GaryP65 Posted September 14, 2016 Share Posted September 14, 2016 (edited) OK. So I am trying to get my rear lamps to work but it's mocking me! I need someone to tell me where I went wrong. I wired it up (AS PER THE MANUAL).... 2 wires from the lamp to: One going to the lighting switch. One going to the rear signal lamp. switch on the tranny, then up to the. ammeter. This is what's happening... Step on the brake, lower lamp (license) lights up. Nothing on the top lamp (stop). Using the lighting switch does nothing. I thought if anything, the wires are crossed but they are not. Question... does it matter which side the wire from the rear signal goes to the rear signal switch? Heres another one for you. Sometimes when I turn the switch to PARK, the headlights go on. Edited September 14, 2016 by GaryP65 (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maok Posted September 14, 2016 Share Posted September 14, 2016 It does sound like you need to reverse the wires at the lamp. Also, your light switch may have an issue. Do you know how to use a multimeter (voltmeter)? Or a simple test lamp will also do the trick of testing the circuits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyAus Posted September 14, 2016 Share Posted September 14, 2016 I think you might have the tail light plug in backwards. You did of course use a two terminal plug? With the switch, did you see my previous response about the screws being too long? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankngin Posted September 14, 2016 Share Posted September 14, 2016 Ground wire. Make sure the tail light assembly is grounded. When you paint, clean and wax some times you lose the ground. Frank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryP65 Posted September 14, 2016 Author Share Posted September 14, 2016 11 hours ago, TonyAus said: I think you might have the tail light plug in backwards. You did of course use a two terminal plug? With the switch, did you see my previous response about the screws being too long? I tried reversing it but still the same result and yes it's the only 2 terminal plug for the whole car. I did not see the post about the long screws. Do you mean for the lighting or the parking g switch? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryP65 Posted September 14, 2016 Author Share Posted September 14, 2016 8 hours ago, frankngin said: Ground wire. Make sure the tail light assembly is grounded. When you paint, clean and wax some times you lose the ground. Frank I did not paint, clean (well a little bit) or wax anything. This sucker has been in a barn for 40+yrs. If I had a bad ground, nothing would light. I get a light but the wrong one on the lamp is lighting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Lawson Posted September 14, 2016 Share Posted September 14, 2016 Gary The problem may be in the light its self Are the globe holders clean and rust free. Also with the type B lights the spring loaded contacts where the plug fits in may be not contacting the plug This is a trace and check problem with a test lamp If you have power to the plug on both circuits EG tail light and brake light then the problem is in the light. Electricity aint rocket science mate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACK M Posted September 14, 2016 Share Posted September 14, 2016 Gary, Not true about the light not working at all with out a ground. A circuit will search for a ground and a light will confuse you by trying to use the other element as a path to somewhere, Have you ever followed a car that the lights do funny things when the brakes are applied? A good solid ground usually fixes these problems. I would guess that the sitting in the barn for forty years should be your first clue. I have an acquaintance that says "90% of all electrical problems are groundless". Suggestion, get piece of wire and hook it to a clean ground on one end, then touch the other end to the light socket, or even better to the body of the bulb itself. I was working on a car recently that the whole fender was not attached cleanly to the body as there was no continuity thru the fender to the body and the symptoms were exactly as you describe. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryP65 Posted September 14, 2016 Author Share Posted September 14, 2016 Must not be explaining it properly. I have lights but the wrong one is lighting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cahartley Posted September 14, 2016 Share Posted September 14, 2016 The wrong LIGHT or the wrong filament in the bulb? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryP65 Posted September 14, 2016 Author Share Posted September 14, 2016 There are 2 bulbs. The one that is lighting is the lower license plate bulb. NOT the stop light. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cahartley Posted September 14, 2016 Share Posted September 14, 2016 As mentioned above (yes I know you are electrically challenged....... ) run a jumper from the bulb that works to the bulb that doesn't to verify it's in working order. