backup lights

Yes.

My fuse sometimes gets corroded and I need to sand off the pads in the fuse holder.

Sure. Don't forget to check the ground path to the lights.

Max

"Scott H" wrote

Thanks for the replies, guys. Bypassing the switch did not work, so I guess it's not the switch.

Max, your reply about checking the ground hadn't posted earlier when I checked for replies.

Looking at the Bentley wiring diagram, it appears that there is a separate ground for each side, correct? Or is the ground common for both sides? Neither side is working so I assumed that it should be something common to both sides. Would bad ground on one side cause both not to work? Does the one ground wire ground the entire light assembly? All other bulbs work.

I assume the grounds are behind the tarboard on each side of the engine? I wanted to eliminate the fuse and switch before pulling the tarboard back to check the grounds, since the tarboard looks like it's never been taken out and is very brittle. I'm afraid it'll crumble when I try to move it. I guess the grounds and the bulbs themselves are the only things left to check.

Thanks again,

-- Scott

The grounds are behind the tarboard yes, but if I recall right they are=20 also common for the other taillights also.=20

Have you checked the bulbs and bulb holders? The bulbs may very well be blown and holders corroded so that the contact is not made.

There is a T-connector behind the fan shroud in the right side. You=20 should have a wire coming through the front engine tin to that = connector. Is that connected properly? That is the place that the different sides=20 separate.

I would suggest taking a voltmeter in hand, turning on the ignition (not starting the car), putting it in reverse (remember e-brake) and working your way towards the lights measuring voltage=20 across the car chassis and different connecting points in the car.

First, is the wire connected to the +-side of the coil, is there = voltage? Is there voltage in the fuse holder? If there voltage in both of the=20 transmission nose switch connectors? Is there voltage in the=20 T-connector all three connections behind the shroud? Is there voltage in the bulb holder? Voltages should be around

12 volts, which is the voltage of the battery, if it drops at some=20 point, you definately have bad connection somewhere there.

If voltage is ok, then consider the ground. Measure resistanse across the bulb holder base and chassis. It should be very close to 0 ohms.

That's what I thought also so I would think all lights in the assembly would be affected if the ground was the problem. Only the backup lights are not working.

No, I haven't checked the bulbs yet. I thought it unlikely that both would go out at the exact same time. The lights were both working until a couple of days ago. I will check them tonight.

Yes, I've checked that connection.

Thanks, I'll check everything with a voltmeter tonight.

"Scott H" wrote

Well, the lights are working now.

Apparently, in addition to knowing nothing about electricity, I'm also a moron.

It turned out to be the connector at the right side of the fan shroud. Evidently, when I installed the engine a while back and reconnected the single wire at this connection, the female part of the push-on connector did not slide on the spade inside the connector. Instead, it pushed it to one side but was still making enough contact for the lights to work until a couple days ago. When I checked it yesterday, it felt tight and appeared to be connected. But when I did a quick check with a test light tonight I had power at the coil, the fuse and the nosecone switch but no power at the connector. Double-checked the connections and discovered the reason.

How on God's green earth anyone can get both arms back there to make that connection is beyond me. I had to take the wires loose from the nosecone and feed the wires back through the forward tin so that I had enough slack to pull the connector out to the side so I could reach it.

Thanks again for the tips, RAMVAites.

-- Scott