Tail light/Turn signal problems 69 coronet

[69'Net]

I recently replaced my turn signal harness in the steering wheel hoping to cure my brake/signal problems. Didn't work. I have hazards on all four corners. I have brake lights. No turn signals except one front will come on and not blink. When I turn on the headlights, no rear tail lights then I blow the tail lamp fuse. Something to note, there is a light with a blue cap in the steering column the previous owner cut.

 

[Bigcountry]

That light with the blue cap is so you can see which gear you are in, lights up the column, if I remember correctly. Is that wire bare or is it taped up?

 

[69'Net]

i traced it down to the connector and taped the end where is was cut. I did connect them first and it didn't work, not sure why it was cut.

 

[PurpleBeeper]

You have some wires shorted somewhere my friend & I don't envy you. I hate tracking down electrical problems. The slow way I've always done it is wire-by-wire & circuit-by-circuit. Visually inspect the wires end-to-end (yep, pull out the interior). Sometimes you can get a clue if you follow your wiring diagram closely. For example, you might unplug the connector behind the driver's kick panel that goes to the tail lights and check for continuity between the wires using a meter at the connector. If two wires show resistance near "0" then they're crossed somewhere. You can also check for each connector going to ground (wire is bare and hitting the body of the car somewhere)

 

[Shorthorse]

Like PurpleBeeper said, you've got some issues. The front light that comes on but does not blink, which side? What does the corresponding rear light do and does the indicator (dash or fender) do the same? According to the drawing, the rear lights are dual elements so the loss of rear running lights when the headlights are on sounds like a separate issue because those lights don't run through the turn signal harness. Your grounding appears to be OK because your brake/hazard functions work but it's always best to check, clean and secure all ground points anyway. Get a test light and start at the point where you were first working. A volt meter is best but be careful when checking continuity. If your checking continuity, remove all lamps. A lamp element is nothing but a big resistor that glows and will show continuity to ground.
http://www.mymopar.com/downloads/1969/69CoronetA.JPG
http://www.mymopar.com/downloads/1969/69CoronetB.JPG

 

[69'Net]

Thanks for the replies, I'm not great with wiring so this makes my head spin. I was planning on unplugging the harness under the kick panel and then turning on the headlights with a good fuse. If the fuse does not blow that would isolate my problem to the the tail light harness correct? The turn signal that comes on is the front passenger. Does not blink though and nothing comes on in the rear, but like you said I have hazards so I know its not a ground. I also forgot to mention I have no dash lights! What a mess.

 

[oldbee]

You're on the right path. If it doesn't blow when unhooking at kick panel you know where problem lies(under trim of rocker panel/rear seat area). Anything loose in trunk that could've pinched a wire? Slow&ready with thinking all the time. Can be a pain in the a--.

 

[Shorthorse]

If you put headlight switch to the first position (running lights only) does it blow the fuse? Also, does the right indicator on the dash light up? Unplugging the rear harness is a good start but you might get a false reading if you have an old thermal style flasher, the fronts may not blink because of the rear lights being unplugged.
It's probably a good idea to start where you last did your work and that would be to double check the replaced steering column harness.
A guy I worked with a long time ago set me straight. Wiring diagrams can be intimidating but don't let it be. Just like a map, there are hundreds of roads with different designations going in all directions. If you can read a map and get where you intend to go, you can read a wiring diagram. Hang in there.

 

[69'Net]

Ok, update: I unplugged the rear harness, the fuse didn't blow! The headlights come on and the orange running lights. They don't blink though. But first thing first, check all the wires in the rear harness? I have replaced most of the interior in it and painted it. I'm sure it's from that. I just got the new motor and trans in as well. Now I'm held up by blinkers and tail lights. It's maddening, def a love hate relationship!

 

[oldbee]

You could've got a trim screw partially hitting a wire to the rear & shorting to ground.

 

[bigmanjbmopar]

A lot of turn signal issues are fixed by replacing the signal flasher relay and the hazard relay flasher, have you replaced those with the correct ones and know working ones yet? Also you're not running any LED lamps right?

 

[oldbee]

In years past I've seen a weak flasher that would flash one side and not the other. Whether from higher resistance on the bad side or what I don't know.

 

[69'Net]

My hazards work on all four corners, so I swapped the flashers. The turn signal flasher was dead. Now I blink on the front passenger and rear driver. I'm still blowing a fuse when I turn on the headlights. The headlights stay on, no tails. I got to thinking, since the hazards will work on all four corners my short can't be in the tail light harness can it? Has to be under the dash somewhere right? I bought this fancy short detector, I'm gonna try it this week.

 

[69'Net]

No I'm not running any LEDs

 

[bigmanjbmopar]

I had issues with tail lights / turn signals and it was a combination of the turn signal cam in the steering column and the flashers either missing/being bad/wrong ones. Once all of that was cleaned / adjusted and replaced everything worked. If you are stumped then use the wiring diagrams to follow each wire to its end and make sure its not pinched or melted or touching anything its not supposed to.

 

[oldbee]

Tail light wire isn't the same wire . It lights up weaker filament in bulb. Turns/stops/4-ways are the brighter filament.You could have a shorter tail wire and everything else would work fine.

 

[oldbee]

Shorted- not "shorter"

 

[oldbee]

Side markers should be on the tail light wire also. Maybe one of those is shorted?

 

[Shorthorse]

Do the rear running lights work when you turn on the light switch to the first "on" position (running lights only)?

 

[69'Net]

The rear side markers are reflectors, they don't have power to them. I have front running lights and head lights. The tails don't work. I'm going to try the short detector tonight.