The fix for early fieros, with radio shack parts! You do need to cut and splice 6 wires, hope that wont scare you? Parts needed, one 5 pin universal relay and matching plug, a inline fuse holder and a few crimp conectors... You can solder the conections if you like! Its easiest to remove the left headlight assembly, its only 4 nuts! The isolation relay is mounted on the fender next to the headlight. Remove the old relay, 2- 7mm screws. Clip the 6 wires a few inches under the conector, this way you can wire it back together if you ever want. The relay has numbered posts. # 85 connects to the yellow wire, #86 to the black, #87 to the pink, #87A to BOTH the blue and the blue/white and finally # 30 to a constant hot! I tied in to the red wire above the fuse links that stick out of the wire loom next to the hood prop on the left, you should fuse this wire with a 15 amp fuse!!! IT WORKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Had my car sits for weeks and the battery stays up! There is 0 draw when the headlights are down, the limit switchs in the motors shut everything off. The relay is not powered in the off position. when the switch is off, power is fed through the new relay just the way the factory one did it.
Hey guys for some reason I can never get an Isolation Relay to last more then a few months, Im guessing i keep finding ones about to fail in my local junk yards. So I found this thread and decided to try this. I ordered these relays http://www.amazon.com/gp/pr...00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 . They seem to meet the above mention requirements. So when They came in I wired in as explained in the instructions, however I noticed that the white wire coming out of the factory harness is un accounted for. So I have left it un hooked not knowing what to do with it. I then Ran the number 30 connector to a constant hot on the fuse box and the lights go down but will not go up, just like my last isolation relay. I did have them working for a few months before my last relay failed. So I know the lights work. This is getting very frustrating can ANY ONE shed some light on this I am really tired of these not working lights.
In the actual headlight switch if you take it apart, there are a bunch of metal tabs that get bent when you push on switches. I bent one of the tabs to stay down permanently to fix my problem with the isolation relay. I am pretty sure it accomplished the exact same thing as the poster did but only bending a tab. No battery drain.
You will literally be my best friend in the world if you post some pictures of the switch and what you did. I really need to get this Fixed thanks man.
I figured it out because when I half pushed down the button my headlights would go up. I just popped the switch open and saw what pin was depressed when headlight button was pushed halfway. I think it was the top tab? I dont have any torx with me at school to remove the switch to snap a picture unfortunately, but I promise it was easy to figure out.
I took my switch appart and it has 3 copper tabs inside It looks like the back one is indended to be down when the lights are off and up off the contact surface when the lights are on. The other two appear to be working correctly can you confirm any of this?
Parts needed, one 5 pin universal relay and matching plug, a inline fuse holder and a few crimp conectors...
# 85 connects to the yellow wire, #86 to the black, #87 to the pink, #87A to BOTH the blue and the blue/white and finally # 30 to a constant hot! I tied in to the red wire above the fuse links that stick out of the wire loom next to the hood prop on the left, you should fuse this wire with a 15 amp fuse!!! IT WORKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Has anyone else tried this? Why do you need a constant hot on the red? Isn't it a power feed already?
If you toggle the switch so it is halfway pressed down, the correct tab to bend down should be making contact or really close to it
Yes, I do have an extra headlight switch to play with, yes if it works it would be very cool. my fear is that I'm somehow bypassing the isolation relay, really wanted to replace that so if you or someone could explain what tweaking the head light switch would do, in very simple terms, I don't understand electricity, very much appreciated.
Now for reference, I did swap out headlight switches. switch up headlights up, switch down headlights up & lights still on, switch toggled halfway up then down and my lights go down and off. I'm fairly certain, it's the issolation relay right? What would tweaking the headlight switch do?
I'm pretty sure the isolation relay is being bypassed when you do this... but I had the exact opposite problem you have where my lights would not go up unless the switch was half toggled.
Thanks for the reply, good thing I'm trying to get all the ducks in a row. I'm happy it worked for you, those stupid isolation relays, I'm telling ya, what a pain but I think i'll go with the universal relay, that I can do myself, just need to get a confirmation about the red hot wire.
...just need to get a confirmation about the red hot wire.
Using the five pin relay (SPDT relay) you need a separate power source that's hot at all times because in the original configuration, two different power sources are run to the light switch: one to raise the pods (yellow wire) and the other to lower them (white wire). If you try to use only one or the other as the power source for your new relay, the lights will either go up or down but not both because of the internals of the light switch. That's why the OP suggested you need to find a new power source for the relay. Because this power source needs to be able to raise the pods which can draw a lot of current, you'd be best to tap into either of the large red wires that poke out of the harness near the driver's side headlight. Just pull on either of the two orange fusible links shown here until you get the red part of the wire and splice into it there:
I can't see how this solution could drain your battery if it is connected properly and if your limit switches in your Gen1 motors are working properly because as already mentioned, the limit switches will open the circuit and cut power to everything once the pods are down.
Thanks Tonyhcr for the innovative idea. Thank you Bloozberry for the expert advice and technical help Planning on doing this modification soon, looks fairly straight forward, perhaps this weekend.
I hope my fix helped some of you out! I've done six cars this way with no problems... ps. I should have stated that you don't use the factory white power wire, just tape it off. The power to the relay comes from the splice to the disabled link. Thanks Tony
Start a post in the mall and you will have lots of interested people. Nice find. I'll order up one of your kits for the next time mine goes out. What do I need to do?
EDIT: Welcome to the forum!
[This message has been edited by Fieroseverywhere (edited 10-22-2014).]
The isolation relay box looks like there are two separate relays in there. If this is the case it should be easy to duplicate. I will look at the headlight motor wiring diagram tonight and see if I can offer any suggestions.
