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#1
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What's the procedure to trouble shoot talelight that don't work.
A dumb question I know, but last time I had a problem re a flooding carb in
my son's daily driver 56 chevy I got tons of useful suggestions from this list and eventually the solution. So now the tail lights in this car have stopped working. My son claims that he has checked and replaced the fuses which I will verify tomorrow. So can some one describe the procedure for tracing this problem to its source, the tools I will need and so on. Or just point me to a link that has the info . I know nothing about this, but my experience is that my local mechanic will know less and in the end I will have to solve this myself. Thanks in advance for any help on this. Regards, R. Carriere |
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#2
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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 |
#3
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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 |
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