1982 CHEVROLET CAMARO Repair Guide

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THE BATTERY
In most modern vehicles, the battery is
a lead/acid electrochemical device
consisting of six 2 volt subs ections (cells) connected in se ries, so that the unit is
capable of producing approximately 12 volt s of electrical pressure. Each
subsection consists of a series of positive and negative plates held a short
distance apart in a solution of sulfuric acid and water.
The two types of plates are of dissim ilar metals. This sets up a chemical
reaction, and it is this r eaction which produces current flow from the battery
when its positive and negative terminals are connected to an electrical \
load .
The power removed from the battery is r eplaced by the alternator, restoring the
battery to its original chemical state.
THE ALTERNATOR
On some vehicles there isn't an alter nator, but a generator. The difference is
that an alternator supplies alternating current which is then changed to direct
current for use on the vehicle, while a generator produces direct current.
Alternators tend to be more efficient and that is why they are used.
Alternators and generators are devices t hat consist of coils of wires wound
together making big electrom agnets. One group of coils spins within another set
and the interaction of the magnetic fields causes a current to flow. This current
is then drawn off the coils and fed into the vehicles electrical system.
GROUND
Two types of grounds are used in automot ive electric circuits. Direct ground
components are grounded to the frame thr ough their mounting points. All other
components use some sort of ground wire which is attached to the frame or
chassis of the vehicle. The electrical current runs through the chassis of the
vehicle and returns to the battery thr ough the ground (—) cable; if you look,
you'll see that the battery ground cabl e connects between the battery and the
frame or chassis of the vehicle.
It should be noted that a good percentage of electrical problems can be traced
to bad grounds.
PROTECTIVE DEVICES
It is possible for large surges of current to pass through the electrical system of
your vehicle. If this surge of current we re to reach the load in the circuit, the
surge could burn it out or severely dam age it. It can also overload the wiring,
causing the harness to get hot and melt t he insulation. To prevent this, fuses,
circuit breakers and/or fusible links are connected into the supply wires of the
electrical system. These items are nothing more than a built-in weak spot in the
system. When an abnormal amount of curr ent flows through the system, these
protective devices work as fo llows to protect the circuit:

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•

Fuse - when an excessive electrical current passes through a fuse, the
fuse "blows" (the conductor melts) and opens the circuit, preventing the
passage of current.

Fig. 1: Most vehicles use one or more fuse panels. This one is located on the
driver's side kick panel

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•

Circuit Breaker - a circuit breaker is basically a self-repairing fuse. It will
open the circuit in the same fashio n as a fuse, but when the surge
subsides, the circuit breaker can be reset and does not need
replacement.
• Fusible Link - a fusible link (fuse link or main link) is a short length of
special, high temperatur e insulated wire that acts as a fuse. When an
excessive electrical current passes th rough a fusible link, the thin gauge
wire inside the link melt s, creating an intentional open to protect the
circuit. To repair the circuit, the link must be replaced. Some newer type
fusible links are housed in plug-in modules, which are simply replaced
like a fuse, while older type fusible lin ks must be cut and spliced if they
melt. Since this link is very early in the electrical path, it's the first place to
look if nothing on the vehicle works, yet the battery seems to be charged
and is properly connected.
CAUTION - Always replace fuses, circ uit breakers and fusible links with
identically rated component s. Under no circumstances should a component of
higher or lower amperage rating be substituted.
SWITCHES & RELAYS
Switches are used in electrical circuits to control the passage of current. The
most common use is to open and close circuits between the battery and the
various electric devices in the system. Switches are rated according to the
amount of amperage they c an handle. If a sufficient amperage rated switch is
not used in a circuit, the switch could overload and cause damage.

Fig. 2: The underhood fuse and relay panel usually contains fuses, relays,
flashers and fusible links

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Some electrical components which require
a large amount of current to operate
use a special switch called a relay. Sinc e these circuits carry a large amount of
current, the thickness of the wire in the ci rcuit is also greater. If this large wire
were connected from the load to the c ontrol switch, the switch would have to
carry the high amperage load and the fair ing or dash would be twice as large to
accommodate the increased size of t he wiring harness. To prevent these
problems, a relay is used.
Relays are composed of a coil and a se t of contacts. When the coil has a
current passed though it, a magnetic fiel d is formed and this field causes the
contacts to move together, completing the circuit. Most relays are normally
open, preventing current from passing thr ough the circuit, but they can take any
electrical form depending on th e job they are intended to do. Relays can be
considered "remote control switches." They allow a smaller current to operate
devices that require higher amperages. W hen a small current operates the coil,
a larger current is allo wed to pass by the contacts. Some common circuits
which may use relays are the horn, headlight s, starter, electric fuel pump and
other high draw circuits.

