Brake Lamp Issue--Part Deux

VaCat33

VaCat33

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Hi All

Well I am just about at wits end trying to fix my passenger side brake lamp problem. You might recall from Part I that the passenger side brake lamp is noticeably dimmer than the drivers side and when I apply the brakes with the tail lamps on the entire passenger tail lamp goes dark. Here is what I have done so far.

1. Replaced the bulbs
2. Replaced the lower (tail/brake lamp) socket
3. Replaced the entire Tail Lamp Assembly with another assembly.
4. Ran separate ground wires from the lower stud secured by the wing nut to the bolt that secures the fuel tank to the body. I did this on the passenger and driver's side. I sanded down the areas where the grounds are located and used star washers to try and get good contact with the body.

After each of the above steps I tested the lamps and the result is exactly the same as described in the first paragaph.

At this I am out of ideas and have done all the things suggested by the members of this forum.

Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jim
 
Jim,

Lucas electrics are always "entertaining"... maybe start tracing the wires from the passengers side back towards the front of the car and make sure its not frayed, piggybacking or doming something else it shouldnt further up the line...?

sorry i havent got much more to offer.. you have tried the things I would have and some i havent.. it has to be the loom somewhere.. you have replaced the whole tail light body, new ground etc.. so the problem must be somewhere along the line and maybe drawing some power away and not giving you full power to the bulb when you push the brake pedal...

one last silly thought.. are the bulbs in the brake lights the same side to side? you dont happen to be running a higher watt bulb in the drivers side one...?
 
Jim,

It might just be worth a check.. someone may have put the wrong ones in a pack, you might have the same wattage for the tail lights, but the second fillament for the brake might be higher in one of them.. might be worth a check... i've had similar things happen.. go through all the hastle only to find out something like that. :rolleyes:
 
Maybe the right lens on your glasses are dirtyy???? haha. just kidding. Did you try running a jumper wire from the left light straight to the right one bypassing the stock wiring? Just a thought.
 
cobrakidz said:
Maybe the right lens on your glasses are dirtyy???? haha. just kidding. Did you try running a jumper wire from the left light straight to the right one bypassing the stock wiring? Just a thought.
Click to expand...

Thats not as funny as it sounds, I had a Motor Home that had realy dim rear lights. Pulled the bulbs and gave the lenses a good scrub. Came up brilliant.
 
Hi All

Checked it with EXACTLY same bulbs both sides...no difference.

I disconnected the green purple wire to the brake lamp on the passenger side and Ran a temp wire from the drivers side brake light connector to the passenger side brake light connector...No difference.

Jim
 
Hope I didn't miss it, but, ifin' it were me.

My next step would be to install a new brake light switch and check all wire heading rearward to see if if bare wire may be touching just enough to cause this, as in a worn spot on the insulation.

Also inspect and take apart all ground wires under the car clean, re-install with a little dia-lectric goop for good measure.

That's all it got.............

Mike
 
Frustration Compensations

Jim:
Well, it's not like you aren't trying hard enough . . . . . occasionally, I head for the range with the old M-60 (we can own them here) and put up a poster with the name "LUCAS" on it. A couple of 100 rd belts later, things feel much better.
 
I remember the M-60 from my army days...definitely could put some firepower down range...great weapon as long as you were NOT the guy stuck carrying it.

Anyway...really want to try and get this resolved. I can get away driving in day but at night (not that I drive a lot at night) that whole passenger side lamp goes dark when brakes applied. Trying to track this by process of elimination.

Cadreamn helping a lot offline

In response to Cal...new ground strap under car installed less than a month ago. Brake switch could be next...but why would the drivers side work fine?

Jim
 
Jim,

I'm just throwing stuff out there....................hoping it will stick.

I will admit I am one of the guys that will buy ten new things weather I need it or not to fix a problem.

M-60..................now there's a pea shooter
 
Time to go to work on the front light assembly. Sounds strange, but it fixed my problem with the rear indicator light that would only work wth the parking lights off. Once I turned them on the indicator stopped completely. I did all the things you did with no luck. Then I was checking the ground on the front light (just because I was out of options) and found that a small short in the driving light was leaking power into the ground. Doesn't hurt to just disconnect the front lights (not the headlights) one at a time and see if that doesn't sort out the problem...if it does, it is an easy fix.
 
Success

Hi All

I am happy to report I have identified the problem and the fix.

It turned out that although I had grounded the entire tail light assembly to the body through the wing nut/stud...the socket case was not adequately grounded to the main assembly.

I actually thought about that early on but I could not get it to work because at the time the contacts in the bulb holder were also dodgy. Oneoffive fixed that for me by replacing the internals of the socket.

After many different jumper hook up combinations, all fruitless, I decided to revisit grounding the socket case. I used a 30 amp clip to the bottom socket case (only one I could find that would fit around the case)and grounded the other end to the trunk latch...and don't you know it everything works exactly as it should.

As a temporary fix I still have the clip to the outside of the case but I grounded it to the stud/wingnut that secures the tail lamp assembly to the body...and it is working fine.

Eventually, I need to affix a permanent ground connection to the socket case...but that is a job for another day.

Big thanks to Oneoffive and Cadreamn who provided mucho help and advice offline.

Thanks, Jim
 
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