------------------ 1986 Fiero SE 2.8 Auto - Blackie 1985 Fiero GT 2.8 4-spd - Goldie II - To be driveable this season 1985 Fiero GT Convertible - 3.8SC 4-spd - long term project 1987 Cavalier Z24 2.8 5-spd - daily driver - 300k miles and still goin 1993 Bonneville SSEi - 3800SC parts/wiring donor for 85 Vert
I have the driver side built (no, I didn't ever make it to bed last nite, lmao), and it looks amazing... don't think I'm gonna wait til I finish the other side to put it on the car, hehe
on the down side tho, unfortunately, I only got half the snap clips for mounting the controller and signal boards... so I have to see if I can find some nuts or something to finish the other side, lol
------------------ 1986 Fiero SE 2.8 Auto - Blackie 1985 Fiero GT 2.8 4-spd - Goldie II - To be driveable this season 1985 Fiero GT Convertible - 3.8SC 4-spd - long term project 1987 Cavalier Z24 2.8 5-spd - daily driver - 300k miles and still goin 1993 Bonneville SSEi - 3800SC parts/wiring donor for 85 Vert
I have the driver side built (no, I didn't ever make it to bed last nite, lmao), and it looks amazing... don't think I'm gonna wait til I finish the other side to put it on the car, hehe
on the down side tho, unfortunately, I only got half the snap clips for mounting the controller and signal boards... so I have to see if I can find some nuts or something to finish the other side, lol
My apologies if I miscounted the number of clips! If you're looking for the right size nut to use instead of a clip, just use a 8-32 nylock nut. Or a regular 8-32 nut with a small dab of Loctite will do the trick. Really sorry about that!
I got mine yesterday, I believe. I just returned from training today and opened it and everything looks great. Very well put together kit. I can't wait to get them installed on my Formula.
My apologies if I miscounted the number of clips! If you're looking for the right size nut to use instead of a clip, just use a 8-32 nylock nut. Or a regular 8-32 nut with a small dab of Loctite will do the trick. Really sorry about that!
no worries Chris... that's an easy fix... I have hardware stores around here, lol on a side note, for anyone else assembling these right away, I highly recommend extending the lead wires going into the car harness, as I found that this setup doesn't fit in the car trying to run that wiring thru the reverse hole in the housing, lol
out of curiosity, is there a trick to that bulb adaptor? it seems to be too shallow for my taillight bulb sockets, and the wider part that you grab onto turns separately from the rest of it... it could just be the resistance from the contact grease in my bulb sockets, but I figured I'd ash...
------------------ 1986 Fiero SE 2.8 Auto - Blackie 1985 Fiero GT 2.8 4-spd - Goldie II - To be driveable this season 1985 Fiero GT Convertible - 3.8SC 4-spd - long term project 1987 Cavalier Z24 2.8 5-spd - daily driver - 300k miles and still goin 1993 Bonneville SSEi - 3800SC parts/wiring donor for 85 Vert
no worries Chris... that's an easy fix... I have hardware stores around here, lol on a side note, for anyone else assembling these right away, I highly recommend extending the lead wires going into the car harness, as I found that this setup doesn't fit in the car trying to run that wiring thru the reverse hole in the housing, lol
out of curiosity, is there a trick to that bulb adaptor? it seems to be too shallow for my taillight bulb sockets, and the wider part that you grab onto turns separately from the rest of it... it could just be the resistance from the contact grease in my bulb sockets, but I figured I'd ash...
Hmm sounds a little odd. I'll double check mine when I get home from work tonight, but it doesn't sound like the wide part of the bulb base should be spinning. Did you try just turning the bulb connector 180 degrees and then twisting it in again? They can only go in the socket one way. If you look at the side of the connector, there are two little nubs that lock the bulb into place in the socket. They are offset from one another in height so the bulb is asymmetrical. This is why it can only go in the socket in one orientation.
yah, it's a standard signal socket, you'd think it would go in normally, lol... and yah, I just checked the second one and it doesn't spin loose like the other one, so I'm gonna guess it's no good, lol... where did you find these? maybe I can source one out locally instead of you having to ship...
