Start with what you know.
Get a 12vt test light from an auto parts store and check bulb sockets for voltage. You have power? Check grounds.
You dont have power? Find out the last place you do and consult a wiring diagram.
Replace both flashers before you start.
Pull stop light fuse and see if you have power to the fuse. It all starts at the fuse panel. Your blinkers and such make their way through the harness in the steering column to further complicate things. It could be many things holding you back, and electrical gremlins are hard to chase down. Take it one step at a time and start with the simple things 1st. Power-bulbs-grounds-fuses. Those will catch 90% of most problems.

 

With you thinking it looks like a put together car, then I would evaluate the wiring and get an idea as to whether work with what you have or replace the harness and start fresh. You might also have to replace other things like flexible circuit boards behind the instrument panel, replace a light socket or two, replace a switch or two, and so on.

Look under the dash, under the hood, inside the trunk and look at the wiring.

Does it still have the wiring wrapped ?. Do the wires lack aftermarket splices like butt connectors, are there loose wires running from one point to another, and so on.

If you are unfamiliar with stock wiring, go to some car shows and look at some original or restored cars like yours or at least from that era and strike up a conversation with the owner that "hopefully" built it and tell them where you are at not knowing about your electrical system and see if they can show you what it should look like using their car as an example.

I would invest in some tools to work on the electrical system such as a decent volt/ohmmeter, possibly a test light, a good and accurate wiring diagram, and then also maybe some test leads that have alligator clip ends on lengths of wires so that you can clip onto things and not have to hold connections in place while trying to then also turn on he headlights, or activate the turn signals and such.

If you have never used a meter, test light, or read a wiring diagram there are plenty here on the site that can help out as well as a ton of info out there on the web.

Jim

 

If it looks a hack job of wiring, I would order a new one and not waste time.

 

8am

 

I appreciate the fast reply. I have meter. Test lights etc. I'm very familiar with AC currents.. havent done extensive DC currents but I can figure that out. The wiring isn't in real bad shape. Most of the hack jobs is where someone wired in the console guage harness and around the HEI. The car has RS tail lights, backups, new RS doors/ grille but not vacuum system.. I replaced light switch. Dimmer switch, hooked up some grounds and I have headlights, front left running/signal. Left rear brake, signal, hazards but the rear markers light up when brakes or hazards. I ordered the large laminated color wiring schematic its suppose to be hear today. I will replace the both flashers. Should I just use stock rated flashers? Looks like there's a couple different ones. Thanks. I'm sure I will be asking a lot of questions

 

Stock flashers should be fine.
Your markers are on the stoplight circuit.
They should be on the tail lamp circuit.
Wiring diagram is your answer here. Sounds like it was hacked in the trunk area. Another thing, is your column hooked to the harness with a factory plug or are all those wires individually spliced?
You should have running lights all around, from your light switch, when the switch is pulled out. Not powered by the brake light circuit at all.

 

The column plug connector looks factory. I have no running lights when switch is on. I have speedometer cluster out of it. This doesn't effect the tail lights / signal/ running does it? Does the running lights get its power from light switch or does it come from somewhere else?

 

Hi,

I agree with some of the previous posts - get the following as a minimum:

Test Light:
Quick way to check power and grounds etc.

Multimeter:
Measures DC Volts, Reistance (Ohms), Current (most limited to 10 or 15 Amps DC). Must have for electrical diagnosis.

GOOD wiring diagram:
The AIM has a wiring diagram but I find it leaves a lot to be desired. Several of the vendors sell wiring diagrams but these are basically the same wiring diagram as in the AIM with a few other diagrams thrown in.

TC member 69-er sells a color wiring diagram on Ebay for 1969 Camaro. The wiring is almost identical to 1968 and is done extremely well (one significant difference is the ignition switch connector - switch was dash mount in 68, steering column mount in 69). I also have a 1968 RS and rely on this as my "Go To" wiring diagram. He breaks down the diagrams into functional sections (e.g. Charging, Starting, Power Distribution etc.). He also includes chapters on troubleshooting which may be helpful to you. I believe it comes as a pdf file. Here is the link (I think he has 1 left):

1969 69 Camaro Electrical Troubleshooting Manual with FULL COLOR WIRING DIAGRAMS | eBay

I agree that you should acess the wiring you have. Is it stock? Upgraded for aftermarket electronics etc. What is the condition? Are there a lot of hacked crimp connectors in the wiring? Wire Nuts (arrgh - really bad sign). If it is intact I would diagnose the problem(s) before ripping it out. If it looks like a total hack job then you might consider something more drastic.

