Blinker and park lamp problem - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

71swb4x4 · 05-05-2008, 04:23 AM

When I bought my 68 the rear wiring harness was a mess. Today I ran a new harness from the firewall to the crossmember, and then a used harness from the crossmember to the lights. I have a couple issues.
1) I have park lights in the front, but none on the rear.
2) Both front and rear right side blinkers work great. When I turn the left on the front works great, but both rears blink really dimly.

I am not sure if those two problems are connected. Any ideas? I figured I would start with the grounding points (pull the taillight housing and clean up the connecting points). Then maybe the flasher???

Longhorn Man · 05-05-2008, 04:30 AM

your bed needs a better ground. 99% chance on this. You can start by just removing the lens, then the 2 5/16 headed bolts that hold the tail light assembly to the bed, and clean the area around the hole and on the back of the tail light assembly. If it doesn't work upon reassembly (both sides) then make a ground wire fro the bed to the frame, and again, clean the metal where the wire connects on both ends.

sdkid · 05-05-2008, 05:21 AM

I agree. When i got my first '68, it had this issue. I crawled under to check it out. Found nails drove between the box and the frame. WTH??? Drove another in and the issue was fixed for about 2 weeks. Made a separate ground and worked great.

ed2552 · 05-05-2008, 06:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sdkid

I agree. When i got my first '68, it had this issue. I crawled under to check it out. Found nails drove between the box and the frame. WTH??? Drove another in and the issue was fixed for about 2 weeks. Made a separate ground and worked great.

I like how you just added to the problem by adding another nail

old Chevy guy · 05-05-2008, 05:07 PM

I agree sounds like a grounding problem.

71swb4x4 · 05-05-2008, 06:53 PM

It is a grounding problem. Unfortunately it's in the housing itself.
I ran grounds from the frame to the bed. Problem was still there.
Ran a ground from the frame to the housing itself. Still had the problem.
I started playing with the housing and found the socket was loose int he housing. I cleaned it up and welded the socket to the housing and still have the problem.
Now I assume there is some corrosion between the inner and outer socket. The side that the bulb sits in is clean, so it must be inbetween.
I swapped housings from right to left and the problem moves with the housing, so its definitely an issue inside that socket.

I will simply find a used housing and call it good.

sdkid · 05-06-2008, 07:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ed2552

I like how you just added to the problem by adding another nail

I was 18 then. Cruisin for girls and beer was more important than fixing it right. It was my first application of the motto "we don't have time to fix it right, but we have time to fix it again."

68C15 · 05-06-2008, 02:29 PM

what happened, did you loose my #? I have 4 spare housings. I'll trade you for a short fleet bed. LOL

05-05-2008, 04:23 AM	#1
71swb4x4 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Brookings, SD Posts: 10,497	Blinker and park lamp problem When I bought my 68 the rear wiring harness was a mess. Today I ran a new harness from the firewall to the crossmember, and then a used harness from the crossmember to the lights. I have a couple issues. 1) I have park lights in the front, but none on the rear. 2) Both front and rear right side blinkers work great. When I turn the left on the front works great, but both rears blink really dimly. I am not sure if those two problems are connected. Any ideas? I figured I would start with the grounding points (pull the taillight housing and clean up the connecting points). Then maybe the flasher??? __________________ Some people are like slinkies, they aren't good for anything, but you can't help but smile when you see one tumble down the stairs.

05-05-2008, 04:30 AM	#2
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,690	Re: Blinker and park lamp problem your bed needs a better ground. 99% chance on this. You can start by just removing the lens, then the 2 5/16 headed bolts that hold the tail light assembly to the bed, and clean the area around the hole and on the back of the tail light assembly. If it doesn't work upon reassembly (both sides) then make a ground wire fro the bed to the frame, and again, clean the metal where the wire connects on both ends.

05-05-2008, 05:21 AM	#3
sdkid Registered User Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Pierre SD Posts: 1,533	Re: Blinker and park lamp problem I agree. When i got my first '68, it had this issue. I crawled under to check it out. Found nails drove between the box and the frame. WTH??? Drove another in and the issue was fixed for about 2 weeks. Made a separate ground and worked great. __________________ I think the world needs a drink... Help somebody...If you can....VanZant We're not wrong, we're not sorry, and its probably gonna happen again. That's the truth about men. Tracy Byrd Member# 13924 '70 c10, 350/350 '68 c10 250/4spd '68 c10 no eng/trans fac ps/pb/ac/at (future father/sons project) '48 Chevy Loadmaster Last edited by sdkid; 05-05-2008 at 05:21 AM.

05-05-2008, 05:07 PM	#5
old Chevy guy Registered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Foster Rhode Island Posts: 1,176	Re: Blinker and park lamp problem I agree sounds like a grounding problem.

05-05-2008, 06:53 PM	#6
71swb4x4 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Brookings, SD Posts: 10,497	Re: Blinker and park lamp problem It is a grounding problem. Unfortunately it's in the housing itself. I ran grounds from the frame to the bed. Problem was still there. Ran a ground from the frame to the housing itself. Still had the problem. I started playing with the housing and found the socket was loose int he housing. I cleaned it up and welded the socket to the housing and still have the problem. Now I assume there is some corrosion between the inner and outer socket. The side that the bulb sits in is clean, so it must be inbetween. I swapped housings from right to left and the problem moves with the housing, so its definitely an issue inside that socket. I will simply find a used housing and call it good. __________________ Some people are like slinkies, they aren't good for anything, but you can't help but smile when you see one tumble down the stairs.

05-06-2008, 02:29 PM	#8
68C15 blood type; Retumbo Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: next to my reloading bench Posts: 10,269	Re: Blinker and park lamp problem what happened, did you loose my #? I have 4 spare housings. I'll trade you for a short fleet bed. LOL



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