QUOTE(BeatNavy @ Mar 15 2015, 10:31 PM)
I'm certainly no master electrician either but it definitely sounds like you do have a short. Are you sure it's fuse 7? On the '71 Wiring Diagram it shows that that is only part of the license plate light circuit (through the main light switch).
Sorry, it was fuse number 8.. not 7... i was counting in the low light of the evening (that's my excuse).
So many great suggestions..
I've been googling lots and what I ended up using was a 12v bulb connected to two alligator clips.. i then attached these to the fuse terminals.
I think the theory of this, is to allow a small amount of current to flow without blowing anything major?
Anyhow, with the bulb in place and firmly lit up... i went about wiggling lots of things. I couldnt find the lic plate lights at the rear.. opened the boot and the harness was there.. with the wires taped together!
The heatshrink was still around the spade terminals under all the electrical tape, but I was so HOPING that was my short..
Installed a new fuse.. turn on ignition.... POP. gone.
My indicators just wouldnt work at all either.. they are all on the same circuit I guess..
My car is missing the wiper switch, (dash mounted knob) so I thought that maybe, a cable was earthing.. when I craned my neck underneath, I could see the switch just barely hanging there, but with no knob.
I'm not sure how these switches work.. is full anti-clockwise "off"? I used some pliers to grip the shaft, and turned it anticlockwise.. the bulb dimmed...
When I turned it back one click clockwise, the bulb went brighter... when I turned it another position clockwise (I assume this is high speed wipers) it went dim again...
So this time, I turned it all the way anti-clockwise again.. put in a fuse.. turned on the ignition and ..... nothing......the fuse didn't blow!
Now my indicators are working!
The brake lights work, but only on the left side.. i think I have a poor connection where the terminal meets the bulb...
Reverse light doesn't work either... yay.... another thing to trace.
So, from what I have described, would you say that my wiper motors are shorted/burned out?