Fig. 3: Relays are composed of a coil and a switch. These two components are
linked together so that w hen one operates, the other operat es at the same time.
The large wires in the circuit are connect ed from the battery to one side of the
relay switch (B+) and from the opposite side of the re lay switch to the load
(component). Smaller wires are connected from the relay coil to the control
switch for the circuit and from the opposite side of the relay coil to ground
LOAD
Every electrical circuit must include a "load" (something to use the electricity
coming from the source). Without this l oad, the battery would attempt to deliver
its entire power supply from one pole to another. This is called a "short circuit."
All this electricity would take a short cut to ground and cause a great amount of
damage to other components in the circui t by developing a tremendous amount
of heat. This condition could develop suffici ent heat to melt the insulation on all
the surrounding wires and reduce a multiple wire cable to a lump of plastic and
copper.

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WIRING & HARNESSES
The average vehicle contains meters
and meters of wiring, with hundreds of
individual connections. To protect the many wires from damage and to keep
them from becoming a confusing tangl e, they are organized into bundles,
enclosed in plastic or taped together and called wiring harnesses. Different
harnesses serve different parts of the vehi cle. Individual wires are color coded
to help trace them through a harness wher e sections are hidden from view.
Automotive wiring or circuit conductors can be either single strand wire, multi-
strand wire or printed circui try. Single strand wire has a solid metal core and is
usually used inside such components as alternators, motors, relays and other
devices. Multi-strand wire has a core made of many small strands of wire
twisted together into a single conductor. Most of the wiring in an automotive
electrical system is made up of multi-strand wire, either as a single conductor or
grouped together in a harness. All wiring is color coded on the insulator, either
as a solid color or as a colored wire wit h an identification stripe. A printed circuit
is a thin film of copper or other conducto r that is printed on an insulator backing.
Occasionally, a printed circuit is sandwic hed between two sheets of plastic for
more protection and flexibility. A comp lete printed circuit, consisting of
conductors, insulating material and connec tors for lamps or other components
is called a printed circuit board. Printed ci rcuitry is used in place of individual
wires or harnesses in places where space is limit ed, such as behind instrument
panels.
Since automotive electrical systems are very sensitive to changes in resistance,
the selection of properly sized wires is critical when systems are repaired. A
loose or corroded connection or a replacem ent wire that is too small for the
circuit will add extra resistance and an addi tional voltage drop to the circuit.
The wire gauge number is an expression of the cross-section area of the
conductor. Vehicles from countries that use the metric system will typically
describe the wire size as its cross-secti onal area in square millimeters. In this
method, the larger the wire, the gr eater the number. Another common system
for expressing wire size is the Americ an Wire Gauge (AWG) system. As gauge
number increases, area decreases and the wire becomes smaller. An 18 gauge
wire is smaller than a 4 gauge wire. A wire with a higher gauge number will
carry less current than a wire with a lower gauge number. Gauge wire size
refers to the size of the strands of the conductor, not the size of the complete
wire with insulator. It is possi ble, therefore, to have two wires of the same gauge
with different diameters because one may hav e thicker insulation than the other.
It is essential to understand how a circuit works before trying to figure out why it
doesn't. An electrical schematic shows the electrical current paths when a
circuit is operating proper ly. Schematics break the enti re electrical system down
into individual circuits. In a schematic, usually no attempt is made to represent
wiring and components as they physically appear on the vehicle; switches and
other components are shown as simply as possible. Face views of harness
connectors show the cavity or terminal lo cations in all multi-pin connectors to
help locate test points.

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CONNECTORS
Three types of connectors
are commonly used in automotive applications -
weatherproof, molded and hard shell.

