Trunk Light

[h00kem]

Am in process of rewiring my 1965 330gt 2+2. I cannot get my trunk light to work. Anyone know if the positive wire to the trunk light is supposed to be hot all the time or do I have to have to turn a switch on in the car to energize it? I don't seem to be getting power to the positive wire in the trunk for some reason???

[330GT]

The trunk light should work all of the time. So you should have +12V to one side of the switch in the trunk. Only 2 connections, one at the connector block in the trunk on the firewall about under the switch. The other is at the fuse panel where it connects to the fuse. My bet is the fuse needs cleaning. That usually fixes about 1/2 of the early Ferrari electrical problems.

[h00kem]

Thanks Kerry. I did "look" at the fuses and none appeared to be burnt but I did not clean and test them, which I will now do - should have thought of that myself. I guess that the fixture is grounded to the car merely by its mounting on the trunk lock mechanism - correct? I did run a new separate grounding wire between the fixture and chassis just to be sure of a good ground but perhaps that screwed something up too. Kevin

[Pied-Noir]

On the 64, 330 GT in order to have the trunk light function, the parking lights will have to be "on". The ignition switch does not have to be on. That's the way the wiring diagram shows it for the 64 also. Yves

[h00kem]

Thanks Yves, I'll give it a try.

I checked all fuses and fuse box connections. Everything checks out except still no power to the hot wire in the trunk. Just remembered that when the car went to paint I removed the door jam switches and the wires running to those switches is the same color as the hot wire in the trunk. I am now thinking that these are the same power wires that also feed the trunk and because they are disconnected no power is going to the trunk. Makes sense given that the trunk light and interior light wire should always be hot. Will reconnect and test but I am guessing that will solve my mystery power loss.

I am finding that the wiring diagrams are a bit of a challenge for an interim series I car. Some wiring looks to follow the series I diagram for some items and others follow the series II diagram. Ferrari doesn't make it easy, that's for sure!

[Pied-Noir]

On the left hand side of the trunk, against the bulkhead, behind the carpeting, there is a small black junction block to which connects the tail lights, back-up light, trunk light etc. Check if all the wires are connected/clean. You'll probably find that they are all dead too, and that's because the current either flows because of the ignition switch has to be on or the parking lights have to be on. Hope your back-up light works, that's a fun one also.

As far as the wiring diagram is concerned, I usually redrew the section that I needed so I could see better; but now with a scanner, you can do wonders. On my car, the wiring diagram is quite basic, it is not nuclear physics. By-the-way, it is accurate.

If you are going to spend a lot of time with the ignition on, you may want to disconnect/ de-fuse the "SPINTEROGENI".

[330GT]

...I am finding that the wiring diagrams are a bit of a challenge for an interim series I car. Some wiring looks to follow the series I diagram for some items and others follow the series II diagram. Ferrari doesn't make it easy, that's for sure!

Do you have 12 or 16 fuses?
If you have 12, yes, the trunk light is tied to the tail light circuit (at the junction block mentioned in the trunk). So either something is loose at the block, or your tail lights(and front marker lights) shouldn't work either. Then you are looking at the headlight switch, etc.

If you have 16, then the trunk light circuit should be hot at all time. The power comes from the 6th fuse from the top on the right side (when facing the fuse panel) to that junction block and then to the switch. The ground is through the trunk lid, hinges, etc. But until you have +12V at the switch, the ground doesn't matter.

[h00kem]

ah, trunk light power wire is wired into the door jam switches on my car. Installed the jam switches and the trunk light works! Thanks guys for the ideas. Got my thinking going on the problem. Now, a related question. The blinker relay on the fuse board works on my car but acts like it is dirty given sometimes I have to turn the turn signal switch several times to get the turn signals to work. Is anything in the relay serviceable? If not, anyone know where best to get a replacement?

[330GT]

... The blinker relay on the fuse board works on my car but acts like it is dirty given sometimes I have to turn the turn signal switch several times to get the turn signals to work. Is anything in the relay serviceable? If not, anyone know where best to get a replacement?

I would suspect the turn signal contacts in the steering wheel hub first. But checking for +12V output at the flasher would be a way to eliminate the flasher. If you have consistent power at the flasher, then check the turn signal contacts. If not, any 12V flasher from an auto parts store should work. You could try un-crimping the flange and taking your old one apart. Never done that, but I would think that it's a simple bi-metal strip that heats up, opens the circuit, cools, closes the circuit, etc. The only problem area would be the contact surfaces that could need cleaning.

[h00kem]

Thanks Kerry. Most helpful as usual!