Okay, so I tried out the bulb connector in my socket... and you're absolutely right. The Fiero tail light socket is deep. Much deeper than what I feel is "standard" since these bulb connectors are universal.
The reason I didn't catch this during my own install is that I used some old bulb connectors from another project that I had laying around. They don't have the shoulder that seems to be interfering with the bulb connectors that I purchased in bulk for these tail light kits.
There is a solution though. It's not the prettiest thing, but it still keeps everything plug and play.
Since the shoulder on your bulb connector is spinning, it means that you have almost broke it free from the main body. Give it a good yank and it should come loose and come right off. You'll end up with the following:
As you can see, inside the bulb connector there are two wires leading down to the contact pads at the bottom of the bulb base. There is also a wire soldered to the inside of the body (this is your ground wire).
I ended up just touching my soldering iron to the ground wire on the side and then removing it and soldering my own longer wire on (in black). I also cut the two positive leads down quite a bit so that they cannot touch one another. Then I soldered two longer red wires to them. So I ended up with this:
In order to keep things from touching one another inside the bulb connector, I just grabbed my glue gun and filled the base up with hot glue and let it dry.
This way there is no chance of the wires touching one another or shorting out to ground (the inside wall of the bulb connector).
Now I can push this right into my socket and twist it into place without interference.
Give this a try and it's pretty easy to do. I really really apologize for this, I shouldn't have assumed that the sockets on the Fiero are a standard depth. In the mean time, I'm looking for alternate sources for these bulb connectors that do not have shoulders. They're not the easiest things to find out there. I found some that do not have the shoulder but also do not have any wires pre soldered on. So even if I bought those, everyone would have to do this procedure anyways.
I'll update the instructions and also update everyone with what I find. Hopefully I can order exactly what we need so no extra steps are involved here and if anyone wants me to send out a connector, I can do that.
As you can see I purchased the ones with the leads already built in. They are $3 each. Apparently for only 30 cents each you can actually get the bases that are empty. So again, you would have to solder and throw some glue in the base to keep things from moving but they are 10x cheaper. I may have to go this route on future kits.
[This message has been edited by doublec4 (edited 03-19-2014).]
kool, that works too... I seem to have the shoulder reasonably solid again (a little adjustment with pliers, lol), so I think what I'm gonna do, since it's within the seal and shouldn't hurt anything, I'm gonna trim down the 2nd socket in so that the shoulder clears (it's just plastic anyway, so my soldering gun should make short work of it) and then I should be good to go... on a positive note, got the second light all wired up tonite, and test ran it, works like a charm (after re-soldering one of the resistor connections, lol) so now, since I didn't get a chance the last 2 nights to pick up some Nylok nuts, I will grab some after work tomorrow, and then I will have some pics and maybe even wideo on the car anybody else got theirs built and installed yet?
------------------ 1986 Fiero SE 2.8 Auto - Blackie 1985 Fiero GT 2.8 4-spd - Goldie II - To be driveable this season 1985 Fiero GT Convertible - 3.8SC 4-spd - long term project 1987 Cavalier Z24 2.8 5-spd - daily driver - 300k miles and still goin 1993 Bonneville SSEi - 3800SC parts/wiring donor for 85 Vert
[This message has been edited by 85red2m6 (edited 03-20-2014).]
Take a look at the picture I posted where I removed the top of the bulb connector. Notice how the two positive wires are bare and have no shielding on them. If you've twisted the top, you've likely twisted these wires to the point that they are touching. So once you get power on one of those wires, it will send power to the other as well.
Anyways, last night I got in touch with a company in China that makes these things. I've requested that they make them for me without the shoulder and with wires presoldered onto them. They said its no problem and I ordered a bunch of them.
