My good Patterson. I don't know how to thank you. These are directions
that even a novice such as myself can understand and follow. I'm actually
excited to get on this. Today was a wash in more ways than one. I have in
addition a water leak in my plumbing which kept me from the Chevy. Will
report back on my results.


Regards,

R, Carriere


"G.R. Patterson III" > wrote in message
...
>
>
> rcarriere wrote:
> >
> > So can some one describe the procedure for
> > tracing this problem to its source, the tools I will need and so on.
>
> I can't remember whether the '56 Chevy had separate bulbs for the brake
> lights and running lights, but I will write this as if it did. If it has
> one bulb for both, you will have two "center electrodes" in each socket,
> and you'll have to figure out which is for the running lights. I also no
> longer have a wiring diagram for this car, but most makers ran the wiring
> down the left side of the car, so power went to the left running light
> before going to the right one. I would start at the left side because I
> would bet the problem is either at that junction or further forward in the
> car.
>
> Go down to your local parts store and buy the type of electrical tester
> that lights up and has a sharp point on one end and a grounding wire with
> an alligator clip on the other end. With that car, you want the standard
> 12V unit. Also buy a new taillight bulb, just to make sure you have one
> that works. Remove the left taillight bulb. Check the center electrode in
> the socket. This should have a spring under it, and you should be able to
> push it down into the socket about 1/8" and have it spring back. If it
does
> not do this, it may not be contacting the base of the bulb. Turn on the
parking
> lights and insert your new bulb. If this lights when you push it in hard
but
> goes out when you relax pressure, the center electrode or its spring is
worn
> out. Replace the socket.
>
> If the bulb doesn't light, hook the alligator clip of your tester to a
good
> ground and touch the tip of the tester to the center electrode deep within
> the socket. Make sure that you have a good ground; if necessary, run a
long
> wire back to the battery. When you insert the probe, do NOT let the probe
> touch the sides of the socket; the sides are supposed to be ground.
>
> If the tester lights up, you have power at the electrode. Disconnect the
clip
> from ground and hook it to the side of the light socket and retest. If the
> tester does not light up, the ground to the socket is bad. You may have to
> replace the socket. If it *does* light up, inspect the entire socket
carefully
> and try to figure out why it will light up your tester and not light up
your
> new bulb. The most common reason that I've seen for this is that the
electrode
> is worn.
>
> Since both lights are out, I expect that you will not have power at the
socket.
> Trace the wires from the back of the socket to the next upstream (closer
to the
> battery) connection. With the parking lights on, unplug this connection.
If
> it's hard to unplug, use WD-40 to loosen it up. Use your tester to check
for
> power in the upstream part of the connector. Keep going upstream until you
> find a connection with power. When you do, clean up all the contacts there
> and plug it back together. Then check for power back downtsream. In this
way
> you will locate the defective connector or wiring section. NAPA sells
these
> old connectors, if you need one.
>
> If you get all the way back to the headlight switch and find no power, the
> problem is your switch.
>
> You can, of course, start at the switch and run the other direction.
>
> One last thing. If you turn the parking lights on and the taillights work
> but they don't work with the headlights on, the probelm is almost
certainly
> the headlight switch.
>
> George Patterson
> The optimist feels that we live in the best of all possible worlds. The
> pessimist is afraid that he's correct.
> James Branch Cavel