1982 CHEVROLET CAMARO Repair Guide

GM – CAMARO 1982-1992 – Repair Guide (Checked by WxMax) 137
voltage) is present; it only means that so
me voltage is present. It is advisable
before using the test light to touch its ground clip and probe across the battery
posts or terminals to make sure the light is operating properly.
WARNING - Do not use a test light to probe electronic ignition, spark plug or
coil wires. Never use a pick-type test light to probe wiring on computer
controlled systems unless spec ifically instructed to do so. Any wire insulation
that is pierced by the test light pr obe should be taped and sealed with silicone
after testing
Like the jumper wire, the 12 volt test li ght is used to isolate opens in circuits.
But, whereas the jumper wire is used to bypass the open to operate the load,
the 12 volt test light is us ed to locate the presence of voltage in a circuit. If the
test light illuminates, there is power up to t hat point in the circuit; if the test light
does not illuminate, there is an open circui t (no power). Move the test light in
successive steps back toward the power source until the light in the handle
illuminates. The open is between the pr obe and a point which was previously
probed.
The self-powered test light is similar in design to the 12 volt test light, but
contains a 1.5 volt penlight battery in the handle. It is most often used in place
of a multimeter to check for open or shor t circuits when power is isolated from
the circuit (continuity test).
The battery in a self-powered test light does not provide much current. A weak
battery may not provide enough power to illuminate the test light even when a
complete circuit is made (especially if there is high resistance in the circuit).
Always make sure that the test battery is strong. To check the battery, briefly
touch the ground clip to the pr obe; if the light glows brightly, the battery is strong
enough for testing.
A self-powered test light should not be used on any co mputer controlled system
or component. The small amount of electr icity transmitted by the test light is
enough to damage many electr onic automotive components.
MULTIMETERS
Multimeters are an extremely useful tool for troubleshooting electrical problems.
They can be purchased in either analog or digital form and have a price range
to suit any budget. A multimeter is a voltmeter, ammeter and ohmmeter (along
with other features) combined into one instrument. It is often used when testing
solid state circuits because of its hi gh input impedance (usually 10 megaohms
or more). A brief description of the mult imeter main test functions follows:
• Voltmeter - the voltmeter is used to measure voltage at any point in a
circuit, or to measure the voltage drop across any part of a circuit.
Voltmeters usually have various scales and a selector switch to allow the
reading of different volt age ranges. The voltmeter has a positive and a
negative lead. To avoid damage to the meter, always connect the
negative lead to the negative (—) side of the circ uit (to ground or nearest

GM – CAMARO 1982-1992 – Repair Guide (Checked by WxMax) 138
the ground side of the circuit) and
connect the positive lead to the
positive (+) side of the circuit (to t he power source or the nearest power
source). Note that the negative voltme ter lead will always be black and
that the positive voltmeter will alwa ys be some color other than black
(usually red).
• Ohmmeter - the ohmmeter is designed to read resistance (measured in
ohms) in a circuit or component. Mo st ohmmeters will have a selector
switch which permits the measurement of different ranges of resistance
(usually the selector swit ch allows the multiplication of the meter reading
by 10, 100, 1,000 and 10,000). Some ohmmeters are "auto-ranging"
which means the meter itself will dete rmine which scale to use. Since the
meters are powered by an internal battery, the ohmmeter can be used
like a self-powered test light. When the ohmmeter is connected, current
from the ohmmeter flows through the ci rcuit or component being tested.
Since the ohmmeter's internal resi stance and voltage are known values,
the amount of current flow throug h the meter depends on the resistance
of the circuit or component being test ed. The ohmmeter can also be used
to perform a continuity test for suspected open circuits. In using the
meter for making continuity checks, do not be concerned with the actual
resistance readings. Zero resistance, or any ohm reading, indicates
continuity in the circui t. Infinite resistance indi cates an opening in the
circuit. A high resistance reading w here there should be none indicates a
problem in the circuit. Checks for s hort circuits are made in the same
manner as checks for open circuits, ex cept that the circuit must be
isolated from both power and normal gr ound. Infinite resistance indicates
no continuity, while zero resi stance indicates a dead short.
WARNING - Never use an ohmmeter to check the resistance of a component or
wire while there is volt age applied to the circuit
• Ammeter - an ammeter measures the am ount of current flowing through
a circuit in units called amperes or amps. At normal operating voltage,
most circuits have a characteristic amount of amperes, called "current
draw" which can be measured usi ng an ammeter. By referring to a
specified current draw rating, then measuring the amperes and
comparing the two values, one can det ermine what is happening within
the circuit to aid in diagnosis. An open circuit, for example, will not allow
any current to flow, so the amme ter reading will be zero. A damaged
component or circuit will have an incr eased current draw, so the reading
will be high. The ammeter is always connected in series with the circuit\