So worst case, what I can do is send out these new bulb connectors to anyone who wants theirs replaced and doesn't want to modify the ones I've included in their package. Only bad news is, they're coming from China so it might be a while before I get them. Let me know what you guys think.
I will send out an email later today to everyone on the group buy list.
If my connector doesn't work for me, I will just do what you did in the post above. Its no big deal to me. I haven't gotten that far into the build yet anyways. LOL! I am kinda taking my time and making everything as nice and neat as I can.
Edit: Oh, would it be okay to put hot glue on the back side of the panels to cover all the LED connections?
[This message has been edited by craigsfiero2007 (edited 03-20-2014).]
If my connector doesn't work for me, I will just do what you did in the post above. Its no big deal to me. I haven't gotten that far into the build yet anyways. LOL! I am kinda taking my time and making everything as nice and neat as I can.
Edit: Oh, would it be okay to put hot glue on the back side of the panels to cover all the LED connections?
Yes, if you'd like to put some hot glue on those connections it should be fine. The only downside to doing that is if one of your connections comes loose, it will be more difficult to figure out what happened since it will be covered. Otherwise, it won't hurt anything.
[This message has been edited by doublec4 (edited 03-20-2014).]
Yes, if you'd like to put some hot glue on those connections it should be fine. The only downside to doing that is if one of your connections comes loose, it will be more difficult to figure out what happened since it will be covered. Otherwise, it won't hurt anything.
Let me know what connectors you would need to send. I think I would want them, but wanted to see if it's something I can pick up local possibly?
They would be the exact same connectors I've included in your kit, just without that shoulder that makes the top part of the bulb connector wider.
The size is designated as BAY15D, basically a dual contact bulb connector. It has the two offset nubs on the side of the body to lock itself into the socket.
I have no idea if you would be able to find them locally, but you can find them here without any wires attached. You would have to solder your own wires.
If you just hit Ctrl+F and find "Bay15d" it is the fourth occurrence on this page. They are only 30 cents each without the wires. This would probably be your second fastest option.
If you can wait, I will send you the ones I get in from China. This is the slowest option.
The fastest option is just pulling apart the ones I have already sent and modifying them as shown above.
It's hard to see how those are sealed, but regardless, the bulb connector doesn't need to be sealed (in the tail light housing anyway). It's the socket that actually does the sealing. It has a gasket on it that seals against the back of the tail light housing.
Those connectors are very expensive and are exactly the same thing as you can get elsewhere. They do not have a shoulder on them which would make them work nicely in the Fiero tail light sockets but are way too much money for what they're worth. The link I posted above you can get the same ones (with shoulders) from autolumination for $3 a piece.
Hey Chris. I trimmed out the outside of the 2nd signal sockets a bit and the shoulder fits perfectly, and as long as you don't trim too deep, it still works fine with a normal bulb... got mine in and working, just need to pick up the flasher and I'm golden (flashing the signals manually for now, lol)...
they look fantastic and I'm tickled to have them in, lol...
so does anyone have theirs in yet or am I the first set? lol
as for twisting the sucket, yah, I apparently had a little bit of twist inside my 1st socket, and it was crossing the wires and I had both the markers and signals lit all the time, lol... but a little back twist of the little plug inside and it's good as new...
------------------ 1986 Fiero SE 2.8 Auto - Blackie 1985 Fiero GT 2.8 4-spd - Goldie II - To be driveable this season 1985 Fiero GT Convertible - 3.8SC 4-spd - long term project 1987 Cavalier Z24 2.8 5-spd - daily driver - 300k miles and still goin 1993 Bonneville SSEi - 3800SC parts/wiring donor for 85 Vert
[This message has been edited by 85red2m6 (edited 03-21-2014).]
