Thankyou for the advice and humor. The problem again, is that my turn signals do not work. The fronts come on as do the headlights and side runners. I checked all bulbs and fuses and they are fine. The tail lights do not work at all. When I move the turn signal lever all lamps light very dimly, both filiments. If I remove a bulb the others get a bit brighter. I suspect a bad ground. Is it somewhere on the right hand side as indicated on the wiring diagram. What do I look for? When I throw the parking light switch, I hear a click which seems tward the left in the engine compartment. What is that?? I see no relay indicated on the wiring diagram but that's what it sounds like. What is your opinion on Dielectric paste in the sockets? Someone really packed it in and it is stiff and kind of grey green. I'd like to clean this out and start over. What desolves it? Oh, the "third eye" brake light works and my wife hears a click when that goes on.What is with these clicks? HELP!!!!
Hi, You may have to much of that crap in there for propery contact----if a 2 filement bulb has been placed in a single socket --it will cause this--and visa-versa---also if a 2 filement bulb has 1 broken filement laying on the other good one--it will cause a short to ground---yes --just disconnect battery --then clean the gunk out --and start over with recomended from auto parts store, if you take out rear wheel well insert (pass-side) and follow your wiring ,the ground will be conected to the frame , via a 10mm bolt, check and clean this---if all else fails you may have to remove rear facia to get at the whole rear harness--I would try a multi-meter first and take some readings back there, hope this helps some
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01:42 AM
Firefox Member
Posts: 4307 From: New Berlin, Wisconsin Registered: Feb 2003
I'd suggest pulling the taillights and pulling out all of the bulbs, but do this after you check for your broken ground wire. As suggested, clean out the old grease from the sockets and check each one. You may have a broken socket, also, but it really does sound like a ground. Check your socket wiring for power at your terminals, then reapply the dielectric grease and insert and test your bulbs, one at a time. I'm still thinking ground as I believe you said that both sides of your signals are not operating properly. But, it doesn't hurt to go through and make sure that your taillights and sockets are good.
Mark the electrical guy
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11:35 AM
buddycraigg Member
Posts: 13620 From: kansas city, mo Registered: Jul 2002
Thankyou for the advice and humor. The problem again, is that my turn signals do not work. The fronts come on as do the headlights and side runners. I checked all bulbs and fuses and they are fine. The tail lights do not work at all. When I move the turn signal lever all lamps light very dimly, both filiments. If I remove a bulb the others get a bit brighter. I suspect a bad ground. Is it somewhere on the right hand side as indicated on the wiring diagram. What do I look for? When I throw the parking light switch, I hear a click which seems tward the left in the engine compartment. What is that?? I see no relay indicated on the wiring diagram but that's what it sounds like. What is your opinion on Dielectric paste in the sockets? Someone really packed it in and it is stiff and kind of grey green. I'd like to clean this out and start over. What desolves it? Oh, the "third eye" brake light works and my wife hears a click when that goes on.What is with these clicks? HELP!!!!
what year is your car? 84 had two relays in the engine compartment tied in to the outer most bulb in each taillight on the brake/turn light circuit. but you have a high mounted brake light so it shouldn't be an 84.
is the rear turn/stop lights the only ones you are having a problem with? right now i am thinking bad ground, but i want to ask some questions to keep from steering you down the wrong path.
turn your head lights on. do all the lights (including the tail lights) come on? if you have the tail lights out, does just the small filament light up? are the turn indicator bulbs in the dash on dimly?
now turn your headlights off. have someone step on the brakes. with the taillights still out, does just the big filament light up?
headlights off, brake light off, key in run position, turn signal to the left. with the taillights still out, does any of the filaments light up? does the front signal get bright? and the dash indicator bulb come on?
headlights on, brake light off, key in run position, turn signal to the left. with the taillights still out, does any of the filaments light up? does the front signal get bright? and the dash indicator bulb come on?
answer these questions and we can probably tell where the problem is.
thanks superfast. Huckster responded to me via email and normally i would post his responce here for other to see if they have a simaler problem. but i'm at a friends house using her mac laptop and cant figure out how to get copy and paste to work...
at this point i am very sure you have a bad ground as others have previously mentioned. someone correct me if i'm wrong. the main grounding point for an 86 coupe can be accessed on the right side after you remove the inner splash shield. i'm kind of confused about how you were using the test meter. if you are using the ohm setting on your meter with one test lead attached to your negitive cable and the other test lead probing around in the bulb socket. you should see some resistance if you are checking one of the small bumps in the bottom of the socket, (because it's the parking light circuit, and the meter will find the ground through the front marker lights). the other small bump shouldn't have any continuity if you have all 4 stop light bulbs out of their sockets. and finally the metal sleeve in the socket should have very little to no resistance, this is where the bulb gets it's ground.
good luck and i wonder why people always call me Craig instead of Buddy.
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10:07 PM
buddycraigg Member
Posts: 13620 From: kansas city, mo Registered: Jul 2002
ok. i figured out how to use this mac. this is his responces **************** Hi Craig, Thanks for the offer of help on my rear lights. AOL was goofy, last night, so I was unable to get on line and print out your test. From memory, I tried checking the rear lights with the headlights on. Nothing...same with the parking lights on. When I put on the turn signal, left or right, all the bulbs come on but very dim. I thought both filaments before but yesterday it seemed like just one per bulb. I'm not sure which tho', long or short. I did throw on the rear defogger and it had no effect. I checked with a volt meter and when I grounded the socket to the engine I got a good read. Grounded to the side of the socket was little if anything. My wife assisted me and the relay clicking sound came from a diaphragm (emission thingy?) on the driver side of the engine, upper and toward the bumper. This clicked when the parking lights were on but not detectable with the headlights on. Oh, the back up lights and the license plate lamps don't work either. The trunk light does. I am in the midst of pulling the rear fascia pan to try and get a look at the wiring and that ground point. Needless to say your help is greatly appreciated. Thank you, Huck
Yo Craig, Forgot my car is an '86 SE 6. I don't know if the front turn light changes intensity but it does get bright as normal, just doesn't blink. When I hit the brake pedal nothing goes on at the taillights just the "third eye". Oh, the dash turn indicator is bright as normal. Thanks again, Huck
Thank you everyone! My tail light mystery is solved! It was the ground wire and I'm sad to say that it just rusted right off. I live in Detroit and Detroit is built on salt mines. We love to salt our streets, in the Winter. The ground wire was just where you guys said. I butt connected some #10 wire and screwed that to the frame. About a foot or so forward there is a hole predrilled. The metal is still solid and shiny. I see another hole up aways from that so I should be set for another 20 years. Ha. I must confess I was intimidated by the fasteners on the fender liner and pulled the fascia first. The car looks very wierd but it did get me to work today with strong turn signals. Everything works great! Thanks again. I don't have enough postings to rate you guys officially but you are the greatest. Happy Holiday (Generic greeting for Easter, Passover and Mohamad's birthday) Peace, Da Huckster
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09:17 PM
Huckster Member
Posts: 18 From: Dearborn, MI, USA Registered: Jun 2004
Oh, how I used my tester was in the volt meter mode. I touched a probe to the bottom of the socket and the other to the side of the socket. Nothing much happened, maybe a slight twitch of the needle. When I grounded to the engine, I got the full 12 volts. That's when I tore into the fender liner. Thanks again. Huck
