73 Duster no brake lights.

Coming home from a classic car cruise last night and the car behind me tells me my brake lights aren't working. When I got home I start checking the obvious, brake light switch, fuses, bulbs, etc. Bulbs and fuses are ok but Emergency flashers are not working and brake light switch has no power on either side. Tail lights and turn signals all work but the left side blinks slower than the right side. I don't have a schematic for this car so I'm not sure what all is tied to the circuit. Possible bad emergency flasher ? If I remember right its a junction point. I have a 74 duster that has same problem, but i never drive it so I haven't even looked at it. Any guidance would be appreciated.

Check for power on both sides of the fuses, first

You can get "somewhat" diagrams at MyMopar:

http://www.mymopar.com/index.php?pid=18

http://www.mymopar.com/downloads/1973/73ValiantA.jpg

http://www.mymopar.com/downloads/1973/73ValiantB.jpg


You need to seriously consider picking up up a 73 factory shop manual. There is no substitute. We have some manuals posted, but nothing that new and there were wiring changes after '72

I had similar issue with my 74..the spring loaded terminals in the tail socket was stuck down(twisted in socket). turn signal worked but brake did not! I had to re-align the plastic plate that holds the two terminals.

I think a bad turn signal switch can do this.

Thanks for those schematic links ! Very helpful. it shows that the brake light switch feeds from the emergency flasher. Have no power at flasher either. Looks like both are suppose to get power before it goes to turn signal switch. ( could the ts switch be an issue?) Since I have power coming from the fuse block I'm thinking its a bad wire between there and the emergency flasher. schematic doesn't show anything else in line. If I just rewire from the fuse to the flasher it wont mess anything else up will it ? I know how dumb I sound here but these cars can be a wiring nightmare. Simple but complex at the same time. I also have dash light issues but I don't want to get into that until I've read through some of those threads. Thank you everyone for your help so far. I'm sure I will need plenty more ! Oh btw Where can I get one of those shop manuals ? Actually I need on for 72, 73 ,and 74

I'm not sure what the exact wire routing is but both the 4x flasher, the signal flasher, and the brake light switch power should come off fuse(s) in the box.

According to my 74 manual WHICH MIGHT NOT BE THE SAME:

Look at the fuse chart, "cavity 7" and note that both 4x and stoplight are powered from that fuse. Power comes off the fuse in the partial diagram, wire X1-16R at the far left of the first diagram AND NOTE that it goes to a SPLICE. This is evidently (but might not be) a splice in the harness, and not at a connector, because the manner in which it's drawn indicates a splice.

From the splice follow D31-18P (pink) off to the right, you can see the corner of the flasher

Go to the next diagram, the wire coming to the left hand pin of the hazard flasher at the far left of the diagram is that wire, power coming INTO the 4x flasher

Now go back to the first diagram, at the fuse, to the splice, and follow the top right hand wire to the right, D3-18P and see that it feeds to the STOP LAMP SWITCH


So check that you have power at both sides of the fuses, and if you do at that point, I'd follow the harness and find that splice

The top two diagrams are the index and the pictorial for the bulkhead connector, which I thought might be helpful

Next is a pictorial of the fuse panel, and then the index of which powers what, and last excerpts from the two diagrams

View attachment BulkConnectL.jpg

View attachment BulkConnectR.jpg

View attachment FuseDiagcs.jpg

View attachment Fuses1cs.jpg

View attachment Fuses2cs.jpg

View attachment flasherL.jpg

View attachment flasherR.jpg

Great Diagrams ! Thank you ! Only difference in the 73 circuit is that it uses the 4x as the splice point to the brake light switch and the dome light uses its own feed. I actually figured out my 73's brake light issue as well as the dash light issue all at the same time. The night before the show I had the instrument panel out changing bulbs and cleaning up the pins and such. As I'm sure you know the wiring harness runs right over the top of it. When I put it back in the top left screw caught the Harness and severed the the feed to the 4x. also caused my panel fuse to keep blowing but didnt blow the fuse for the flasher/brakelight. Pulled the panel to get a better look at the harness and found the cut wire. Fixed that and now everything is as it should be. I'm very greatfull for the 74 diagram as I have a 74 twister that has the same problem, a long with numerous other electrical issues. (no screws in that harness though. Mice). Thank you again for your help.

Thanks 67Dart273. Those schematics helped a lot. I wouldnt have known what to look at without them. I ended up rewiring the 74 from the fuse panel to the brake light swith, flasher, and dome light, thanks to the wonderful family of mice that lived in the car before I bought it. I'm sure I have more rewiring in my future.