Hey Chris. I trimmed out the outside of the 2nd signal sockets a bit and the shoulder fits perfectly, and as long as you don't trim too deep, it still works fine with a normal bulb... got mine in and working, just need to pick up the flasher and I'm golden (flashing the signals manually for now, lol)...
they look fantastic and I'm tickled to have them in, lol...
so does anyone have theirs in yet or am I the first set? lol
as for twisting the sucket, yah, I apparently had a little bit of twist inside my 1st socket, and it was crossing the wires and I had both the markers and signals lit all the time, lol... but a little back twist of the little plug inside and it's good as new...
Sounds great! I'm glad the connector situation worked out for you. I apologize it had to be a little more work than I had first thought, but I guess it's part of being one of the first to put the kit together. I appreciate your feedback through the process and I'd love to see them on your car!
Sounds great! I'm glad the connector situation worked out for you. I apologize it had to be a little more work than I had first thought, but I guess it's part of being one of the first to put the kit together. I appreciate your feedback through the process and I'd love to see them on your car!
lol, no worries... like you said, all part of being the first to have them on the car, lol... and I will post my pics as soon as I get them uploaded to photobucket... feel free to browse them on FB, I have a bunch of assembly and finished product pics posted in several of the Fiero forums... and you are more than welcome to use them for advertizing purposes too, although I will say, I think my lense is scratched, because all my night pics are blurry compared to the normal quality of the camera in my phone...
oh, and I picked up a flasher locally today, got it from bumper to bumper, it's a Grote part #44810, and it times with the sequencing perfectly... cost me $13 w/tax...
and I'm already getting positive feedback about them locally, showed my roomate when I got home and he loves the look, and my neighbor happened to come home the same time, and he had nothing but good things to say about them... signs of a great product man
Anthony Budjak
------------------ 1986 Fiero SE 2.8 Auto - Blackie 1985 Fiero GT 2.8 4-spd - Goldie II - To be driveable this season 1985 Fiero GT Convertible - 3.8SC 4-spd - long term project 1987 Cavalier Z24 2.8 5-spd - daily driver - 300k miles and still goin 1993 Bonneville SSEi - 3800SC parts/wiring donor for 85 Vert
Anthony, thank you for the great feedback! The pictures and video look great. Since you used a different flasher module, you mentioned that the timing of the sequence still worked out perfectly. In the video, it's a little difficult to see because cameras are generally not great when you point them at bright lights. When using the turn signals in person, are you getting all of the groups of LEDs lit up right to the end?
yes, the LED's do sequence right to the end every time, although the last row only stays on for less than a quarter second before they start the next sequence (personally, I would love to turn down the flash rate about a quarter second or so, but not sure what it would take to modify the flasher module, lol), but you are absolutely right; the cameras really don't handle the bright lights in the dark well at all, lol... I also took a vid of the lights during the day, and it shows up better, tho not as bright, obviously, lol
but I will warn you, if you havn't been keeping an eye on the FB posts about your lights, be prepared for a flood of orders, because these are getting HUGE attention on the FB groups, lol 146 FB notifications this morning, and at least 80% of them pertaining to my posts about these lights, hehe
------------------ 1986 Fiero SE 2.8 Auto - Blackie 1985 Fiero GT 2.8 4-spd - Goldie II - To be driveable this season 1985 Fiero GT Convertible - 3.8SC 4-spd - long term project 1987 Cavalier Z24 2.8 5-spd - daily driver - 300k miles and still goin 1993 Bonneville SSEi - 3800SC parts/wiring donor for 85 Vert
[This message has been edited by 85red2m6 (edited 03-22-2014).]
anyone put a set together and have pictures of all the completed wiring? as a therapeutic distraction i decided to put my new set together to go in the little girls car. have it what i think is all together but have missed something so any pics would be a great help. thanks
mine are together and working... what is and isn't your's doing? I have a few pics, but a couple of the backside pics didn't turn out legible, so I don't have a complete set of wiring pics...
