I'm having weird issues with the lights on my 54... Can you guys point me in the right direction to help get them working properly? Head Lights off: Brake lights work normally Headlights on: no brake lights or Tail lights bright like brakes are constantly on. Headlights and park lights themselves work normally. Left turn signal on: nothing happens. Right Turn signal on: Right park light and left brake light on constant. I've been searching under the dash and can't even find where the flasher would plug in. Not sure if the previous owner converted it to 12v or not. I'm staring at a wiring diagram but apparently have a mental block as where to look next.
This may sound crazy but take out each of the tail & parking light bulbs and make sure you don't have a single post bulb in a dual post socket. If that's not the case start looking for a recently replaced socket, it sounds like what happens when you connect the hi & low circuits in a tail light. Maybe somebody mis-wired a socket. Also possible that one of the sockets is shorted internally and connecting the circuits, though it's rare. Seriously, I've bought a couple cars with the single bulb in a dual socket and crazy light issues resulting. People are stupid. Check the bulbs. good luck
Just checked... correct bulbs around and all appeared to be in good shape until I dropped one... I'll put all new ones in there just to be sure... Sockets didn't look to be in horrible shape for being 55 years old. Where is the flasher in these cars? I found an old flasher in the glove box and i found a plug that it fits in but the flasher has 2 prongs and the plug I found has 3 holes and the flasher fits in 2 different ways.
Plug just hangs under the dash as I remember . Need a 3 terminal flasher also. And again check all grounds on the lamp housings ,bad grounds will drive ya to drink.
Could be something mis-wired, or defective, in the turnsignal switch also. If memory serves me right you will have power going through the switch to the taillights when the park and headlights are on, this would also be a reason the signals aren't working either.
If I remember right, the flaser unit is built into the headlight switch. Pull you switch out of the dash, and make sure all conections are good.
This will sound stupid also but check it. The wiring runs up the steering column and up under the collar that butts up against the steering wheel. The collar has a set screw that rarely stays tight. If the collar isn't flush against the steering wheel (as tight as you can get it), it will ground out your lights. I wouldn't think that it would affect anything to do with the headlights but a ground can do strange things.
Might be most of my turn signal problem there since there isn't a flasher at all. Just got back from wally world with some new bulbs.. I'll pick up a flasher tomorrow. Messed with them some more... With the Head lights on the left turn signal dims the Right tail light. So I guess with Lights on the Brake lights are on constant.
I had similar problems and mine got better when i tighted the collar screw but would still be troublesome..better but troublesome so i just got a new harness and replaced everything over to 12 volt
The collar was loose and I just tightened it. Didn't make any difference on the lights but now the turn signal lever cancels again. Small steps towards progress I suppose.
had a similar problem with a chevy truck and it turned out to be the headlight switch. took it apart cleaned all the terminals and it started working again. the switch should have been replaced as it was pretty worn out.
The Jalopy Journal
