Thread: electrical issue i cant figure out! PLEASE HELP

ok guys, i've been dealing with this issue for a month now and cant figure it out, ready to set the car on fire.

The battery light and brake light stay on with no key in the igntion. Ive went over the wiring a thousand times and cant figure out why this is happening. I've swapped a few alternators, brand new battery, checked all grounds, new alternator harness, literally went through everything and anything.

I unplugged the alternator harness and on the chassis side, one clip has 3 wires for the alternator,then the two thicker white wires. The white wire in the plug is getting constant power for some reason. I went in the dash and disconnected the ignition clip and that wire on this side of the harness is also getting constant power. Does anyone know where this wire could possibly be getting power from between the alternator and the ignition? idk if its a shared wire somewhere else in the car? i'm ready to just give up. The car has been ready for start up and a tune for a month now and this issue is keeping me from doing that.

please anything helpful input is appreciated.

Don't have a wiring chart handy, but it sounds like it's either a relay issue or the ignition switch itself. The ignition switch may leave a connection closed when the key is removed, or a relay may be stuck closed, keeping a circuit running. It isn't going to be an alternator issue, I can almost guarantee that.

The white wire going to the alternator that has power is a sense line that runs to the battery, it's live all the time, this is normal. The regulator inside the alternator monitors the battery voltage and 'regulates' the alternator output accordingly.

Ok awesome, thank you for the reply. I'm not good with electrical at all. At least now I know that the white wire having constant power is normal. I feel like maybe it may be a relay but now I have no clue which one it could be haha. I tried to see if the car will crank and it didn't at all. I just hear a relay under the dash by the fuses clicking really loud.

This is the most annoying issue I've ever had to deal with on a b13 chassis.

Anymore info or input would be appreciated guys!

I got it figured out now guys, thanks anyways

Mind sharing with the rest of the class what the issue was? Could be useful info for the next guy..

While I was trying to figure out the issue, my cousin noticed the reverse lights were on. So I went into the engine bay by the trans plugs and noticed I had two plugs hooked up in the wrong clips, soon as I swapped them, lights on the dash dissapeared and car will crank now.

Right on man, my friend @Kyle was/is having similar issues..

Mine is fixed, needed two more grounds.

Mind elaborating for the rest of the class what grounds you are referring to? Could be useful info for the next guy...

New grounds at the ECM relay?

Engine needed grounded from the t-stat housing to the chassis, like OEM intended.

And the body harness which was removed for rust repair needed a small ground re-done, as OEM intended.

As the FSM details, there is nothing new I discovered or found out. It was all printed years ago when the cars were made; in all three cases in this thread.