But start with the basics. Note what works and does not. Go back to the wiring diagram and see if the things that do not work have a common electrical path (turn signal switch, fuse, GROUND) and check those points first. Check whether power is present along the wiring. I usually start with the easy to access points in the wiring like the light socket, fuse and work my way from there breaking down the path.

DO NOT underestimate grounding. Weird electrical problems can many times be traced to bad grounds. If a ground is bad, current can sometimes find its way around and through paths you may not even think of.

If you want list the things that work and the things that dont. Might help folks here provide input.

Hope this helps -

 

Hi,

I agree with some of the previous posts - get the following as a minimum:

Test Light:
Quick way to check power and grounds etc.

Multimeter:
Measures DC Volts, Reistance (Ohms), Current (most limited to 10 or 15 Amps DC). Must have for electrical diagnosis.

GOOD wiring diagram:
The AIM has a wiring diagram but I find it leaves a lot to be desired. Several of the vendors sell wiring diagrams but these are basically the same wiring diagram as in the AIM with a few other diagrams thrown in.

TC member 69-er sells a color wiring diagram on Ebay for 1969 Camaro. The wiring is almost identical to 1968 and is done extremely well (one significant difference is the ignition switch connector - switch was dash mount in 68, steering column mount in 69). I also have a 1968 RS and rely on this as my "Go To" wiring diagram. He breaks down the diagrams into functional sections (e.g. Charging, Starting, Power Distribution etc.). He also includes chapters on troubleshooting which may be helpful to you. I believe it comes as a pdf file. Here is the link (I think he has 1 left):

1969 69 Camaro Electrical Troubleshooting Manual with FULL COLOR WIRING DIAGRAMS | eBay

I agree that you should acess the wiring you have. Is it stock? Upgraded for aftermarket electronics etc. What is the condition? Are there a lot of hacked crimp connectors in the wiring? Wire Nuts (arrgh - really bad sign). If it is intact I would diagnose the problem(s) before ripping it out. If it looks like a total hack job then you might consider something more drastic.

But start with the basics. Note what works and does not. Go back to the wiring diagram and see if the things that do not work have a common electrical path (turn signal switch, fuse, GROUND) and check those points first. Check whether power is present along the wiring. I usually start with the easy to access points in the wiring like the light socket, fuse and work my way from there breaking down the path.

DO NOT underestimate grounding. Weird electrical problems can many times be traced to bad grounds. If a ground is bad, current can sometimes find its way around and through paths you may not even think of.

If you want list the things that work and the things that dont. Might help folks here provide input.

Hope this helps -

Good info, but of you have a digital multimeter, you don't need a test light. Voltage numbers are important, a light tells you enough that is can glow. JMHO.

 

I just saw that you posted more info before I replied. Sorry.

 

First thing is to check your grounds imo. Especially the grounds for the tail lights. Very easy to check.

 

Speedometer cluster lights come from Headlight Switch. Should not affect rear light behavior that you are observing.

Side markers get power from light switch.

Rear Side Markers share common path with other Rear lights back to a harness connector in trunk. This feeds power to the Right Tail Lights, Left Tail Lights, License Plate Light (through separate connector) as well as the Right and Left Marker Lights. I believe the Left Marker light is fed from a separate wire from the trunk harness connector where it joins the power for the other rear lights.

Do the rear marker lights come on when you turn on the left and right turn signal lights (with Ignition on)? If so do they go on for both left and right turn signal?

 

I agree that a multimeter can also check for power and is needed for more precise voltage measurements. But a test light is useful for fast crude checking for power AND grounds. Easy to quickly check both sides of a fuse for power in order to identify a blown fuse as well. Of course a multimeter can be used for the same fuse test but probably not as quickly.

Also, an incandescent test light puts a load on the electrical path that may cause a drop across a corroded connection causing a dimmer light. A typical digital multimeter has a very high input impedance (of about 10 MegOhms) that will still read good voltage even through partially conductive connections. You can of course put a separate load on the circuit and check for a drop using a multimeter.

Both are very useful and nowadays both are cheap enough to have in your toolbox. If I had to pick one over the other though I would choose the multimeter because it can do so much more than just a test light.

 

Speedometer cluster lights come from Headlight Switch. Should not affect rear light behavior that you are observing.

Side markers get power from light switch.

Rear Side Markers share common path with other Rear lights back to a harness connector in trunk. This feeds power to the Right Tail Lights, Left Tail Lights, License Plate Light (through separate connector) as well as the Right and Left Marker Lights. I believe the Left Marker light is fed from a separate wire from the trunk harness connector where it joins the power for the other rear lights.