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyAus Posted September 14, 2016 Share Posted September 14, 2016 The screws I referred to are the terminal screws at the back of the light switch. If too long they touch the brass contact ring within the switch and cause electrical mayhem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryP65 Posted September 14, 2016 Author Share Posted September 14, 2016 Makes sense. Thanks for the heads up. I'll check them out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maok Posted September 14, 2016 Share Posted September 14, 2016 Get yourself one of these and make your life a little easier. Even I can use one....:) Test Light Bank loan rates are very low at the moment, even I can afford one. Stick the pointy end into one of the plug terminals and the alligator clip onto ground. Put your foot on the brake pedal, if the test light comes on then your brake light circuit is working. If not, place the pointy end of the test light on the other terminal then push the brake pedal again. Test light comes on, you know which is the brake terminal and the fact that everything is working up to that terminal. Do the same to the other terminal by turning on the light switch. Its just a matter of eliminating where the issues are. Report back on what you get from the diagnosis. Good luck. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWPerry Posted September 15, 2016 Share Posted September 15, 2016 I had a problem with a Type B light where the brake light would work sometimes but not others although the license plate light worked just fine. It turned out to be that the brass strip from the plug terminal to the brake light socket in the light housing was loose at the rivet. I had to apply a little solder and it works fine now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACK M Posted September 15, 2016 Share Posted September 15, 2016 If you are saying that the light has two bulbs and they are in the same bucket reread my post above. I believe that you will find that the bucket has no solid ground. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahdodge Posted September 15, 2016 Share Posted September 15, 2016 I agree with Jack M. It's a poor ground. Can you run an alligator clip directly to the body of the light socket and go to battery ground with the other end? I bet you a will get the result you desire. I've had the same thing happen many times with my trailer lights I e step on the brake and the tail light comes on. The brake light requires more juice to light. hope this helps Tom 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryP65 Posted September 20, 2016 Author Share Posted September 20, 2016 Oh crap! Crazy what a tiny piece of emery cloth can do!! All I did was scuff where the tits on the bulb attaches on the housing! So now that bulb that shouldn't have lite (license) doesn't until you turn the switch to park or on (like it should) and the stop light lights when I step on the brake. S.O.B.! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Lawson Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 Gee Gary, Its good to see that you have made headway Told you electricity is not rocket science Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryP65 Posted September 20, 2016 Author Share Posted September 20, 2016 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cahartley Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 If it's any consolation, Gary, one of the headlight bulbs I had changed not that long ago was burned out so I installed yet another new bulb and guess what? IT didn't work either! Yeah........bad ground....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACK M Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 Glad that you figured it out. Not rocket science, but an understanding of how a circuit needs to make its path. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryP65 Posted September 21, 2016 Author Share Posted September 21, 2016 I get that whole thing but what was confusing me was why the other light was burning. And I thought 60's and 70's was basic. Sometimes you don't think there is anything more basic and that's when trouble starts. Thank you everyone for helping de-confuse me on this, past and FUTURE issues 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cahartley Posted September 22, 2016 Share Posted September 22, 2016 Gary.......I sincerely hope you aren't under some delusion your problems are over........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACK M Posted September 22, 2016 Share Posted September 22, 2016 The other bulb was lighting because the provided current was searching for a path to a ground , with nowhere to go but thru the other element which is obviously not a ground but a path thru the element and down the other wire to somewhere. This is not an uncommon symptom but certainly bewildering to most if not seen before. As long as you are having fun I always say. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryP65 Posted September 22, 2016 Author Share Posted September 22, 2016 And therein lies the problem.... This is not an issue nor I have never seen this with any other era so naturally I got stumped. Thank you for being the voice of reason where no one seemed to get it! All sorted out and working fine only this part was NOT fun. I just need my muffler post answered and new glass for the front and I can get my inspection so I can get something out of this remaining good weather. I NEED to take a drive!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryP65 Posted September 22, 2016 Author Share Posted September 22, 2016 15 hours ago, cahartley said: Gary.......I sincerely hope you aren't under some delusion your problems are over........ Personal or car? I can always sell the car......... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cahartley Posted September 22, 2016 Share Posted September 22, 2016 LOL Gary........the CAR.......we're all a bit tetched in the head about our cars........ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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