I currently have no interior gauge lights or wipers in my '69 SS396. I'm trying to figure out the mess of wires the previous owner left for me and this is what I have to work with. All fuses have been checked and bulbs replaced. I have four purple or purple striped 10 or 12 gauge wires with no homes. There is a purple and a purple w/white wire coming from the wiring harness, clipped. There are the same coming from the steering column area, the solid is clipped and the purple/white connected to my alarm. I am assuming these should be connected somehow, but there are no markings anywhere and the wiring diagram doesn't tell me anything useful. (don't want to try anything without knowing, I'm no electrician) Also, there is a green ground under the hood that, when grounded, keeps the temp idiot light on at all times. I'm at my wits end. It's raining and it would be nice to have wipers and actually see my gauges in the dark. Help if you can. Thanks.

[This message has been edited by GRRgirl (edited 11-11-2002).]

If no one else shows up I'll pull a schematic later but it helps to know:
What year, engine size, air conditioning?

69, 396/t400, never had factory air, no air now. thanks john

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GRRgirl
Almost back from the dead! Proud owner of a previously abused 1969 Chevy Chevelle SS396. No, this is not my boyfriend's car! ;)

Regardless of your wiring mess, the common denominator here is the dash ground. Neither the wipers nor the instrument lamps will work without a ground. I'm not sure how the ground is made on a 69, but on a 68, it is accomplished by installing the mounting screw in the upper left corner of the dash bezel, sandwiching the ground strap between the bezel and the metal dash.

hrm, you know, I don't remember seeing anything like that when the dash was pulled. I wonder if I'm missing something.

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GRRgirl
Almost back from the dead! Proud owner of a previously abused 1969 Chevy Chevelle SS396. No, this is not my boyfriend's car! ;)

Mine is newer then '69, but, the green wire you call a ground under the hood is likely the ground for temperature idiot light. Grounded it'll keep the light on all the time, connected to a temperature sending unit it'll just turn it on when the temp goes up. Someone has probably installed gauges and just left that wire for the original light hanging there.

Gene is probably right. If you don't have a schematic you can get one quickly at Pep Boys. Haynes book # 625 has a basic one. Doesn't cover the SS options but it can be a help.
Read Elree's post in the attached link. If you ground the washer pump wire, under the hood (connector still on the motor), and the pump tries to work..dash ground problem. I'm not sure where it is on the 69. Maybe one of the other guys will show up.
The purple wires are part of the neutral safety start switch on the column (automatic car).
The green that makes the idiot light go on goes to the temp sensor in the left head around #3 sparkplug. http://www.chevelles.com/forum/Forum22/HTML/002207.html

Thanks so much guys, you've given some great ideas I haven't thought of!

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GRRgirl
Almost back from the dead! Proud owner of a previously abused 1969 Chevy Chevelle SS396. No, this is not my boyfriend's car! ;)