Do the rear marker lights come on when you turn on the left and right turn signal lights (with Ignition on)? If so do they go on for both left and right turn signal?

 

Sorry just getting back... I will be back at the shop tmorro. I got the laminated schematic in today. Let me replace both flashers.. repair a couple of grounds and I will post what I have going on. I appreciate everything thus far!!

 

Doubles as a nice placemat for dinner!

 

Dont forget that this is a subframe car. Which means it is not a full frame car (bumper to bumper). The grounding path is wonky cause of this. If your familiar with ac then grab some 10 awg wire connect to batt ground,to length to rear of car and perform test with that. This will confirm operation control with the (hot conductors) and a good ground. If all this works out then at least you know its the ground path that is compromised.
On a side note i did this as well while chasing gremlins in my 67 camaro. It proved fruitful and as a result it was most of my wiring had corrosion more than 50% through the diameter of all conductors, which lead to full replacement of all wiring. As a journeyman electrician (20 plus years) this is a well compromised electrical system. Good luck and welcome to the forum.

 

Morning fellas, here's and update. I have the following.. high/low beams, front/rear/left/right signals, hazards front/rear, brakes left/right.

Issues.. right rear running light signals and hazards with right rear but I think I know why. No left front running but I will figure that out. No tail lights! I have a new light switch but when I turn it on the RED/HOT wire terminal isn't sending power to my BROWN wire terminal. Unplugged... no checked with meter no continuity. Must be bad switch. I can put a jumper between RED and BROWN and I have tail lights. That jumper wire got pretty warm quick. Hopefully to small guage wire. I do need a couple rear light sockets. Thoughts?

 

Morning fellas, here's and update. I have the following.. high/low beams, front/rear/left/right signals, hazards front/rear, brakes left/right.

Issues.. right rear running light signals and hazards with right rear but I think I know why. No left front running but I will figure that out. No tail lights! I have a new light switch but when I turn it on the RED/HOT wire terminal isn't sending power to my BROWN wire terminal. Unplugged... no checked with meter no continuity. Must be bad switch. I can put a jumper between RED and BROWN and I have tail lights. That jumper wire got pretty warm quick. Hopefully to small guage wire. I do need a couple rear light sockets. Thoughts?

Update 2... the right rear running light comes on with right signals. I have one socket I replaced on right rear. When I go to touch the wires from new socket to existing brown and green leads the signal light speeds up. The right rear running light is wire just like the left side and the only time the left running lamp lights up is when I jumper the light switch from RED to BROWN.

 

According to your wire diagram, (pictured)
Your r and l running lights are tied to the tail lights. Un-tape the harness and see what gives. The speeding up of the flashers is due to resistance. You have too many light sockets wired to your turn circuit.

 

I'm headed back to the shop. So the tail lights and running light power from light switch when its turned on. Switch isn't making contact from RED to the 2 BROWNS in switch.

 

That may be the case. But.......
Why are your rear running lights blinking with tour turn signals? Some how they are getting power to them from the turn signal circuit. Two completely different circuits.
Try this next.
Pull your rear running light bulbs and turn on your blinkers. Check your operation of those as well as your brake lights.

 

Well since last reply I dont have right rear signals. With switch on I dont have 12v on green at the column. Flasher making funky rhythms and i dont have intermediate voltage on one side at flasher. Looks like signals get their power from purple (?) On column. Left (yellow) has power when turned on. Green doesn't so faulty signal switch in column?

 

It very well could be. Like I said in my 1st post, it all goes through there. Open it up and see. You can make continuity checks from the plug or if you are careful, you can make vt checks there.

Edit
Before you do anything. Unplug and brush the pins on the plug for the column harness. Then spray som contact cleaner in the female plug. Latch it back and see if you have changes.

 

If this is a 68...didn't see it posted....I believe the tail light housings are the ground. The correct bulbs are installed?

 

Doubles as a nice placemat for dinner!

Wouldn't it ?!
I was an industrial electrician for over 20 years and almost am completely color blind. My wife has been key in most all my auto wiring endeavors. She identifies colors and I mark with numbers and/or
masking tape labels. Whatever works.
I'm hoping this fellow's issues come down to a simple inexspensive repair. You never know when you dive in.

 

AMEN... we have a thing or 2 in common. I'm a HVAC small business owner/tech (30) years. I'm border line color blind, eyes suck in dim light. Its challenging to say the least.