Need help with headlights and tail lights not working 0n 61

[Cape Codder]

Your diagram shows power goes from the fuse box to the stop light switch and then to the directional switch. I would first check for power at the switch looks like it should be orange. If you have power there push the pedal and check for power out should be white it looks like. If this checks out then go to directional switch.


Bob

[Apache809]

Originally Posted by Cape Codder

Your diagram shows power goes from the fuse box to the stop light switch and then to the directional switch. I would first check for power at the switch looks like it should be orange. If you have power there push the pedal and check for power out should be white it looks like. If this checks out then go to directional switch.


Bob

Found the signal switch but it has no power going to it. I unplugged it to clean the switch and the mechanism was a bit gunky. I cleaned it up and freed it but noticed the signal rod that goes from the switch to the turn signal is not connected. looks like i may have to take the steering wheel off to get to it. It's the thin cable that activates the switch. I will address that next. But first, I found the stop switch under the brake and freed it too. It was stuck in and didn't have the freedom it needed. WD40 and and few repetitions and it flows good now. Tested it for continuity and it flows good too.

Im not getting power to the turn switch plug at the base of the steering shaft. So steering wheel coming off or is there and easier way to get to that switch without removing the steering wheel?

[tincan1966]

Do you have power to the orange wire on the brake light switch> If not you won't get anything thru the white wire to the turn signal connector. The turn signal power comes from the turn/back up fuse in the fuse panel, then thru the flasher, then to the connector at the base of the column. should be a purple wire(but not absolutely certain, may be different color on the 60-62). Need to test with the key "on".

[Apache809]

Originally Posted by tincan1966

Do you have power to the orange wire on the brake light switch> If not you won't get anything thru the white wire to the turn signal connector. The turn signal power comes from the turn/back up fuse in the fuse panel, then thru the flasher, then to the connector at the base of the column. should be a purple wire(but not absolutely certain, may be different color on the 60-62). Need to test with the key "on".

Im checking now but my tested just took a crap . Trying to make a home made one.. lol

[Cape Codder]

The turn signals and brake lights have two different power sources. The only reason the brake lights go through the turn signal switch is because they share the same wires and bulb elements at the tailights. That is why your brake lights work even with the key off and no power to directional. so your brake lights don't need power to the directionals. except from the wire coming from the brake light switch. Make sure you have power there first. You want to fix one problem at a time.

[Apache809]

Originally Posted by tincan1966

Do you have power to the orange wire on the brake light switch> If not you won't get anything thru the white wire to the turn signal connector. The turn signal power comes from the turn/back up fuse in the fuse panel, then thru the flasher, then to the connector at the base of the column. should be a purple wire(but not absolutely certain, may be different color on the 60-62). Need to test with the key "on".

Originally Posted by Cape Codder

The turn signals and brake lights have two different power sources. The only reason the brake lights go through the turn signal switch is because they share the same wires and bulb elements at the tailights. That is why your brake lights work even with the key off and no power to directional. so your brake lights don't need power to the directionals. except from the wire coming from the brake light switch. Make sure you have power there first. You want to fix one problem at a time.

Ok, I have power at the orange and it flows to the white when I hit the brakes. So brake switch is good. Used and old Xmas lights as tester. So the white wire now is the power for the switch?

[Apache809]

Ok, i have power at the plug for the signal switch thru the white wire when I hit the brakes. Im guessing i just gotta get to the turn signal switch at the steering wheel?

[Cape Codder]

OK now going back to the diagram you should check for power at the dark green wire and the yellow wire coming from the directional switch when the brake pedal is depressed. If you have power there continue to the rear wire harness to find the open circuit. If you don't have power to those wires out of the switch I would suspect the switch. Are your turn signals working now to the rear? The same wires operate the rear turn and brake lights.

[Apache809]

Originally Posted by Cape Codder

OK now going back to the diagram you should check for power at the dark green wire and the yellow wire coming from the directional switch when the brake pedal is depressed. If you have power there continue to the rear wire harness to find the open circuit. If you don't have power to those wires out of the switch I would suspect the switch. Are your turn signals working now to the rear? The same wires operate the rear turn and brake lights.

