Hi - the tail lights on my car work perfectly and with the tail lights off the brake lights work. But when the tail lights are on the left hand brake light does not work. I'm guessing it's an earth problem but I'm not sure where to find the earthing point. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks,
Phil
Earthing problem?
Re: Earthing problem?
Such a problem has already cost me two weeks of searching. ( Fulvia Coupe )
Remove the tail light and loosen the rubber cover. Then check the connections.
It is best to remove the nuts of the glands of the cables to find the oxidation.
regards Andreas
Remove the tail light and loosen the rubber cover. Then check the connections.
It is best to remove the nuts of the glands of the cables to find the oxidation.
regards Andreas
Re: Earthing problem?
Sorted. The bulb on the bad side had a dark patch on it so I swapped it with the other one - hey presto they now both work fine!
Re: Earthing problem?
Nevertheless the earth connections on the tail light units are usually bad. The black earth wires are not crimped to the outer part of the bulb sockets but to a contact placed on the plastic and merely touching the steel of the sockets. After all those years of heating and cooling the plastic the plastic has deformed such that the earth contacts are barely touching the bulb sockets.
I make a new earth system. The system does not use only one mounting stud but both the top and bottom mounting studs. Loop a black wire with an eye at each end from one stud to the other. Solder three black wires to that main earth wire and solder the other ends of these wires to the bulb sockets. Bring the wires to the front of the units first. There are small holes.
When mounting the unit on the car use serrated washers with the sharpest possible teeth. Don't use them twice. The sharp teeth are needed to cut through any paint and to form so called cold welds. If the teeth are sharp, the pressure when torquing the nuts becomes very high. High enough to melt the steel. The washer welds itself to the steel of the body as well as the nut. That is called a cold weld. Don't use any other washers between body of car and nut.
I make a new earth system. The system does not use only one mounting stud but both the top and bottom mounting studs. Loop a black wire with an eye at each end from one stud to the other. Solder three black wires to that main earth wire and solder the other ends of these wires to the bulb sockets. Bring the wires to the front of the units first. There are small holes.
When mounting the unit on the car use serrated washers with the sharpest possible teeth. Don't use them twice. The sharp teeth are needed to cut through any paint and to form so called cold welds. If the teeth are sharp, the pressure when torquing the nuts becomes very high. High enough to melt the steel. The washer welds itself to the steel of the body as well as the nut. That is called a cold weld. Don't use any other washers between body of car and nut.