------------------ " THE BLACK PARALYZER" -87GT 3800SC Series III engine, custom ZZP /Frozen Boost Intercooler setup, 3.4" Pulley, Powerlog manifold, Northstar TB, LS1 MAF, 3" Flotech Afterburner Exhaust, Autolite 104's, MSD wires, Custom CAI, 4T65eHD w. custom axles, HP Tuners VCM Suite. "THE COLUSSUS" 87GT - ALL OUT 3.4L Turbocharged engine, Garrett Hybrid Turbo, MSD ign., modified TH125H " ON THE LOOSE WITHOUT THE JUICE "
i have made the isolation relay from a 5 pin relay i bought on ebay. i wired it in and it worked perfectly first try, and no, it didnt drain my battery. i went away on a work related trip for 2 weeks, car sat in the cold this past February, came home and it started right up. i have 7 of these relays left after doing some for other people. i anyone is interested let me know.
Hey, guys! I tried this fix with a universal 5 pin relay and connector from online on my '84, and i wired everything up, but absolutely nothing is happening . The headlights dont go up and down at all, but before the fix, the left headlight would go down, and nothing else would happen.. This got me thinking: did I somehow switch the actuator relay with my 'new' isolation relay? I used the wires from the left of the driver side headlight, the relay was originally mounted against the inside of the left fender... is that the isolation relay? At this point I'm lost, any help would be greatly appreciated.
The problem with the 84-86 Fiero headlight system is that there are four possible points of failure; the headlight motors, the headlight switch, the isolation relay and the headlight motor relay. Often hard to diagnose. Rodney Dickman was talking about have some new iso relays made but don't believe that he ever followed through but the $10 fix sounds good to me.
------------------ " THE BLACK PARALYZER" -87GT 3800SC Series III engine, custom ZZP /Frozen Boost Intercooler setup, 3.4" Pulley, Northstar TB, LS1 MAF, 3" Spintech/Hedman Exhaust, Autolite 104's, MSD wires, Custom CAI, 4T65eHD w. custom axles, HP Tuners VCM Suite. "THE COLUSSUS" 87GT - ALL OUT 3.4L Turbocharged engine, Garrett Hybrid Turbo, MSD ign., modified TH125H " ON THE LOOSE WITHOUT THE JUICE "
I have a thought.. what if we took your solution and put it on a PC board. And added some LEDs for troubleshooting. And possibly a mating connector to make it direct plug?? My 87 has gen 2 headlights with the different controller, and have been considering the same activity for that module too. Just thinking out loud..
The problem with the 84-86 Fiero headlight system is that there are four possible points of failure; the headlight motors, the headlight switch, the isolation relay and the headlight motor relay. Often hard to diagnose. Rodney Dickman was talking about have some new iso relays made but don't believe that he ever followed through but the $10 fix sounds good to me.
I have been working a kit that put all the relays and isolation relay in one potted box and I'm close to having some kits finished that I could send out to a few for R&D. This thing with sardonyx247 bashing me for sending out free parts for R&D makes it difficult for me to finish this project. I don't have a 84-86 Fiero here to test it on. Bummer.
------------------ Rodney Dickman
Fiero Parts And Acc's Web Page: All new web page!:www.rodneydickman.com Rodney Dickman's Fiero accessories 7604 Treeview Drive Caledonia, WI 53108 Phone/Fax (262) 835-9575
I have been working a kit that put all the relays and isolation relay in one potted box and I'm close to having some kits finished that I could send out to a few for R&D. This thing with sardonyx247 bashing me for sending out free parts for R&D makes it difficult for me to finish this project. I don't have a 84-86 Fiero here to test it on. Bummer.
If you expect that everyone will like Rodney Dickman all the time you are mistaken. I've probably received more hateful comments than most members here but I enjoy them. Its actually an honor and a privilege to be insulted by the lower class. Makes one happy to know that you are truly superior.
------------------ " THE BLACK PARALYZER" -87GT 3800SC Series III engine, custom ZZP /Frozen Boost Intercooler setup, 3.4" Pulley, Northstar TB, LS1 MAF, 3" Spintech/Hedman Exhaust, Autolite 104's, MSD wires, Custom CAI, 4T65eHD w. custom axles, HP Tuners VCM Suite. "THE COLUSSUS" 87GT - ALL OUT 3.4L Turbocharged engine, Garrett Hybrid Turbo, MSD ign., modified TH125H " ON THE LOOSE WITHOUT THE JUICE "
[This message has been edited by Dennis LaGrua (edited 03-18-2017).]
Update? Really want to fix my headlights. I push the headlight button and one headlight goes up and the other goes down. Push again and the one that is up goes down, while the down one goes up! HELP
Update? Really want to fix my headlights. I push the headlight button and one headlight goes up and the other goes down. Push again and the one that is up goes down, while the down one goes up! HELP
Update? Really want to fix my headlights. I push the headlight button and one headlight goes up and the other goes down. Push again and the one that is up goes down, while the down one goes up! HELP
This is a common occurrence when headlight motors have been rebuilt incorrectly. If the stator magnet is not re-oriented in the correct direction, the result is the condition you have described. You need to flip the stator magnet in the opposite direction and it will work properly.
. The headlights dont go up and down at all, but before the fix, the left headlight would go down, and nothing else would happen.. This got me thinking: did I somehow switch the actuator relay with my 'new' isolation relay? I used the wires from the left of the driver side headlight, the relay was originally mounted against the inside of the left fender... is that the isolation relay? At this point I'm lost, any help would be greatly appreciated.
