Battery light/Choke light on

[1Gary]

It is the shop 1985 Astro carb'eb van.I took it apart and had the Alt rebuilt.They didn't find anything wrong,but they put in new brushes,bearing,reg.The choke since I bought this van has worked perfectly.One of the best I have ever owned.I think I remember this all started when I plugged in the wire harness for the tranny last summer.It lite up the battery dash light bright red and I unplugged as fast as I could.

So I am here to answer any questions that would help me figure it out and question why the battery and choke are on the same circuit.Those electric choke are a real pita to get set right if that is what is wrong.Next steps will be to check the fuse block and take off the dog house to unplug the choke wire to see if that will turn off the battery/choke dash lights off.

[1Gary]

Guys any help at all.Anyone had a wire diagram for a 1985??.

[MountainManJoe]

Astroturf was a pro at answering these types of questions. Where are ya buddy!???

[reaper]

Gary,Here's some pieces from a ancient 1985 GM astro manual I have.

Without gage instrumentation the oil pressure switch is two terminal
& controls current to the electric choke,It also provides illumination for
oil/check engine indicator lamps.

With gages a choke heater relay is used to control current to the choke
heater & provide illumination to the choke warning indicator.

check for a blown fuse,fuseable link,a burned out bulb,bulb socket,or a open
in No 1 lead circuit between gen /ignition switch.

[1Gary]

Thank you.That gives me something to look for.

[1Gary]

Gary,Here's some pieces from a ancient 1985 GM astro manual I have.

Without gage instrumentation the oil pressure switch is two terminal
& controls current to the electric choke,It also provides illumination for
oil/check engine indicator lamps.

With gages a choke heater relay is used to control current to the choke
heater & provide illumination to the choke warning indicator.

check for a blown fuse,fuseable link,a burned out bulb,bulb socket,or a open
in No 1 lead circuit between gen /ignition switch.

As I thought about this more,did it give you a location for the choke heater relay??.


I am going back to the shop tomorrow to work on this more.The guy that does my starter/alt rebuilds for yrs I spoke to today.Tim suggested I unplug the alt and see what I got then.Tim rebuilt this one for me.

I think it all started last summer when I plugged in the wire harness to the tranny and that seems to have a bad short in it.Bright red is what I got and I unplugged it as fast as I could.So I am going to take a hard look at that harness to see if I melted any wires there that are shorting out.Since then I have had a ghost like battery/choke light on,but short of rare times it seemed to be charging enough to start the van.In the winter with everything on(heater,wipers,head lights)at a idle the belt would slip.I replaced the belt when I put on the rebuilt alt and I ran everything again at a idle,I could hear the belt slightly chipping.

So maybe I fried that heater choke reply. :-k

Electrical shorts can be a pain. ](*,)

I did a search on Autozone and looked at Haynes and didn't find it.

[1Gary]

Well here is what I have found so far.

Key off 10 volts at the battery

Run 12 volts.

Negative cable off and test light from cable to ground-no test light on with key on or off.

Pulled good 20amp fuse from choke at fuse block-choke light goes off,but battery light stays on.

Pull single spade at oil pressure switch and nothing changes.

Pull double spade at oil pressure switch choke light off,but battery light is still on.

Pull single spade connector pink wire at choke it's self,no change,both choke and battery lights are on.Wire then dives into a harness then lost.

Unplugged alt and no change.

Now I am thinking the short is up stream from the choke and guessing it is in the charging circuit somewhere.

I need more help guys.I am very near buying a factory service manual for a "shop" van that I wouldn't normal spend money on that for the info.

Please and Thank You.

[1Gary]

So I got the factory service manual the other day.I briefly looked at it and am going to get a magnifying glass today to read it better.The glasses ant cutting it.Question I have is what turns off the idiot lights??.Or better said how do the idiot lights work??.What sees a value and says turn off??.

Sounds like a really dumb question,but one over all these yrs I never dealt with before and honestly if I understood that might help.


Thanks in advance.

[CaptSquid]

Most, if not all, idiot lights rely on a ground to turn them on. For example, your oil pressure light is governed by the oil pressure sender. If there is no ground, you have oil pressure. If there IS ground, the light comes on.

[1Gary]

Mike thanks.The thing I am asking is what determines when a light turns on or off.I am concerned with is with the steering column swap(tilt from a 1989 to this 1985 carbed Astro),that the 1989 column might
not be wired for the choke circuit.Everything plugged in as it was for the 1989.So I have a 1988 service manual and a 1985 service manual.Guess I'll have to compare the two columns in each manual.Any input from you guys is appreciated.


Yeah-that was a real rookie mistake that I didn't consider before this......choke vs TBI and the steering column swap. ](*,)

[1Gary]

Stopped by a Chevy dealer yesterday.Spoke to the lead mechanic.I am going to replace the two spade oil pressure switch and while I am at it,check the oil pressure with a mechanical gauge.Convinced the battery light is a separate issue. :-k

[1Gary]

Well I guess I am a "Diehard" still trying to figure it out.Get the pun??
Replaced the battery with a Interstate.All three fuse able links checked good with a test light.I found one connector that was plugged in wrong during the tilt steering swap,but that didn't seem to matter.I haven't changed out the two prong oil pressure switch and checked the oil pressure yet.

