Farrar's car blog

Side note: if I ever get a garage, I am throwing a garage-warming party. I can't wait to be able to work on my car when it's dark outside. This "a few hours a week, or every few weeks, before the sun sets" crap is just old.

Farrar

Another thought: the Hella dome light does not work in "Manual" mode (i.e. flipped forward, the light should come on regardless of whether the doors are open; mine does not have this function). I forgot about this because it has never worked in my car, but with a new dome light fixture I should have this function. I checked today and it's still not there. So evidently there's more wrong with that circuit than I thought.

Good grief. All I want is the dome light to come on when I open a door, and turn off when the doors are shut. It should not be this difficult. I think the courtesy light circuit is Dunmurry's revenge.

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Originally Posted by Farrar

Side note: if I ever get a garage, I am throwing a garage-warming party. I can't wait to be able to work on my car when it's dark outside. This "a few hours a week, or every few weeks, before the sun sets" crap is just old.

Farrar

Another thought: the Hella dome light does not work in "Manual" mode (i.e. flipped forward, the light should come on regardless of whether the doors are open; mine does not have this function). I forgot about this because it has never worked in my car, but with a new dome light fixture I should have this function. I checked today and it's still not there. So evidently there's more wrong with that circuit than I thought.

Good grief. All I want is the dome light to come on when I open a door, and turn off when the doors are shut. It should not be this difficult. I think the courtesy light circuit is Dunmurry's revenge.

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As far as the dome light not working in Manual mode. I think you have it wired incorrectly. There are three wires connected to the light one B+ (purple) and 2 ground (purple/white and black). The locations change depending on which light you have, but all use one power wire and two grounds.

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Originally Posted by DMCTek

As far as the dome light not working in Manual mode. I think you have it wired incorrectly. There are three wires connected to the light one B+ (purple) and 2 ground (purple/white and black). The locations change depending on which light you have, but all use one power wire and two grounds.

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I connected the wires according to a photograph I saw here on DMCTalk, but it's worth double-checking. Thanks!

Farrar

Working on the car has become much more painful recently... time for new door struts. :lol:

Also on order: LED units to replace front and rear directional indicator bulbs and all side marker bulbs.

Farrar

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Originally Posted by Farrar

Working on the car has become much more painful recently... time for new door struts. :lol:

Also on order: LED units to replace front and rear directional indicator bulbs and all side marker bulbs.

Farrar

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Ron mentioned to me that you can get cheap door struts at Advance Auto if you walk in there with a part number. The downside is they will have to special order them.

I got my door struts from Amazon.com

Door Struts $24.35 each (Free shipping) StrongArm 4107

Too late -- I ordered Hervey's "Soft Lift" struts already. I got Grady's last time and saw no improvement on pushing power -- and at least these will stop the doors from bouncing in summertime.

Edit: Even with new struts, my doors still sag badly in cool weather. I'd like to get together with you and Fred and do a torsion bar adjustment some time.

Farrar

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Originally Posted by Farrar

Edit: Even with new struts, my doors still sag badly in cool weather. I'd like to get together with you and Fred and do a torsion bar adjustment some time.

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Mine sag a little bit in the winter too yet work perfectly in the summer. I've decided to leave it alone since it isn't that bad.

Drew expressed interest in having a torsion bar adjustment done on his car. Perhaps we could plan something in the near future. I wouldn't mind riding out to Fred's, even if my doors won't be getting adjusted.

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Originally Posted by stevedmc

Mine sag a little bit in the winter too yet work perfectly in the summer. I've decided to leave it alone since it isn't that bad.

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Mine sag way more than "a little bit." If I were in your shoes I'd probably leave the torsion where it is, too. But my car's open-door position suffers a lot in cold weather. I don't think the previous owners ever drove it in cold weather!

Farrar

I just thought of something. How about bringing me that dome light on Sunday and I'll bring $31.

I am bringing yours and Brian's; he got one, too.

Farrar