Need Electrical Help

1986.5 SEV6 · Mar 27th, 2006, 09:20 AM

I have a 1986 1/2 (same as 87) Nissan Pick-up, Vg30.

I have a shop manual and a Haynes manual and all of the wiring diagrams $uck! It is virtually impossible to follow a wire in all that spagetti from its assessory to it's termination. Does anyone have a good wiring diagram with clear numbered wires and a color code? (something like this:http://www.hammar.dyndns.org/wiring/1966/66exter1.jpg but for my Nissan?)

I am having two problems that may be connected and may not.

Two weeks ago I got in a very minor front end collision which required me to replace my bumper and one turn signal. My turn signals work, but my parking lights and gauge lights do not. They are on a 10 fuse and when I replace the fuse it immediately blows. I ran out of 10's and replaced it with a 25 after checking some wires, the 25 worked but because it is so high it and because the 10's were still blowing and I dont want to burn my truck to the ground, I removed it.

Questions #1: What wires in the bumper could be causing this short? (what color and where do they go?)

I have been driving the truck since the accident no problem (besides the fact that I can't see my gauges at night). early this morning another motorist flags me down at a light and tells me my taillights are not working (back-up, breaks and blinkers are, just not the tails).

Question #2: What the hell is causing this? I checked the fuses, but there is not a fuse labled for the taillights. Can you tell me what fuse effects the taillights? What other wires could be affecting them? Something from the accident?

TIA,

Will · Mar 27th, 2006, 05:32 PM

Sounds to me like you have problems with the switch in the steering column. It controls taillights and gauge lights. Or it could be the wires have been reversed when you replaced the turn signal.

dvdswanson · Mar 27th, 2006, 05:37 PM

in the area where the damage was, look at the wiring harness, it may have been pinched/stripped (something along those lines) where the wire is shorting to ground. the taillamps there should be a fuse for stop/tail/turn also look in the engine compartment as well.

1986.5 SEV6 · Mar 29th, 2006, 11:37 AM

Ok, I replaced the front turn signal with one from a 93 and I think that is my problem. Apparently in 86 the turn signals are also parking lights (three wire), but in 93 they did not function as parking lights (two wire). When I tried to wire it up it blew the fuse to the parking and gauge lights, but not the turn signal (huh?).

Also, I have determined that (at least) in 86 the gauges/glove box/heat-air/parking light/taillights are all wired on the same circuit (I'll point out that this is not at all clear in the numerous wiring diagrams I have). So for two weeks I was driving around without tail lights

and no one told me.

I have managed to re-wire the turn signal so that the tail lights work, but it looks as though I will have to replace it with a three wire signal as there is no way to attach all three wires and have all the light work correctly.

Thanks for your help.

Red

PS- I'm still looking for a user friendly schematic.