now, i'm not sure where the other end of that ground is 'grounded'...
[C1] bad grounds?
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 7,356
Likes: 869
From: Norcal CA
2018 C1 of Year Finalist
bad grounds?
So late Monday night I lost my instrument lights plus my rear tail lights. At first, I thought it was a blown fuse. Last night, I looked at the fuses and all of the fuses were fine. Now, I am thinking its got to be a bad ground. I know about the ground for the console. But which other grounds could cause the problem? How does the rear tail lights get their ground? From the main wiring loom?
Last edited by jimh_1962; May 16, 2018 at 02:02 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 17,901
Likes: 751
From: Inverness FL
St. Jude Donor '07
So late Monday night I lost my instrument lights plus my rear tail lights. At first, I thought it was a blown fuse. Last night, I looked at the fuses and all of the fuses were fine. Now, I am thinking its got to be a bad ground. I know about the ground for the console. But which other grounds could cause the problem? How does the rear tail lights get their ground? From the main wiring loom?
Bill
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 7,356
Likes: 869
From: Norcal CA
2018 C1 of Year Finalist
Well thats what I have to check. I think its the ground in the main wiring loom since the courtesy light was not working too. It did work before I took my drive.
Last edited by jimh_1962; May 16, 2018 at 02:15 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 22,157
Likes: 4,168
From: Kannapolis NC
I don't think you have a ground problem. The instr lamp fuse passes through the tail lamp fuse first so if the tail lamp fuse blows, you lose both. You can't just look at the fuse, you have to measure. It could be broken inside the end cap and you couldn't see it. It also could be corroded clips that hold the tail lamp fuse in. Your first step should be to measure that fuse and post back what voltage you have on both sides of the fuse ON THE CLIPS that hold it in. If you had a ground problem, your brake lights and turn signals would be out also, it's the same ground.
I'm assuming you have a 62, but I've been wrong assuming such a thing before. You should put the year in your question. In this case, the fuse wiring is the same, but the tail lamp fuse is the top fuse. Let me know what voltage you read on both sides and I may be able to tell you which way to look for trouble.
PS: Measure that voltage with the park or headlights on.
You could also just put another fuse in and see if they work, unless the clips are very corroded. Course, if it blows immediately you won't know and you're back to measuring.
I'm assuming you have a 62, but I've been wrong assuming such a thing before. You should put the year in your question. In this case, the fuse wiring is the same, but the tail lamp fuse is the top fuse. Let me know what voltage you read on both sides and I may be able to tell you which way to look for trouble.
PS: Measure that voltage with the park or headlights on.
You could also just put another fuse in and see if they work, unless the clips are very corroded. Course, if it blows immediately you won't know and you're back to measuring.
Last edited by 65GGvert; May 16, 2018 at 04:56 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 22,157
Likes: 4,168
From: Kannapolis NC
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 7,356
Likes: 869
From: Norcal CA
2018 C1 of Year Finalist
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 22,157
Likes: 4,168
From: Kannapolis NC
Ok, that's different. It could be a ground. I'm not sure about the 62, but C2's have all the grounds for the rear lights and gas tank run back up and connected at the cluster. I would connect a ground from any one of the back light grounds to the frame and see if the lights work. They all connect together.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 12,468
Likes: 1,548
From: Camp Verde AZ
C1 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
2017 C1 of Year Finalist
working from memory, i think the main harness ground is on one of the driver side valve cover screws/bolts.
I moved it to an unused threaded bolt hole on my manifold, in addition to adding a big 10 ga ground wire from the tank sender to the frame.
Doug
I moved it to an unused threaded bolt hole on my manifold, in addition to adding a big 10 ga ground wire from the tank sender to the frame.
Doug