Electrical checks

[dave5237]

Hi guys. Still working on my 1968 GTX. Been doing this complete restoration FOR 9 YRS. without any help except from you guys. Just bought a battery and started to do some electrical checks. disconnected the starter since the distributor is not in. As far as lights. THE GOOD. THE FR. HEADLIGHTS,AND BACK R. WORKS... THE BAD... NOTHING ELSE WORKS. WERE DO I START. NO TURN SIGNALS EXCEPT BACK RIGHT.NO PARKING LIGHTS EXCEPT FOR BACK RIGHT YOUR HELP PLEASE. THANKS. OH YEAH. MY GROUNDS ARE HOOKED UP BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN THIS IS NOT A GROUND ISSUE. ALL NEW BULBS TOO. THANKS

 

['67 Charger Kid]

New fuses?

 

[70rr-brian]

Grounds, grounds, ground...Did I mention grounds?

Just verify that your grounds are making proper contact. Especially if you epoxyed and have fresh paint on it. Just make sure your grounds are good. But of course you mentioned that... I just wanted to emphasis it. I would start there after verifying the fuses are good as kid mentioned.

It is entirely possible based on your description that your turn signal switch is suspect as well. Lots of wierdness can happen if the switch is bad.

Also make sure the bulkhead connector doesn't have any crud on it or the wires connecting to the bulkhead.

When you say you are restoring it I can assume you replaced that and the wires but we both know what assuming does...

Good luck!

 

[darkhorse]

if you think its a ground issue, make your self a long jumber wire and run it to a solid chassis ground,or now take this wire and you can ground it to unit(bulb housing if you can) and check to see if the light turns on. if it does then you know its a bad ground, if not..well now get meter out and check for power. and go down the line...its what I do. others may have other methods. my 1 cent

 

[dave5237]

why do my headlights work and only one tail light. That back tail light is on the same wiring harness only feet from each other IN LINE. Ii WILL CHECK MY FUSES AND WILL TRY WHAT YOU GUYS SAY. Thanks guys. I had to edit my thread. I have only had help from you guys. Without you guys I would have to rely on my long lost brother in law. I made a mistake on the first thread and I sounded ungreatfull ( guess i will proof read from now on )

 

[dave5237]

I have checked the fuses and they are all good. Even checked the ground wire to engine block ( good) For when I put my meter in the light bulb socket and ground it I get 12v ,so why does this not work when i put the new light bulb in. I am getting 12v right down the wire to the bulb?

 

[darkhorse]

good. now put the ground wire on the housing and check

 

[70redbee]

Make sure there is no paint between the ground wire and the body. If you don't have metal to metal contact, your ground will not work properly. Just remove any paint around the ground wire and try again. Also make sure you have a good solid crimp on all the connectors, I have had wires not crimped good enough that did not work. Just recheck everything. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

 

[dave5237]

Correct me if i am wrong. But how could i be so stupid. It gets its ground off the body and frame ? I was so worried about my paint job that i put a rubber gasket between all my metal parts so i would not scratch the paint or get rust build up.....after reading the last two comments and all the others i believe these lights get there ground off of the body and somehow my back tail light is touching metal somewhere off the car....is this correct?... I hope so but will have to run a seperate ground to see if that is the problem like a lot of you were saying. I am fairly young and used to cars with there own ground. If this is the problem thanks everyone and i will let you know.

 

[70rr-brian]

Correct me if i am wrong. But how could i be so stupid. It gets its ground off the body and frame ? I was so worried about my paint job that i put a rubber gasket between all my metal parts so i would not scratch the paint or get rust build up.....after reading the last two comments and all the others i believe these lights get there ground off of the body and somehow my back tail light is touching metal somewhere off the car....is this correct?... I hope so but will have to run a seperate ground to see if that is the problem like a lot of you were saying. I am fairly young and used to cars with there own ground. If this is the problem thanks everyone and i will let you know.

Correct. For instance- the tail light assembly uses a trunk ground.

EDIT - OK, it occurs to me my response may have been confusing...A ground wire in the trunk is what I meant....you dont have to scrape off the paint around the whole assembly.

 

[dave5237]

I did some more checks with no luck. sometimes signals work and sometimes they dont. it seems like the whole passenger side lights work ( except side marker ) and the driver side does not. i can see a spark when i put the bulb in the pass. side but no spark when i put the bulb in the driver side housing ( tail lights ). I can see this is going to be a royal pain. I am going to move on to trying to get the car started and will have to get back to this. Thanks for all your help. I do believe its a ground issue now. i just need a million years to figure it out.

 

[dave5237]

Thanks everyone. I ran ground wires to all my lights and grounded it to the frame and now all my lights work.

 

[70rr-brian]

Very cool. Always good to put electrical problems behind you.