where to start on wiring fix

[timspider]

After getting my tranny rebuilt, new clutch, fuel delivery upgrades, and a host of other things done over the last year, I now have a brand spankin new issue. Something in the ignition is amiss. Or somewhere else in the wiring.
Among the first things I did 2 years ago when I got the car is to install a headlight wiring kit, the brown wire fix, a 95 amp alternator, and to clean grounds where I found them.
Old sealed beam lights got very bright, wipers ran faster, signals don't lag, all marker and tail light bright after cleaning each fixture. Life was good, at least electrically, until now.
On recent drive, she bucked like she was fuel starved, then intermittently came back to life to run roughly and throw some flames out the tail pipe. Dash lights flickered during this- I mean the ones that come on when you first start the car to show youlights are working- they all flickered on and off for about the last 10 minutes before she completely died.
Now no key buzzer (unexpected side benefit) no dash lights when key is on. clock is working. starter cranks like a champ, but no rumbles- nothing close to turning over.
So I cleaned out the fuse box yesterday- one of the mounting bolts for it were loose- tightened that. sanded the contacts clean and put in all new fuses.
looked for any bare ends that might have been grounding out. found a couple.
after getting the fuse box tidied up, which it needed anyway, I hooked the battery back up and gave it a try. Big quick cranks and then a few rumbles like there is a spark for about 5 seconds, then nothing but dry cranks.
I don't know wiring at all. I have the artigue diagrams and can kind of read some of them. Found where the grounds are supposed to be so that helped.
So now where do I start? I have a test light that i need to learn how to use.
I've found tracing the wires to be hard once they go into a connector.
Is there an easy way to check the ignition switch itself? I see that I can get a whole replacement but it's $500 so need to wait and want to make sure that I need that and it's not just some kind of grounding issue somewhere else.
Any thoughts appreciated.
Any wiring folks near grand rapids michigan?
I need one.
thanks

[johnsje6]

If it comes down to the ignition switch, AR has this one for $78. I replaced the bad switch on my '79 and have been happy with it.

[johnsje6]

http://www.autoricambi.us/product/EL7-4 ... on-Switch/

[timspider]

thanks for that. what kind of symptoms did you have that made you replace it?

[aj81spider]

Before you go too far replacing things I'd make sure it's actually an electric problem (the symptoms could be other things). Check whether you have spark when you are cranking. If you do then the problem probably isn't electrical.

I'd check my fuel supply as well. The symptoms you describe could equally be that.

[timspider]

lights flickering on the dash, key buzzer not working, lights not functioning right, quite a few things that are supposed to happen with key in on position aren't happening as they have up until now. I've got an electrical issue.
Granted, it's likely I've got other issues as well, but I need to sort out the electrical first it seems.

[AriK]

Disconnect and check connector C31 (where it branches out from iginition switch). Look for evidence of wires burning hot (blackened or sooted terminals)

[johnsje6]

Mine was a physically broken mechanism in the switch, it wouldn't turn, not an electrical problem, so can't help you with troubleshooting!

[TX82FIAT]

AriK might be on to something with a burnt connection. Did you smell anything at all out of the ordinary when the lights were flickering. too much resistance to overcome in a circuit making poor contact. Too little resistance on an exposed/frayed wire. Sound like you checks the fuses, Double check each fuse, it is unbelievably how easy it is to miss a blown fuse on these cars. C31 is a connection know to have problems.

[timspider]

No smells that I noticed, but a quick inspection of the pig tail going into the ignition switch shows one of the middle wires connectors is browned a bit as from heat. I'll pull it an get a picture later

since you ask about fuses - I've got another thread going about this, but it seems to have fizzled out. I have what appears to be a unique fuse holder in that it has 10 slots for fuses. Now I'm not sure which amp fuse goes where.
I've found 3 different configurations all saying they could be the one for a 78.
Anybody have a fuse holder that looks exactly like this one? If so, what is proper placement of Amps and where?
After coming upon an image in my searches that seemed right, I am currently:
16,16,16,16,25,8,8,8,8,8

I sure as heck don't want to screw this part up. Any help appreciated.

[seabeelt]

Tim, hoping you have the cover to get the numbers/letters of the fuses. Fuses A through H are 8 Amp, Fuse I is 16 Amp and fuse L is 25 Amp

[timspider]

I was thinking that cover would make it easy, but one did not come with this car.
sounds like I need to figure out how to trace everything from the switch.
for what it's worth, the last guy had a 25 amp one all the way on the right, and nothing caught fire.
Now, I'm strangely motivated by a personalized plate that is on the way. That is apparently the 6 year old in me.
ARAKNID will be kinda fun if I can get the car rolling under her own power.

[seabeelt]

I was going for easy. The letters are also stamped on the fuse block. One side has letters, the other side has numbers (1-10). One corresponding to A, Ten corresponding to L. You just have to get under with a flashlight to see, or pull it off after disconnecting the battery.
R/

[timspider]

I like your style.
Thank you thank you. I have not seen anything stamped on there yet, so it's probably on the backside. Seems easy enough to take off with the 2 bolts on the side. Anything special I need to know before pulling this to get a view of the stampings on back?

[azruss]

tim, if you check out one of Brad's schematics, it should have the fuse block layout