Chuck this sure sounds like a ground problem of some sort, but I haven't
been able to picture your wiring diagram to guess where teh problem is. I
have a '55 1st series Suburban so I have a pretty good idea what the various
pieces all look like.
I'm not sure I can identify your problem, but if you don't mind I'll work
through what I know, and what I don't and maybe that will help. Or maybe it
will be a waste of time, but my own project is frustrating enough that I
need to think about something else a little while anyway. My new electric
wiper motor doesn't work right.
When I got my truck it had a pair of wires, that were original equipment,
that ran under the body, and came up in the back corner, and ran in the body
to a hole that matched up with a hole in the side of the door. The two
wires ran to the filiments in teh stop/tail light mounted on the door. I
had only the one light on a door. Where I had wire going through holes, it
sounds like you have door contacts making that connection.
My turn signals were separate from the stop/tail circuit, and also ran
underneath the body, up into the body through the same holes, and then to
single filiments lights mounted on each side below the windows.
My system required four wires. Yours should have a wire for each side,
which is turn/stop, and another wire for the tail light circuit. You might
also have a backup light wire.
The first thing I'd do if I were troubleshooting your system would be to
make sure I could identify each of those wires and verify the right things
are happening on each. I'd do that by disconnecting the wires from the
lights and from anything else at the back of the truck, because what I'd
want to do is make sure the problem isn't occuring before power even gets
there.
Most likely you won't find a problem, but I'd rather check than bang my head
against the wall chasing problems that exist in some other part of the
system.
Assuming you've identified which wire and can see that if does what it
should, I'd then connect one filiment at a time and verify that it works.
Start by connecting a ground wire, to make sure that part of the circuit is
in place. If your door contacts only support two conductors you might want
to upgrade those to support three conductors. That will allow connecting a
ground in addition to the tail and stop/turn circuits.
I'd start with the tail lights because they are the simpliest circuits. The
either come on or they don't. When you have a tail light in one door, do
the tail light in the second door (remembering to put a gound wire in place
first.
When both tail lights work, you should be able to add the stop/turn wires
and then should be done.
Since I can't see what you've done, and don't know your wiring diagram, I
guess my input isn't as specific as I'd like it to be. If you can create a
wiring diagram, and describe where and how all the connections occur, I'd be
happy to try to give a better response.
----- Original Message -----
From: "chuck clark" <cachomeimp@hotmail.com>
To: <oletrucks@autox.team.net>
Sent: Sunday, December 08, 2002 5:41 PM
Subject: [oletrucks] More on the tail light question.
> I wrote the other day that I had a problem with my tail lights on my 49
> panel. I put an additional rear light on the rear door (right side light)
in
> order to have better brake lights and turn signals. I was having a
problem
> with the new light (right side) not working properly, i.e. the light goes
> out completely when the lights are on and the brake is applied. The left
> light works ok when this happens. Also when the brake light is on, the
new
> one is dimmer than the left side or original light.
>
> A couple of responses indicated I had a groung problem. I removed the buld
> socket bracket and put in a new set of contacts, ground all the paint off
of
> the area on the bulb holder bracket where it touches the light housing and
> the similar area on the tail light housing. Put it back together and same
> thing happens. Also ran a seperate ground wire from the tail light
> attaching bolt to the body, by passing the door hinge as a grounding
source,
> but no change. The wires go from the light switch and the brake switch
back
> to the left side door body contacts and then a wire for each of the right
> side lights is pigtailed off of that switch.
> A couple more observations on the problem. Whether the brake is on or the
> tail light is on in the new light, the same filament is lit, the dimmer or
> smaller filament. This is the case even if I switch the wires. I am
> getting voltage (using a test light) through both contacts in the new
tail
> light bulb socket with the brake light and the tail light on. When the
bulb
> is in, it just goes blank when both lights are turned on. Also, I noticed
> that when the left side door contacts are not touching (the left side door
> is open) the right side light will not work at all when the door is held
> closed so the right side contacts are closed.
>
> Thank you for any additional insights you may have on this problem.
>
>
>
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> Add photos to your messages with MSN 8. Get 2 months FREE*.
> http://join.msn.com/?page=features/featuredemail
> oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
|