I think on my truck the green you refer to is either that pink or purple shown on the pic below. And Yes, i now have current flowing to the rear harness. When i move the switch to one side the pick comes on and when i move the switch to the other side the purple comes on. The black there stays on when i turn the headlights on. Looks like mission accomplished. Again, thanks for the help. I just gotta run my rear wiring to the rear lamps.

[Apache809]

Originally Posted by Cape Codder

OK now going back to the diagram you should check for power at the dark green wire and the yellow wire coming from the directional switch when the brake pedal is depressed. If you have power there continue to the rear wire harness to find the open circuit. If you don't have power to those wires out of the switch I would suspect the switch. Are your turn signals working now to the rear? The same wires operate the rear turn and brake lights.

So both bucket lamps get black, pink to one side and purple to the other side. Is this correct?

[Cape Codder]

What are you calling bucket lights? I thought we were still working on the rear. No purple or pink to the back.

[Apache809]

Originally Posted by Cape Codder

OK now going back to the diagram you should check for power at the dark green wire and the yellow wire coming from the directional switch when the brake pedal is depressed. If you have power there continue to the rear wire harness to find the open circuit. If you don't have power to those wires out of the switch I would suspect the switch. Are your turn signals working now to the rear? The same wires operate the rear turn and brake lights.

Originally Posted by Cape Codder

What are you calling bucket lights? I thought we were still working on the rear. No purple or pink to the back.

The rear lamps i call buckets cause they kind of look like little buckets. But yea, the pink, purple and black go to the rear harness then turn into a single 3 wire that go to to the rear lights.

[Cape Codder]

In the diagram they show Brown (taillamp) green and yellow (turn and brake) Also these colors are pretty universal for rear lights. Could be someone has changed some wires. Do these colors match what is coming from directional switch? Have you found two wires that have power with brake depressed from the directional switch? The two that have power there are also rear turn wires. The front directional are separate. What color wires do you have at the tail lights? If you wire color is different than the diagram you will need an ohm meter to check continuety to see what wire is going where.

[Apache809]

Originally Posted by Cape Codder

In the diagram they show Brown (taillamp) green and yellow (turn and brake) Also these colors are pretty universal for rear lights. Could be someone has changed some wires. Do these colors match what is coming from directional switch? Have you found two wires that have power with brake depressed from the directional switch? The two that have power there are also rear turn wires. The front directional are separate. What color wires do you have at the tail lights? If you wire color is different than the diagram you will need an ohm meter to check continuety to see what wire is going where.

" Have you found two wires that have power with brake depressed from the directional switch?"
Yes the pink and purple light up when i press the brake depending on the position of the switch. The black lights up when i pull the light switch.

The Black i believe is tail lights, I pulled the healight switch and got current there.

The pink and purple i guess turn and brake. That's the colors from the switch. I posted a pic of the plug for you to see. They then run along the bottom of the driver door. Once they hit that little plug they become one but with 3 wires going to the back.

[Apache809]

Found this rear diagram.

[tincan1966]

Regardless of the wire color, it sounds like you're on the right track on the rear lights.
You've got a tail light and a left and right stop/turn.

If I remember the "universal" wiring code starts in about '63, so not surprising your truck, as a lot of the 60-62's is different.

[Apache809]

Originally Posted by tincan1966

Regardless of the wire color, it sounds like you're on the right track on the rear lights.
You've got a tail light and a left and right stop/turn.

If I remember the "universal" wiring code starts in about '63, so not surprising your truck, as a lot of the 60-62's is different.

Yea, I finally got tail, brake and blinker lights to the rear, just don't understand the blinkers. Are they supposed to blink or what do they do? I haven't got the parking bulbs yet. Is that why they don't blink?

[Cape Codder]

Usually they blink fast if the other half of the circuit isn't working but I would work on the front before worrying about it. You could have a bad flasher also.