Electrical Work is making me ANGRY!!!! - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

5150 · 09-13-2005, 10:55 PM

Okay here goes I'm pissed....

Some of you guys no that I've been blowing my tail light fuse(see thread Still Blowing Fuses down the page).

Well, I been putting it back together a little today and plugged my headlights in. Well, they didn't work. I had one in last week and it worked so I'm confused. Also everytime I've turned the headlights on it has BLOWN the tail light fuse. I put in a new fuse again and turned on the headlights...it didn't blow. So I figured that i needed a new headlight switch. Keep in mind this whole time I have no dash lights, even when the headlight did come on. So I get my new headlight switch tonight and soon as I touch the terminals it blows the fuse.

So I figured that fixed my problem...NO!

My headlights still won't come on and my dash lights still won't come on. To pour salt on my wounds even my wipers won't come on.

I did however pull the plug from the firewall that leads to the tail lights and then turned on the headlights and it didn't blow the fuse. I guess that narrows down the tail light problem...It's in the tail light wiring.

I'm about to run this thing off in a ditch. I'll be sure to let you guys which one I roll it into.

stllookn · 09-13-2005, 11:16 PM

Have you checked each connection to the tailights with a VOM? I would open the wiring book in my manual and check every connection to see where they are going. I seem to have constant problems with poor grounds on these old trucks. I have had to reground the boxes to the frames and the taillight buckets to the boxes and/or frames to get the taillights to work. There has to be a short somewhere down stream of the fuse block to blow those fuses.

69 Short Fleet · 09-14-2005, 03:50 AM

^ Yea what stllooking said. You just had your truck painted, correct? When I put mine back together I ran into tons of elec. problems and like 90% of them were all ground related. Doug

chickenwing · 09-14-2005, 01:37 PM

Just painted.... Blown fuses are almost allways a short. Bed come off? They pinch a wire on assembly? On mine they pinched a wire in the front right fenderwell. Not very complicated for tail-lights. Follow the harness all the way back. Look for bare or pinched wires. Good luck.

LUV2XCLR8 · 09-14-2005, 05:40 PM

Don't hate me, but I would just buy a complete new rear wiring harness,
from the firewall back is available, I know it's not the cheapest solution.

cdowns · 09-14-2005, 07:26 PM

easy way to track this down
1 remove light bulbs from the rear sockets

2there's a quick disconnect right near the left rear tire UNPLUG IT-- try the light switch if the fuse blows the short is between the firewall disconnect and the rear wheel well===replace that part of the wiring

3 if fuse doesn't blow then the short is between the rear wheel and the light sockets/// with bulbs removed take ohm meter one lead grounded and the other lead to the 4inividual terminals of the disconnect the one that pegs the meter is your bad wire follow that wire out find the bad spot and repair or replace

this should not take more than 20minutes!!!!!!!

Z28Owner · 09-14-2005, 08:17 PM

Just throwing this out there.., mine was doing the same thing when I got it, turns out the pigtail to the steering column was only in there halfway, one of the snaps was fugged up, got it back together and ziptied it in place, hasnt blown a fuse since. Ltr

sleepyboy · 09-14-2005, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Z28Owner

Just throwing this out there.., mine was doing the same thing when I got it, turns out the pigtail to the steering column was only in there halfway, one of the snaps was fugged up, got it back together and ziptied it in place, hasnt blown a fuse since. Ltr

That was my problem also....

5150 · 09-15-2005, 10:30 AM

I'll check the pigtail and cdowns idea

Blue_71 · 09-15-2005, 05:59 PM

on my 69 when i got it, the wires going to the dome light were pinched in the rocker where it had been replaced and i was having the same problem

*72CSTC5* · 09-15-2005, 11:28 PM

I have also heard that the dimmer switch in the floor of these things cause problems for people.

**John Fabris** · 09-16-2005, 01:29 AM

I second the dimmer switch. I have seen a few cars and trucks with electrical gremlins about the headlights, and replacing the floormounted dimmer switch has fixed it. It is in a area that gets dirt and water all the time on the "Gently Used" trucks of our...

09-13-2005, 10:55 PM	#1
5150 C10 Club Tennessee Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: White House, TN 37188 Posts: 8,281	Electrical Work is making me ANGRY!!!! Okay here goes I'm pissed.... Some of you guys no that I've been blowing my tail light fuse(see thread Still Blowing Fuses down the page). Well, I been putting it back together a little today and plugged my headlights in. Well, they didn't work. I had one in last week and it worked so I'm confused. Also everytime I've turned the headlights on it has BLOWN the tail light fuse. I put in a new fuse again and turned on the headlights...it didn't blow. So I figured that i needed a new headlight switch. Keep in mind this whole time I have no dash lights, even when the headlight did come on. So I get my new headlight switch tonight and soon as I touch the terminals it blows the fuse. So I figured that fixed my problem...NO! My headlights still won't come on and my dash lights still won't come on. To pour salt on my wounds even my wipers won't come on. I did however pull the plug from the firewall that leads to the tail lights and then turned on the headlights and it didn't blow the fuse. I guess that narrows down the tail light problem...It's in the tail light wiring. I'm about to run this thing off in a ditch. I'll be sure to let you guys which one I roll it into. __________________ Bryan www.gmtruckshow.com Project "Andes"-Halen's First Truck Project: Patina Burb for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. Romans 13:4