------------------ 1986 Fiero SE 2.8 Auto - Blackie 1985 Fiero GT 2.8 4-spd - Goldie II - To be driveable this season 1985 Fiero GT Convertible - 3.8SC 4-spd - long term project 1987 Cavalier Z24 2.8 5-spd - daily driver - 300k miles and still goin 1993 Bonneville SSEi - 3800SC parts/wiring donor for 85 Vert
Hey Chris, just figured I would bump this thread back onto the Mall and see if you were planning a second run and/or if you'd made any progress on the backup lights...? mine are still running great, although I've had to go back and re-solder some of my connections, lol... no componant failure or faults, all LED's still working great, sequencing still works as it's supposed to... Only couple issues I've run into are the aforementioned repairs to my not-so meticulous soldering job on the first light, and the reflectors don't want to stay put in the signal boards after a little hiway vibration. I am thinking that when I pull the lights to do the current broken wire repair, I think I will be going back and using the tip of my old solder pencil to melt the back side of all the reflector locating pins so that they can't pull out of the board... other than that, the only other minor issue I've run into (and it's not really a problem, just more of an observation on my choice of flasher) is that with the car not running and the voltage dropping off a bit, the sequencer slows down slightly more than the flasher itself does, and the last row of signal LED's don't always come on before the flasher begins the next cycle... but like I say, this is only with the car not running and the voltage starting to drop a bit... it is not an issue at all with the car running...
So I'm happy to report that the lights are holding up to Daily Driving very well, and other than having to tip-melt the reflector pins (which is something I was considering doing in the first place, but opted to just see how they held out), I'm still having no issues with them and they still look great
------------------ 1986 Fiero SE 2.8 Auto - Blackie 1985 Fiero GT 2.8 4-spd - Goldie II - To be driveable this season 1985 Fiero GT Convertible - 3.8SC 4-spd - long term project 1987 Cavalier Z24 2.8 5-spd - daily driver - 300k miles and still goin 1993 Bonneville SSEi - 3800SC parts/wiring donor for 85 Vert
That's a good idea to hit the back pins of the reflectors with the soldering iron once you're done. I should revise the instructions to include that!
Glad you're still enjoying the lights!
Silverdosica, returned your pm. I will be making another run of these lights soon.
I've been really busy with the GT lights lately and to be honest I haven't had the chance to revisit the reverse lights on the notchie yet. Plus I was hoping to have my 3D printer by now and I need it for my idea to make some parts, but that has not been delivered yet (bought it from kickstarter). I'll post updates when they happen though!
that would be as simple as getting a vinyl made up in black and cut out with the word in it and a red light source behind it, lol... it's an idea, but I think it would end up having to share the same space as the backup lights Chris has planned, lol
------------------ 1986 Fiero SE 2.8 Auto - Blackie 1985 Fiero GT 2.8 4-spd - Goldie II - To be driveable this season 1985 Fiero GT Convertible - 3.8SC 4-spd - long term project 1987 Cavalier Z24 2.8 5-spd - daily driver - 300k miles and still goin 1993 Bonneville SSEi - 3800SC parts/wiring donor for 85 Vert
Hey coady, had my lights apart finally to fix the reflectors and re-solder a couple connections (for some reason these resistors don't stick well to the solder) and snapped a few pics of the wiring... not sure if it helps you this far after the fact, but figured I'd post anyways...
Chris, was Danyel correct, these lights are now avail full time from you? still want another set with the full LED ring and backup lights whenever you get to that point with them...
------------------ 1986 Fiero SE 2.8 Auto - Blackie 1985 Fiero GT 2.8 4-spd - Goldie II - To be driveable this season 1985 Fiero GT Convertible - 3.8SC 4-spd - long term project 1987 Cavalier Z24 2.8 5-spd - daily driver - 300k miles and still goin 1993 Bonneville SSEi - 3800SC parts/wiring donor for 85 Vert
Hello Yes these will be available soon ,... I will post in the sale thread all the details and transactions I did with Chris (Embrace Racing) These are now my kits as I bought the rights to these ... MORE TO COME ....
