Remy's '81 Mirada CMX

**DanStokes** · February 4, 2010, 09:53 AM

Re: Remy's '81 Mirada CMX

There's some grounds for that suggestion (sorry, it kinda stinks in here now).

Dan

**BangShift McT** · February 4, 2010, 01:25 PM

Re: Remy's '81 Mirada CMX

Not at all...not to mention check the existing grounds to see if something was compromised (rust, paint, hack-job with the radio). Last night it rained and I work tonight at my second job (bartender) so I've got a weekend project to keep me busy. And with the testlight I bought for the C-10's taillights, this should go by pretty fast. I am still wondering if it's a wire at the headlight switch too...but again, not sure of anything until I rip the rest of the dash apart and check. Could it possibly be a fusible link, too? Was suggested on Farley's to check them..

**mustang13** · February 4, 2010, 02:24 PM

Re: Remy's '81 Mirada CMX

Byran, fuseable link is very possible, as well as a relay somewhere that you would not thing to look, that isn't jumping out at you. 80's american cars and trucks SUCK when it comes to wiring issues. Have you found a good wiring diagram in print, or on line to help?

May the force to squeeze a butt connector be with you my brother, on your weekend of short chasing.

**BangShift McT** · February 4, 2010, 11:09 PM

Re: Remy's '81 Mirada CMX

The cool thing is that I can buy a FSM and a parts manual for it...just haven't done it yet at $60/per. I can go down to Tacoma Dodge, they have the books on hand and the parts guy is a gearhead.

Yea, though I crawl through the wires bound together with tape, I shall fear no Chrysler, for patience is with me. My multimeter and my test light, they comfort me...

**min301** · February 5, 2010, 06:06 AM

Re: Remy's '81 Mirada CMX

-Amen...

**BangShift McT** · February 6, 2010, 02:26 PM

Re: Remy's '81 Mirada CMX

Well, so far the only progress I've made is that the fusible link isn't the culprit and that light power isn't making it to either one of the connectors according to the test light. Fuse block fuses are good. Still don't have interior lights after the fusible link, either, so still searching that issue. I'm now to the point where I'm checking each individual wire for breaks and looking at the dash grounds...

Well, things went from bad to worse. Now when the battery is hooked up there is a high-pitched low volume whine from the dash. I unhooked things before I had a bonfire in the driveway. It's official-I'm pricing a rewire now.

**mustang13** · February 6, 2010, 04:39 PM

Re: Remy's '81 Mirada CMX

Byron, before you leap, pull all the fuses and relays, etc, from the fuse box, hook up the battery, and reinstall the fuses, etc, one at a time till you hear the noise. If the noise is not fused, leave the battery unhooked, then connect the positive side through a 20-30A circuit breaker to prevent any melt down. Have you tryed powering up the lights with a 12v jumper?

I hate to be a smart ass but, Its a Mopar, maybe its the ballast resister ;D

**BangShift McT** · February 6, 2010, 05:30 PM

Re: Remy's '81 Mirada CMX

Yeah...I was hooking the battery up with the key in "on". Score one for me. D'oh! So, the car is running and the wiring isn't as F'd as I thought. But still cannot figure out why the hell I have no lights inside. Nothing is broken, the only alteration I see is the lead wire to the 'wig-wag' system, which is tucked into the headlight fuse. That shouldn't be affecting the interior!

So, I've worked all day for nothing. Screw this...I'm going fishing tomorrow!

**JOES66FURY** · February 6, 2010, 10:41 PM

Re: Remy's '81 Mirada CMX

I pulled my dash cluster out and tested power to the circuit board, then to each individual light...I found that a few of the little black things the lights are in werent good, they were not completeing the circuit to the next light....I then tested the ground for the circuit board and found it didnt have a good one...ohm out the circuit board too...assuming you have a circuit board

**BangShift McT** · February 6, 2010, 11:17 PM

Re: Remy's '81 Mirada CMX

I'll check out the circuit board too, Joe, but wouldn't at least I get some kind of reading from one of the two dash power plugs outside of the cluster? According to every manual I have I should have at least one terminal for gauge lights, and I don't have any change from power 'off' to power 'on'.

**mustang13** · February 7, 2010, 04:28 AM

Re: Remy's '81 Mirada CMX

Byran, could it be in the headlight switch were you turn the knob to dim the dash lights

**Blazerteam** · February 7, 2010, 04:46 AM

Re: Remy's '81 Mirada CMX

Headlight switches,are known for making this sort of trouble.Try to have a wire from +,and see if you can get the lights working by giving it currency directly...

And then move along the wire,untill you find out where the currency slips.

**JOES66FURY** · February 7, 2010, 08:49 AM

Re: Remy's '81 Mirada CMX

Yeah, he is correct... you should have 3 or 4 wires into the circuit board, on of those wires should be a hot wire once the head light switch is pulled out...see which one is hot going in and then pull the switch to see whats hot going out...then hit that same color on the board...if it is dead there then you have a break, if it is hot then you know you board is an issue...if it is the board you can then use a volt meter to see where the power drops off there..if not you know you got a power drop somewhere between the light switch and the dash.

**Scott Liggett** · February 7, 2010, 11:10 AM

Re: Remy's '81 Mirada CMX

Originally posted by mustang13

Byran, could it be in the headlight switch were you turn the knob to dim the dash lights

I don't know how I could forget this one as I deal with this every day on the Caprice. It's reostat is messed up and I have to fiddle with headlight switch knob to get the dash lights to work.

I was going to pull the switch and wire brush the wire coil on the reostat and the tab that runs across it for a better connection. A new switch is only $20 bucks, so I may just replace it.

**BangShift McT** · April 1, 2010, 08:13 AM

Re: Remy's '81 Mirada CMX

OK...no more dash light work...time to get something actually DONE on this car. And it took the car taking a swing at me to get me off of my ass to do it...

I'm bombing through Tacoma one sunny day about three weeks ago. For a kick, I headed to City Center and hit 10th St. This road looks like something out of San Francisco with enough jump levels to make the producers of Bullitt jealous. And I'm at the bottom with a evil little grin, waiting for the light to turn green.

It does. I hit the pedal. I hear a crack...and I'm staring at the f**king ceiling....

Long and short of it, the Mirada is now sitting in Midland Upholstery. When we tore the 40/20/40 bench out of it, the driver's side just disintegrated...the spring anchor plate was in pieces and snapped off of the bucket frame, the seatback mounting points were ripped out of the shell frame, and the foam was everywhere but in the seat. It was totalled, there's no way to rebuild it. Well, hell...now what will I sit on? Milk crates?!

This is where knowing other car freaks helps tremendously. Jake at PIA (Pacific Auto Imports, a Subaru tuner shop) gave me a set of early-90s Legacy GT buckets for free. They are about the same size as the actual seats the Mirada has, and as a bonus I now have the space to build a console! Score! Midland Upholstery is re-skinning them red as I type this, as well as redoing the headliner (and possibly replacing the carpet).

TOTAL COST:

Subaru Legacy bucket seats: FREE!
Upholstery work: TBD

Total:$2016.00

Remy's '81 Mirada CMX

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