being tested. All of the current that normally flows through the circuit
must also flow through the ammeter; if there is any other path for the
current to follow, the ammeter readi ng will not be accurate. The ammeter
itself has very little resistance to curr ent flow and, therefore, will not affect
the circuit, but it will measure current draw only when the circuit is closed
and electricity is flowing. Excessive current draw can blow fuses and
drain the battery, while a reduced current draw can cause motors to run \
slowly, lights to dim and other components to not operate properly.

GM – CAMARO 1982-1992 – Repair Guide (Checked by WxMax) 139
TROUBLESHOOTING ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS
When diagnosing a specific problem, or
ganized troubleshooting is a must. The
complexity of a modern automotive v ehicle demands that you approach any
problem in a logical, organized m anner. There are certain troubleshooting
techniques, however, which are standard:
• Establish when the problem occurs. D oes the problem appear only under
certain conditions? Were there any noises, odors or other unusual
symptoms? Isolate the problem area. To do this, make some simple tests
and observations, then eliminate the syst ems that are working properly.
Check for obvious problems, such as broken wires and loose or dirty
connections. Always check the obvious before assuming something
complicated is the cause.
• Test for problems systematically to determine the cause once the
problem area is isolated. Are all t he components functioning properly? Is
there power going to electrical switc hes and motors. Performing careful,
systematic checks will often turn up mo st causes on the first inspection,
without wasting time checking co mponents that have little or no
relationship to the problem.
• Test all repairs after the work is done to make sure that the problem is
fixed. Some causes can be traced to more than one component, so a
careful verification of repair work is important in order to pick up
additional malfunctions that may cause a problem to reappear or a
different problem to arise. A blown fu se, for example, is a simple problem
that may require more than another fuse to repair. If you don't look for a
problem that caused a fuse to blow, a shorted wire (for example) may go
undetected.
Experience has shown that most problem s tend to be the result of a fairly
simple and obvious cause, such as loose or corroded connectors, bad grounds
or damaged wire insulation which causes a short. This makes careful visual
inspection of components during testing essential to quick and accurate
troubleshooting.

GM – CAMARO 1982-1992 – Repair Guide (Checked by WxMax) 140
TESTING
OPEN CIRCUITS

Fig. 1: The infinite reading on this mult imeter indicates that the circuit is open
This test already assumes the existence of an open in the circuit and it is used
to help locate the open portion.
1. Isolate the circuit from power and ground.
2. Connect the self-powered test light or ohmmeter ground clip to the
ground side of the circuit and probe sect ions of the circuit sequentially.
3. If the light is out or there is infinite resistanc e, the open is between the
probe and the circuit ground.
4. If the light is on or the meter s hows continuity, the open is between the
probe and the end of the circuit toward the power source.
SHORT CIRCUITS
Never use a self-powered test light to per form checks for opens or shorts when
power is applied to the circuit under te st. The test light can be damaged by
outside power.
1. Isolate the circuit from power and ground.
2. Connect the self-powered test light or ohmmeter ground clip to a good
ground and probe any easy-to-reach point in the circuit.
3. If the light comes on or there is cont inuity, there is a short somewhere in
the circuit.

GM – CAMARO 1982-1992 – Repair Guide (Checked by WxMax) 141
4. To isolate the short, probe a test point
at either end of the isolated circuit
(the light should be on or the mete r should indicate continuity).
5. Leave the test light probe engaged and sequentiall y open connectors or
switches, remove parts, etc. until t he light goes out or continuity is
broken.
6. When the light goes out, the shor t is between the last two circuit
components which were opened.
VOLTAGE
This test determines voltage available fr om the battery and should be the first
step in any electrical troubleshooting pr ocedure after visual inspection. Many
electrical problems, especially on co mputer controlled systems, can be caused
by a low state of charge in the battery. Excessive corrosion at the battery cable
terminals can cause poor contact that will prevent proper charging and f\
ull
battery current flow.
1. Set the voltmeter selector switch to the 20V position.
2. Connect the multimeter negative lead to the battery's negative (-) post or
terminal and the positive lead to t he battery's positive (+) post or
terminal.
3. Turn the ignition switch ON to provide a load.
4. A well charged battery should register over 12 volts. If the meter reads
below 11.5 volts, the battery power may be insufficient to operate the
electrical system properly.
VOLTAGE DROP

