Time delay feature - worth trying to keep with an aftermarket harness?

[rmchrgr]

Working on my '72 Challenger. It is going to get re-wired with an AAW generic harness. The generic harness instructions certainly don't have any provision for a time delay circuit but even the E body AAW kits make no mention of this feature so I'm on my own if I want to keep it. I'm also ditching seat belt warning light and associated wiring and definitey the key buzzer - I hate those things.

Frankly, I've never had a car that had the time-delay feature or at least one that it functioned in. Would it be worth trying to figure out how to adapt it to the new harness? Generally, if I really need to see something at night I switch on the dome light. Besides, I'm not generally getting in a car in places that are so pitch black that I can't see my hand in front of my face...

I also don't think it will be a problem to remove the whole circuit completely but it's not 100% clear to me whether it will affect the function of something that I hadn't accounted for. I think I have a pretty good grasp of it but I figured I'd ask to make sure I'm not overlooking anything.

Thanks for any input.

- Greg

 

[EV2RTSE]

This time delay, is it part of a light group? Usually with anything optional, like a light group or radio/speakers/faders, air conditioning, cruise control, etc. those options just have sub-harnesses that get plugged in to the main dash harness as needed, so they're easy to do away with.

 

[rmchrgr]

This time delay, is it part of a light group? Usually with anything optional, like a light group or radio/speakers/faders, air conditioning, cruise control, etc. those options just have sub-harnesses that get plugged in to the main dash harness as needed, so they're easy to do away with.

The time delay feature is part of the door switch circuitry and is a convenience add-on. Basically, a couple of the interior lights stay on for like 30 seconds after the door closes - dome light, map light, "title" light (far left cluster light bar), heat/ac switch light and I believe one other thing that I can't remember at the moment.

Oddly, (per the fender tag) my car did not come with the A01 light package though it does seem to have all of the options on it - time delay, map light, title light, ignition light, fender mount turn signals, trunk light. Not sure if the key buzzer and seat belt warning light are part of the A01 package but it has those too.

 

[EV2RTSE]

My 73 has a glove box light and a trunk light but I don't think it has many of the other optional dash lights. I think by then they could be purchased individually. Key buzzer I believe is standard from 70-74, pretty sure that can be disabled by just unplugging the two smaller red wires in the ignition switch flat plug at the steering column. I just rebuilt a 70 steering column and had to transfer the key in buzzer switch from the old ignition switch to the new one, it's not included. Seat belt warning I think is also standard by 72, not sure if that's part of the main dash harness or tied to the seat belts in a sub-harness. Shouldn't be tough to trace. A 72 service manual would be worth the investment. The other lights are optional so they should just plug in as a sub-harness or sub-harnesses to the main dash wiring. Could probably transfer them, IIRC they plug in to one of the accessory power feed plugs to the main dash. My 70 has a/c and cruise control as well as the SE overhead console, and all of that stuff is on separate sub-harnesses that plug into the main dash wiring.

1972 dealer book shows standard and optional equipment-
https://www.hamtramck-historical.co...DealershipDataBook/1972/72_Challenger0014.jpg

 

[72RoadRunnerGTX]

The time delay feature is part of the door switch circuitry and is a convenience add-on. Basically, a couple of the interior lights stay on for like 30 seconds after the door closes - dome light, map light, "title" light (far left cluster light bar), heat/ac switch light and I believe one other thing that I can't remember at the moment.

Oddly, (per the fender tag) my car did not come with the A01 light package though it does seem to have all of the options on it - time delay, map light, title light, ignition light, fender mount turn signals, trunk light. Not sure if the key buzzer and seat belt warning light are part of the A01 package but it has those too.

On an E-body, the time delay relay turns on the mentioned headlight switch title lamp and the ignition switch light only. Nothing to do with interior or map lighting. While triggered by the door switch circuit, its not part of it and can be removed, or in this case omitted, without effecting any other functions.

 

[Ronbo73]

72RoadRunnerGTX is correct, it only time delays those two lights.

I also installed an aftermarket wiring harness from Painless and I used that harness along with parts of my old harness to make everything work. I omitted the seatbelt buzzer because, previous to me owning the car, it was removed and I didn't want to spend $50 for a used one that may or may not work. I did tie in the time delay relay lighting and everything else. The FSM was instrumental in merging the two harnesses.

 

[rmchrgr]

On an E-body, the time delay relay turns on the mentioned headlight switch title lamp and the ignition switch light only. Nothing to do with interior or map lighting. While triggered by the door switch circuit, its not part of it and can be removed, or in this case omitted, without effecting any other functions.

Thanks for the clarification. All AAW harnesses provide a fused B+ constant/switched 'courtesy' ground circuit so I'd just have to figure out how to tie the OE wiring into that if I want to keep it.

I've pretty much decided to ditch it though. Seems pointless for those two lights. My general preference is to remove as much unneeded wiring anyway so one less thing to be concerned with.

 

[72RoadRunnerGTX]

Thanks for the clarification. All AAW harnesses provide a fused B+ constant/switched 'courtesy' ground circuit so I'd just have to figure out how to tie the OE wiring into that if I want to keep it.

I've pretty much decided to ditch it though. Seems pointless for those two lights. My general preference is to remove as much unneeded wiring anyway so one less thing to be concerned with.

That’s all the delay relay/timer needs, constant power and a ground trigger from the door pin switch circuit, yellow output wire goes to the lamps. Wiring diagram is in the FSM, under accessories should you change your mind.

 

[Challenger RTA]

This might help. Some component may be in place. ignition sw lamp, title lamp, courtesy map lamp.
If not put them in place and go from there. Place the two harness side by side and zip tie lamp harness to new.