I give up...

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PanGasket

PanGasket

has cork sides
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I can't get my right hand side taillight to work. it gets power, it gets ground, it gets everything it'd need to light up yet it doesn't! I even replaced the whole harness to the taillight and reverse light on that side along with a new taillight housing. This is on my '74 D100. I have tried everything I could think of. Anyone got any ideas?
 
I assume you've tried a different bulb?

Has the pigtail / socket been replaced?

Don't remember on the pickups----are they an all plastic lamp, or in any case do they have a separate ground wire?

It has to be one of three things.........

Bulb, ground or power

Maybe the way you are checking is throwing you off.

Let's say there's a break in a harness plug, l just enough to light the test lamp. Maybe when you install the bulb, there's not enough "connection" (high resistance) to carry any current.

How are you checking for ground? With bulb in, power on, stick your meter or test lamp onto the socket metal, and to a good body ground. You should read no voltage/ the lamp should not light.
 
Yep, no avail there.

the whole tailight assembly has been replaced.

It's a tin housing with a plastic lense.

And I checked for ground just like you said, I clamped my testlight onto the socket, blub in power on, and touched it to a good known ground and not a damn thing happened. I also used an old school bulb style test lamp. There's power coming thru the diodes the lightbulb would touch.

I also forgot to mention, the bulb will light when the brake light is on and when the turn signal is on, but nada for the taillight
 
So it gets power when the lights are on but it won't light the bulb?Sounds like maybe you should go back to where the harness was spliced/connected to check there to make sure its got a good connection without any bleed through from the other wires.Also try checking the power at the plug with a test light on the hot and the ground of the housing.
 
try running a seperate ground wire from the tailight housing to a new ground bolt
 
PanGasket said:
I can't get my right hand side taillight to work. it gets power, it gets ground, it gets everything it'd need to light up yet it doesn't! I even replaced the whole harness to the taillight and reverse light on that side along with a new taillight housing. This is on my '74 D100. I have tried everything I could think of. Anyone got any ideas?
Click to expand...


Did the harness replacement include the socket the bulb fits in to? I had similar issue with my 66 cuda, the spring loaded contacts in the socket were worn, and were not contacting the bulb properly.
 
Pan Gasket. BWHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA!!!

Man if you have some time in the near future, drive it down and I'll help you sort it out right quick.

That's Mr. Pan Gasket to you. LMAO
 
You don't have any of these #*&%$@@ things in the harness do ya?

FD-1290blauw.jpg
 
mopar410 said:
So it gets power when the lights are on but it won't light the bulb?Sounds like maybe you should go back to where the harness was spliced/connected to check there to make sure its got a good connection without any bleed through from the other wires.Also try checking the power at the plug with a test light on the hot and the ground of the housing.
Click to expand...

I've traced the power all the way down. Its definitely getting there without any issues.

jdsduster said:
try running a seperate ground wire from the tailight housing to a new ground bolt
Click to expand...
I think I will try this. This is something I have yet to try.

jimmyray said:
Did the harness replacement include the socket the bulb fits in to? I had similar issue with my 66 cuda, the spring loaded contacts in the socket were worn, and were not contacting the bulb properly.
Click to expand...
Yep, its the tail light complete from the lens all the way to the pigtails that connect it into the harness for reverse lamp and all that good stuff. I checked that out on my old taillight and after checking everything minus a ground to the housing, I figured it had to be the socket. So I replaced the whole assembly ($25 with new lens and all). But I do know what you are talking about. I fixed that issue on my Dart when I had it.


RustyRatRod said:
Pan Gasket. BWHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA!!!

Man if you have some time in the near future, drive it down and I'll help you sort it out right quick.

That's Mr. Pan Gasket to you. LMAO
Click to expand...

Mr.PanGasket, That's my name! Seeping oil, that's my game!:thumblef:

And I am planning on it soon. My schedule is changing so I get Thursdays and Fridays off.:D

67Dart273 said:
You don't have any of these #*&%$@@ things in the harness do ya?

FD-1290blauw.jpg
Click to expand...
Nope Del. I mostly use wire shrink and butt splices. Even though I realize its not 100% proper, I don't have a sautering iron and its better than a shadetree would do.
 
jdsduster said:
try running a seperate ground wire from the tailight housing to a new ground bolt
Click to expand...

YUP! I have a 66 Chevy C-20 with a factory flatbed. It uses the same tail light assemblies as the stepside. Every thing is metal to metal with huge contact surfaces. I couldn't get the passenger side to work. I drilled a small hole in the back of the housing, shot a sheetmetal screw into it through a crimp on eye to a 14ga copper wire, did the same thing to the frame on the other end. Has worked ever since. 6 months later drivers side was pulling the same crap. Did it all over again on that side. Not a problem since. Now this is my rusty daily driver/work truck. It would be an ugly fix on a resto.
 
May sound simple but make sure the bulb is working correctly.Some times the little spring wire will break but you can't see its broken.
As stated(1)working bulb (2)power (3) ground.
If everything else is working then your ground has a bad contect.If it was me I would go back and check to make sure you wired everything in the right spot,then ground,ground and ground again.
 
Well, I am getting ready to install a subwoofer in my Ranger and I fully intend to use scotchlox. In my defense, they will be inside the truck out of the elements. You can cringe now Del. lol
 
RustyRatRod said:
Well, I am getting ready to install a subwoofer in my Ranger and I fully intend to use scotchlox. In my defense, they will be inside the truck out of the elements. You can cringe now Del. lol
Click to expand...

That's a Ranger, nobody cares if it burns down.
 
I said that because I hoped that maybe someone would suggest something better, not because someone wished me to burn up in my truck assface.
 
RustyRatRod said:
I said that because I hoped that maybe someone would suggest something better, not because someone wished me to burn up in my truck assface.
Click to expand...
Rob, at the auto parts stores, you can find the heat shrinking butt connectors and twist the two wires together on one side and run one out the other end and then run some heat shrink over it. it should stay put and be well insulated.

Let's see what Del says though.

This is essentially what I do. Except without spending $$$$$ on pre heatshrink covered butt connectors
west-cherokee003.jpg
 
Thanks Mike. I wouldn't have ever wished somebody's truck to burn up. I just don't get some people.
 
I'm glad I can be a source of amusement for you.
 
67Dart273 said:
Let's say there's a break in a harness plug, l just enough to light the test lamp. Maybe when you install the bulb, there's not enough "connection" (high resistance) to carry any current.
Click to expand...

Exactly! One good way I've found to "load" a circuit is to hook up a headlight to some jumper wires, and then use a couple "probe" ends to touch the one (taillight) contact in the socket, and then the other to the ground on the side of the socket. When you find that it doesn't light up, hook up a voltmeter to the "+" jumper and and good frame ground and see what it reads.

If you see 12v, you've got a bad ground, If you see 0 volts, you've got a break in the 12v wire between the dash and rear bumper.
 
Are you aware the brake light circuit goes through the turn signal switch
I have seen cases were the brake light not working on one side is caused by the turn signal switch.

Brian
 
That's a good thought Brian. Mike, you can try wiggling the turn signal switch and see if that side light comes on.
 
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