Been playing Lawnmower mechanic on two road kill mowers for the landlord for the last two wks.After chasing serious electrical issues on one,got it running to see it quickly throw a rod. ](*,) Real pita. #-o

[LiftedAWDAstro]

Is the van running and charging fine? If so, don't waste any time on the light. Pull the bulb if it annoys you and then you can work on the real projects...you aren't getting any younger!

[1Gary]

Well here is what I have found so far.

Key off 10 volts at the battery

Run 12 volts.

Negative cable off and test light from cable to ground-no test light on with key on or off.

Pulled good 20amp fuse from choke at fuse block-choke light goes off,but battery light stays on.

Pull single spade at oil pressure switch and nothing changes.

Pull double spade at oil pressure switch choke light off,but battery light is still on.

Pull single spade connector pink wire at choke it's self,no change,both choke and battery lights are on.Wire then dives into a harness then lost.

Unplugged alt and no change.

Now I am thinking the short is up stream from the choke and guessing it is in the charging circuit somewhere.

I need more help guys.I am very near buying a factory service manual for a "shop" van that I wouldn't normal spend money on that for the info.

Please and Thank You.

Well here is the update:

Correction:I got a really nice digital meter.What I was using was old and not accurate.

I had bought a blem Interstate battery and had to wait for the new meter to measure it.I wanted to be sure I didn't have a shorted cell.Key off I have 12.3 volts and running I have 14.6 volts.So the rebuilt alt is working like it should.

I removed the twin blade oil pressure switch and wanted to be sure that is wasn't a oil pressure problem causing the issue.I put together a 1/8 tube and mechanical oil pressure gauge that I had around the shop.Actually I was surprised how good the oil pressure was at idle.Then I wanted to be sure it wasn't the switch and got a new one.With the new switch no change.

I did find the relays.Kind feel dumb about that one.Well senior moments and short term memory..............Hey guys I had to come up with some sort of excuse #-o I have two relay numbers which is:10038792 and on the bottom is 5100 and then the other one is 10026578 with on the bottom C4.I don't know which is which and I am finding the F/M detail in diagrams in the back not very good or could be I am missing it and it is there.So I am going to try to find those on line to see if I find what each does.If anyone has a chart-please help me with that.

Dean-I understand what you are saying.If this wk I can cure this,I will feel alot better having the shop van as the primary towing van,selling off the 94 LT,until Ole Yellar is done.I mean that short of a O/D issue where I think there is a internal wire problem,or the lock up solenoid needs to replaced,the van would be doing what is supposed and I wouldn't have to worry that while it was apart I didn't finish repairing it.

Any and all input is welcome.Please help out.


I wanted to add that I did gain some on this problem by plugging in correctly one of the harnesses from when I swapped in the tilt column.I didn't have a delay wiper function before and now I do.When I just turned on the key before what showed up was the choke light and the battery light and now I have only the battery light.Once I start the van,I have both.I am hoping it is one of the relays.

[1Gary]

I do understand this thread for anyone else might have limited use because it involves a carbed 4.3 which was only in use of the yr 1985 with idiot lights.Hopefully it will help someone with the same van.

Here is the update:

If you go on the Autozone site,plug in a 1985 Astro and the two relays,it comes up with a list of the part number 10038795 and of 10026578.With part number 10038795 one of the uses list "auto choke/shutoff" and of "warning lights".I went to the Autozone store I deal with and they had to bring in 10038794 to their store from another store.That was yesterday.So while I waited I clicked on the details button of the part which lead me to a 800 tech number of the manufacture of all Delco relays.

This tech line is just outstanding.The name of the manufacture is Wells Manufacturing.With two phone calls and them sending me two emails of diagrams we determined there isn't a relay for either the warning lights or the choke heater.That Autozone just lists uses for relays that isn't necessarily tied to the yr vehicle you have plugged in.Basically Wells tech told me not to buy their product.These days it is very hard to find that kind of honestly.

So because Wells Manufacturing builds all the Delco relays and that applies to all the Astro vans here is their contact info:

1-800-558-9770 and just follow the prompts to the tech section.

The email to the tech I dealt with is:

Michaeljohnson@wellsmfgcorp.com

He is a certified ASE mechanic that went well beyond the call of duty.

I am three steps from wrapping up this repair:

1) check the voltage at the choke housing.
2)Let it warm up to see the choke open.Never did this because it runs so good.
3) If the doesn't work by opening as it should,replace the choke heater.Mine main reason behind that is better gas mileage once hot.These choke setting on auto chokes can be tricky.I have never gotten one right in all the yrs I have been a mechanic.End up converting them to manual chokes which I have hated.If it needs to be replaced,I am going to farm that out to a repair shop that I feel can handle properly that adjustment.I just don't want to lose how well it runs now by a maladjusted choke.I admit that I have avoided the choke heater hoping to find fault somewhere else.

If the choke opens hot as it should,we are going to wrap this up and let it go.I do hate the idea of a repair handing my butt to me,so even if I put it back together,I will never stop searching for a answer. ](*,)