Fig. 4: Hard shell (left) and weather proof (right) connectors have replaceable
terminals
• Weatherproof - these connectors ar e most commonly used where the
connector is exposed to the element s. Terminals are protected against
moisture and dirt by sealing rings wh ich provide a weathertight seal. All
repairs require the use of a specia l terminal and the tool required to
service it. Unlike standard blade ty pe terminals, these weatherproof
terminals cannot be straightened once they are bent. Make certain that
the connectors are properly seated and all of the sealing rings are in
place when connecting leads.
• Molded - these connectors require complete replacement of the
connector if found to be defective. This means splicing a new connector
assembly into the harness. All sp lices should be soldered to insure
proper contact. Use care when probi ng the connections or replacing
terminals in them, as it is possibl e to create a short circuit between
opposite terminals. If this happens to the wrong terminal pair, it is
possible to damage certain com ponents. Always use jumper wires
between connectors for circuit c hecking and NEVER probe through
weatherproof seals.
• Hard Shell - unlike molded connectors, the terminal contacts in hard-shell
connectors can be replaced. Replacement usually involves the use of a
special terminal removal tool that depresses the locking tangs (barbs)\
on
the connector terminal and allows the connector to be removed from the
rear of the shell. The connector she ll should be replaced if it shows any
evidence of burning, melting, cracks, or breaks. Replace individual
terminals that are burnt, corroded, distorted or loose.

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Fig. 5: Weatherproof connectors ar e most commonly used in the engine
compartment or where the connecto r is exposed to the elements
TEST EQUIPMENT
Pinpointing the exact cause of trouble in an electrical circuit is most times
accomplished by the use of special te st equipment. The following describes
different types of commonly used test eq uipment and briefly explains how to
use them in diagnosis. In addition to t he information covered below, the tool
manufacturer's instructions booklet (pro vided with the tester) should be read
and clearly understood before atte mpting any test procedures.
JUMPER WIRES
CAUTION - Never use jumper wires made from a thinner gauge wire than the
circuit being tested. If the jumper wire is of too small a gauge, it may overheat
and possibly melt. Never use jumpers to bypass high resistance loads in a
circuit. Bypassing resistances, in effect, cr eates a short circuit. This may, in
turn, cause damage and fire. Jumper wi res should only be used to bypass
lengths of wire or to simulate switches.
Jumper wires are simple, yet extremel y valuable, pieces of test equipment.
They are basically test wir es which are used to bypass sections of a circuit.
Although jumper wires can be purchased, they are usually fabricated from
lengths of standard automot ive wire and whatever type of connector (alligator
clip, spade connector or pin connector) that is required for the particular
application being tested. In cramped, hard- to-reach areas, it is advisable to
have insulated boots over the jumper wire terminals in order to prevent

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accidental grounding. It is al
so advisable to include a standard automotive fuse
in any jumper wire. This is commonly referred to as a "fused jumper". By
inserting an in-line fuse holder between a set of test leads, a fused jumper wire
can be used for bypassing open circuits. Use a 5 amp fuse to provide protection
against voltage spikes.
Jumper wires are used primarily to locate open electrical circuits, on either the
ground (—) side of the circuit or on the power (+) side. If an electrical
component fails to operate, connect t he jumper wire between the component
and a good ground. If the component operates only with the jumper installed,
the ground circuit is open. If the ground circuit is good, but the component does
not operate, the circuit between the power feed and component may be open.
By moving the jumper wire successively back from the component toward the
power source, you can isolate the area of the circuit where the open is located.
When the component stops func tioning, or the power is cut off, the open is in
the segment of wire between the jumper and the point previously tested.
You can sometimes connect the jumper wir e directly from the battery to the
"hot" terminal of the component, but firs t make sure the component uses 12
volts in operation. Some electrical components, such as fuel injectors or
sensors, are designed to operate on about 4 to 5 volts, and running 12 volts
directly to these components will cause damage.
TEST LIGHTS

Fig. 1: A 12 volt test light is used to detect the presence of voltage in a circuit
The test light is used to check circuits and components while electrical current is
flowing through them. It is used for volt age and ground tests. To use a 12 volt
test light, connect the ground clip to a good ground and probe wherever
necessary with the pick. The test light will illuminate when voltage is detected.
This does not necessarily mean that 12 volts (or any particular amount of