so with all new fuses i have no heat/ac but everything else works. when i put the cigarette lighter iin its hole at some random point it blows all but 1 or 2 fuses, the seller later told me "oh ya dont plug that in i think it shorts out the car" he also said it has an electrical problem and thats why the heater/ac doesnt work

so id like to know how do i start finding problems? would a voltmeter show me the way?

also there is a weird hum coming from the hatch motor nits a constant hum as soon as the ignition is on.

 

what yr and model we talkin about. yes a volt meter and a test light will be very helpful. check your relays. follow the lighter wire and see where it goes and what u find.

 

Look inside the lighter socket to see if there is any crap (foil gum wrapper, etc.) to cause a short.
The hatch motor humming might mean it's not turning off? Is it with the hatch open or closed, or both?

 

Lighter is a very common short problem. BUT it should only blow the Lighter/ACC fuse. Not all the fuses except 2. That sounds more like a problem with a body ground or the fuse box itself. Intermittent shorts can be the worst to track down. I have had zero luck talking guys with no electronic back ground through these types of repairs.

 

its an 85 z28 tpi t-top. the noise stays on when its shut, i think i remember it humming with te hatch open. i will now commense the saearch...

lol thanks for the inspiration Gorn. my experience is limited to wiring lights and the scratch built air horn system for my jeep.

i know people who could take car of it easily but i dont want to keep bugging them with things i can do on my own.

 

well the heater/ac problem wass a bad resistor.it works on every level except 4, which is good enough for me. now i just need to stop the lighter from shorting out.

 

I've had 2 gen 3's and both had the cigarette lighter shorting problem.
I ended up just removing the lighters and never had an issue again.

 

Ya, i was thinking of just leaving the lighter out and putting in some kind of plug. my jeep has a rubber plug where the power outlet is, maybe i can get one of those...