Fig. 2: This voltage drop test revealed high resistance (low voltage) in the circuit

GM – CAMARO 1982-1992 – Repair Guide (Checked by WxMax) 142
When current flows through
a load, the voltage beyond the load drops. This
voltage drop is due to the resistance created by the load and also by small
resistances created by corrosion at the connectors and damaged insulation on
the wires. The maximum allo wable voltage drop under load is critical, especially
if there is more than one load in t he circuit, since all voltage drops are
cumulative.
1. Set the voltmeter selector s witch to the 20 volt position.
2. Connect the multimeter negative lead to a good ground.
3. Operate the circuit a nd check the voltage prior to the first component
(load).
4. There should be little or no voltage drop in the circuit prior to the fi\
rst component. If a voltage drop exists, the wire or connectors in the circuit
are suspect.
5. While operating the first component in the circuit, probe the ground side
of the component with the positive meter lead and observe the voltage
readings. A small voltage drop should be noticed. This voltage drop is
caused by the resistance of the component.
6. Repeat the test for each component (load) down the circuit.
7. If a large voltage drop is noticed, the preceding component, wire or
connector is suspect.
RESISTANCE

Fig. 3: Checking the resistance of a coolant temperature sensor with an
ohmmeter. Reading is 1.04 kilohms

GM – CAMARO 1982-1992 – Repair Guide (Checked by WxMax) 143

Fig. 4: Spark plug wires can be checked for excessive resistance using an
ohmmeter
WARNING - Never use an ohmmeter with power applied to the circuit. The
ohmmeter is designed to operate on its own power supply. The normal 12 volt
electrical system voltage could damage the meter!

GM – CAMARO 1982-1992 – Repair Guide (Checked by WxMax) 144
1. Isolate the circuit from
the vehicle's power source.
2. Ensure that the ignition key is OFF when disconnecting any components
or the battery.
3. Where necessary, also isolate at least one side of the circuit to be
checked, in order to avoid reading parallel resistances. Parallel circuit
resistances will always give a lower reading than the actual resistance of
either of the branches.
4. Connect the meter leads to both sides of the circuit (wire or component)
and read the actual measured ohms on the meter scale. Make sure the
selector switch is set to the proper ohm scale for the circuit being tested,
to avoid misreading the oh mmeter test value.
WIRE AND CONNECTOR REPAIR
Almost anyone can replace damaged wires, as long as the proper tools and
parts are available. Wire and terminals ar e available to fit almost any need.
Even the specialized weatherproof, mol ded and hard shell connectors are now
available from aftermarket suppliers.
Be sure the ends of all the wires are fitted with t he proper terminal hardware
and connectors. Wrapping a wire around a stud is never a permanent solution
and will only cause trouble later. Repl ace wires one at a time to avoid
confusion. Always route wires exac tly the same as the factory.
If connector repair is necessary, only atte mpt it if you have the proper tools.
Weatherproof and hard shell con nectors require special tools to release the pins
inside the connector. Attempting to r epair these connectors with conventional
hand tools will damage them.
BATTERY CABLES

DISCONNECTING THE CABLES
When working on any electrical component on the vehicle, it is always a good
idea to disconnect the negative (-) battery cable. This will prevent potential
damage to many sensitive electrical co mponents such as the Engine Control
Module (ECM), radio, alternator, etc.
Any time you disengage the battery cables, it is recommended that you
disconnect the negative (&mdash) battery cable first. This will prevent your
accidentally grounding the positive (+) term inal to the body of the vehicle when
disconnecting it, thereby prevent ing damage to the above mentioned
components.
Before you disconnect the cable(s), first turn the ignition to the OFF position.
This will prevent a draw on the battery which could cause arcing (electricity
trying to ground itself to the body of a vehi cle, just like a spark plug jumping the
gap) and, of course, damaging some com ponents such as the alternator diodes.