09-13-2005, 11:16 PM	#2
stllookn Saving 1 truck at a time! Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Kent, WA Posts: 6,465	Have you checked each connection to the tailights with a VOM? I would open the wiring book in my manual and check every connection to see where they are going. I seem to have constant problems with poor grounds on these old trucks. I have had to reground the boxes to the frames and the taillight buckets to the boxes and/or frames to get the taillights to work. There has to be a short somewhere down stream of the fuse block to blow those fuses. __________________ '68 C20 Longhorn 50th Anniversary 400/TH400 '68 C20 Longhorn 50th Anniversary 468/TH400w/buckets '72 C20 Halfhorn (Longhorn w/o cab and front clip) '69 Flxible Cruiser (look up ugly in the dictionary)

09-14-2005, 05:40 PM	#5
LUV2XCLR8 The LuvShack Garage Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Maple Grove, TN (West Side) Posts: 30,482	Don't hate me, but I would just buy a complete new rear wiring harness, from the firewall back is available, I know it's not the cheapest solution. __________________ Owner/Op: "TN Classic Transport Carriers" The Toy: "Square Vette" 72 Hybrid Blazer Toy Barn: "LuvShack" 40 x 60 x 20 Shop Tow Piggy:"Maddy" 88 Silverado 3500 Hauler: "Feathers" 14 Aluma 8218T

09-14-2005, 07:26 PM	#6
cdowns Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: daytonabeach Posts: 22,956	easy way to track this down 1 remove light bulbs from the rear sockets 2there's a quick disconnect right near the left rear tire UNPLUG IT-- try the light switch if the fuse blows the short is between the firewall disconnect and the rear wheel well===replace that part of the wiring 3 if fuse doesn't blow then the short is between the rear wheel and the light sockets/// with bulbs removed take ohm meter one lead grounded and the other lead to the 4inividual terminals of the disconnect the one that pegs the meter is your bad wire follow that wire out find the bad spot and repair or replace this should not take more than 20minutes!!!!!!! __________________ 71c-10 350/2004r/4:11 lowered3/4 longbed/dead by hurricane MEANING OF DEATH::::: SOMEBODY ELSE GETS YOUR STUFF DONT BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU THINK TAKE MY ADVISE;I DON'T USE IT ANYWAY

09-14-2005, 08:17 PM	#7
Z28Owner ......................... Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: benton, ky Posts: 288	Just throwing this out there.., mine was doing the same thing when I got it, turns out the pigtail to the steering column was only in there halfway, one of the snaps was fugged up, got it back together and ziptied it in place, hasnt blown a fuse since. Ltr __________________ 1971 LWB Chevy C-10 350/350 3:42 eaton

09-14-2005, 03:50 AM	#3
69 Short Fleet Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Kelowna B.C. Canada Posts: 1,086	^ Yea what stllooking said. You just had your truck painted, correct? When I put mine back together I ran into tons of elec. problems and like 90% of them were all ground related. Doug

09-14-2005, 01:37 PM	#4
chickenwing Lovin' Life in Miss.! Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Puckett, Mississippi Posts: 1,937	Just painted.... Blown fuses are almost allways a short. Bed come off? They pinch a wire on assembly? On mine they pinched a wire in the front right fenderwell. Not very complicated for tail-lights. Follow the harness all the way back. Look for bare or pinched wires. Good luck.

09-15-2005, 10:30 AM	#9
5150 C10 Club Tennessee Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: White House, TN 37188 Posts: 8,281	I'll check the pigtail and cdowns idea __________________ Bryan www.gmtruckshow.com Project "Andes"-Halen's First Truck Project: Patina Burb for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. Romans 13:4

09-15-2005, 11:28 PM	#11
72CSTC5 Account Suspended Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Deer Park, Tx. Posts: 2,524	I have also heard that the dimmer switch in the floor of these things cause problems for people.

09-16-2005, 01:29 AM	#12
John Fabris TOTY 2006 Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Magalia CA USA Posts: 2,270	I second the dimmer switch. I have seen a few cars and trucks with electrical gremlins about the headlights, and replacing the floormounted dimmer switch has fixed it. It is in a area that gets dirt and water all the time on the "Gently Used" trucks of our... __________________ John Fabris 67 C10 SWB



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