Team Camaro Tech banner

crazy lights.

2K views 8 replies 4 participants last post by  CB 
#1 ·
Hi… just got the fresh 327 in my 68 rs.. But am having a few electrical problems. At first when I connected the power my front running lights and side markers were on all the time. Even with the key off. When I did some moving of wires in the tail lights( the two inside back lights were on as well ) ..the front ones went off. Now I am working on the back lights and 3 out of the four are hot all the time. You stick a bulb in and it lights up right away… again the switch is off and the key as well is off. So when I do turn on the lights the front side marker lights and the headlights come on…. Now this is on the first pull of the switch mind you. The second pull has the same results, front side markers and headlight on…. The back (one) light turns on and off with the switch… the other three are just on all the time. Now I made sure the ground was good up front off the light harness to the frame/ battery ground. The only thing I can think of is the switch is new and I could have the wires all messed up. But just wanted someone ells opinion before I try and get at the switch again… what do you think? ...oh no brake lights as well...
 
#2 ·
Is the brake switch in the car, hooked up and adjusted properly? here is where I am going with the question. If the brake switch is hooked up and not adjusted it could be sending current to the brake lights. now if you had a bad ground at the brake lights it could be bleeding back through and illuminating the marker lights. I just did the lights in my car and chased around electrical gremilns for a while. There are several grounds around the car that have to be hooked up right (and one at the guage cluster!).
 
#3 ·
The brake switch is near the pedal, and no, it had moved ...to were I had to adjusted it .. so the pedal was not touching. But I fixed that part of it. I will have to check the guage cluster ground. I just wish there was a easy way to get at the light switch. If its not the switch then the grounding problem seems to be the logical conclution…but I don’t know sh-t so….. Who know's.
 
#4 ·
Ken,
If I understand you correctly, you have the "Brake Light Switch" adjusted so that it is NOT in contact with the Brake Pedal Arm when the brakes are NOT applied. If this is correct then you need too adjust the switch so that the plunger is depressed by the brake pedal arm with no pressure on the pedal. The switch applies power to the lights when the plunger is extended.
 
#5 ·
Ya, I got that part. The brake switch is touching the pedal when it is just sitting there.. … and when you hit the brake it IS NOT touching the pedal. The brake lights are a big deal and I need to figure it out... but I am more concerned with why my tail lights are hot all the time.. I just put in a new flasher fuse and when I turn on the signal the light goes out…? I am totally confused now. The light harness only goes into the switch one way… right?...and also is it possible the brake switch could get put on reversed?...
 
#6 ·
I think everybody keeps refering back to the brake switch as it is the most obvious answer. The brake switch itself is a very simple switch. If you pull it out of the holder and leave the wires hooked up, you should be able to take a test light and probe the wires coming out of the switch. With the plunger on the switch extended you should have power to both sides (all wires) but if you push the plunger in you should have power to one side and not the other. If you STILL have power to both sides there must be something wrong with the switch. If you unplug the switch all together do the lights go out? If not we are looking in the wrong direction!
 
#9 ·
Originally posted by kausboy:
Is the brake switch in the car, hooked up and adjusted properly? here is where I am going with the question. If the brake switch is hooked up and not adjusted it could be sending current to the brake lights. now if you had a bad ground at the brake lights it could be bleeding back through and illuminating the marker lights. I just did the lights in my car and chased around electrical gremilns for a while. There are several grounds around the car that have to be hooked up right (and one at the guage cluster!).
where is the ground for the gauge cluster located? I think that might be causing problems for my turn signal indicators in the dash, thanks.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top