30 amp fuses the other day, so I'll order some 20 amp and 10 amp fuses. I replaced 2 wire connections at the battery as they looked sketchy. I still have to check continuity of the large wires going into the fuse panel. And I know nothing about relays and there appears to be 3 at the fuse panel which have to be checked. 

Scott, Maybe the key has to be on to have power to the fuse panel?

I'm turning the key on to the accessory position and get nothing. Haven't turned it to the start position yet but the fuel pump isn't making any noise at the accessory position. I'm removing the kick panel to expose all the wires going to and from the fuse panel next. It's going to be something simple I'm guessing. I'm hoping to find a chewed wire or loose ground. What I don't get is it's supposed to have a Painless wiring harness but no diagram other than something that isn't from Painless. This is old school stuff and a good mechanic probably would sort it in 10 minutes. New school mechanic with a scan tool maybe not so much.

Accessory would only work for radio, maybe wipers. fuel pump should only run in key on/run position.

I think I'm actually in the on run position Jim , just not the starter on position. Accessory would be the first position, on run the second, starter engagement the third.

If you have a voltmeter you might want to put that on the acc circuit too. It's the w/g wire off the switch.

Jim

Ok, I'll try that.

Today I checked each of the 5 wires going into the front of the fuse block. Only the yellowish wire showed continuity at the battery and it is the ground. The other 3 red and 1 blue wires show no continuity to any wires attached to the battery and show no voltage with the battery switched on. My question is: would the 12 volt power wire  possibly be connected to the back of the fuse panel? Are these wires plugged into the front taking voltage out of the panel? I made the assumption they brought voltage in and now that seems ridiculous as there would only need to be one wire bringing voltage in. Ignorance is a terrible thing!

It appears you have a non-standard fuse box. Do you have any documentation for the wiring at all? It's not the AAW power block but could be one of the other aftermarket ones or even a junkyard pull. You might have to unbolt it so you can see the back to tell how power is distributed. It looks perfectly usable, just pay careful attention to what power feed goes where and write it down. The fuses are at least labeled so maybe the feeds are too. You should have unswitched, ACC, and run or switched power.

Jim

Scott, this may be helpful:

https://painlessperformance.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/90501-Manual.pdf

That could be the one, see Fig 10-7.

Jim

Yeah, he mentioned a while back he used a Painless harness. I don't think all those red wires are in the color code though. Have to trace those individually.

Thanks guys, that looks like the fuse panel I have. I may have wired the starter (Mini High torque) wrong. The large red cable is on correctly but there is a 12 AWG red wire that may feed the ignition that I had going to ground which was stupid. Now I have to pull the starter to verify what  smaller wire I connected to it. I can't see from underneath but I think its a black wire which the builder noted that all  black wires  were grounds. I thought I labeled every wire when I took it apart, but this red wire wasn't labeled and it has a large connector that would fit the starter bolt.  I'll pull the starter tomorrow and see what wire I connected and if it is black, we know its incorrect. I'll connect the red wire and see if I get juice to the fuse panel.
Thanks!
I appreciate the help! 

Today I connected the red wire to the starter at the large power terminal and got power to the ignition/fuse panel. In reading a few different articles on the Olds 215 Starter circuit I came across one that showed power going from the starter to the ignition circuit and immediately realized I had messed up with that loose red wire with the large ring connector. I probably have a picture that showed how those wires were connected when I took it apart. Thanks guys for the help!