New member with electrical problem

[rgrabner84]

good morning guys,

I am the proud owner a 1967 plymouth satellite. Has a 400 in it and a 727. I bought the car a few days ago and everything checked out on it. Brake lights, turn signals etc... well I went to my bowling league last night and when i can out I noticed my dome light was not working nor my tails lights. Looked at the fuse block under the dash and it was blown. thought that was odd because everything was working. the night prior when i checked it. seen the 20a fuse for the lighter was good so i through that in. everything seemed to work until that fuse also blew. One thing i did notice though was that when i would step on the brakes or the turn signal was on the head lights would pulse. then i used the fuse for the heater (didnt see that it was a 25a) and everything was working but when i stepped on the brakes the lights dimmed. then i smell some electrical burning. :icon_pale: From what i can tell it burned up the turn signal switch. The previous siad he put a new voltage regulator on and it has a newer battery. Any ideas on what would be causing this?? Thanks for your time guys!

 

[super-bee_ski]

Hi
Welcome aboard and thanks for joining the forum!

Electrical problems huh?

Hang on for some support.

Pulsing lights could mean: Alternator diodes are weakened and breaking down.
Essentially they form a "Bridge Rectifier" (Full wave Bridge rectifier)

Also: Check your "Grounds"

 

[Danomt]

Welcome, You have a short in your brake light circuit which goes through the turn signal switch. It could be shorted in the column, or anywhere going to the back of the car including in the lights. It is not a ground problem (except where shorted) and it is not anything to do with the alternator... This problem was happening when the car was not running.... Just have to isolate the circuit and find the short. Basics.....DanO

 

[eric383]

Also check for worn insulation on wires or wires rubbing against metallic objects. Sounds like somewhere in this circuit a wire is grounding out.

 

[Car Nut]

aboard!

 

[black64]

Check to see if the brake pedal linkage is rubbing a wire when you step on it.

 

[bigmanjbmopar]

First off Welcome to the forum, second never ever upsize a fuse unless you just want your car to burn down Lights dim with turn signals on means flasher is wrong or bad that is likely caused by a grounded circuit some were. We need to start with each item and force the issue until the fuse blows.

I would suggest checking the easy things first like visually checking the wires at your lighter, tail lights, engine bay, etc if all looks good there check under the dash for melted wires or loose wires floating under there that now are touching metal. There is no quick diagnosis unless you know you added or did something recently and remember that bad splice you made.

 

[Speedbird]

Yep.
Sounds like the wiring to the brake lights is shorted to ground.
I hope you have a volt ohm meter and know the basics.
So take the brake light bulbs and the fuse feeding them.
See if the wiring between the fuse and the bulb contact is shorted to ground.

 

[rgrabner84]

I am thinking the problem was in the turn signal switch. after thinking about it the fuse had to of blown before i had even turned the lights on. Also when I put the 25amp fuse in by accident. it seemed like the switch is what shorted out because smoke cam out of the steering wheel cap and the turn signal arm froze and wouldn't move. So friday i am going start at in the steering column and work back from there. Thanks for all the guys and the warm welcome!

 

[mopar 3 B]

When your dome light comes on for no aparent reason you have no tail lights. Your tail light wiring in the trunk runs across the trunk floor under the floor mat down the drivers side the across the tail panel to the passenger side. The wires run in a shielded harness. The harness is also grounded to the tail panel. You may have burnt the turn signal switch by inserting a larger fuse into an already damaged system. I am thinking you will find the original problem with your lights else where. Replace the turn signal switch and look in the trunk for a bare wire.