The rear right turn signal and brake light do not work; nor do the two lights in the rear bumper for the license plate system. The tail light does work when the night lights are turned on. The left system works perfectly. The black and white ground attached to the bolt on the tail light assembly appears to control the working running light on the right side. I suspect a potential ground problem but not sure how to assess this possibility. The "purple" power line appears to run directly from the signal switch to the tail lamp. The black line coming off the junction on the left assembly has two lines - one connected to the license lights and the other connected to the non operational right tail lamp. Any guidance how to correct this problem would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

Blackvette 58 just wondering if you can tell me just off hand how is the turnsignal arm working?
Is it loose and sloppy? It may work sometimes and then not with the brake light on the rh tail light?

 

Turn signal lever does work. When right side engaged, the right parking light blinks.

 

I would agree with your assumption. What you are describing does sound like a typical ground problem. I would focus on that first.

 

Run a jump wire from a KNOWN good ground to light that is not working.
Chip

 

The tail light and turn/brake lights use the same ground. If the tail light works properly, it's probably not a ground issue. The rear turn signal (and brake light, same bulb, same filament, same ground) voltage comes from a different contact in the turn signal switch than the front turn. I think you have more than one problem. The brake/turn problem and the rear license plate lights in the bumper are not connected. A bad filament in the side not working or a bad contact from the bulb contact to the socket pin would be the most likely to cause your problem. I assume you changed the bulb?
Leave the ignition OFF, step on the brake. Do both brake lights come on? If no, turn the signal lever to each sides (leaving key off and brake pressed) and watch the brake lights. Post back what you find, whether they flicker or work sometimes, or whatever. The brake light SHOULD go out on the side to which you have the turn signal move

For the license plate lights, you could have a broken wire, or a bad ground, or corroded bulb sockets. They should both come on any time the tail lights are on and the voltage comes on the same wire as the tail lamps. Make sure you don't have a loose connection at the junction where the voltage splits at the rear to go to each side and to the bumper lights. Determine which are the ground wires and which go to the center connectors on the socket and troubleshoot appropriately.

 

The check 65GGert describes above working the turn signal lever is one of the first things folks should do with these problems .. the other is to make sure these connectors under the steering column have color matched wires on both sides and the terminals are pushed in TIGHTLY.

 

Ok I imagine that it will work. But what I was wondering on these old cars that some of the components inside the turn signal have worn out.
65GGvert does give a very good explanation of a good troubleshooting path to take.
I have a link here for you to also take a look at also that may give you some help.

 

That is an outstanding video, however - I have never had to grind down one of those positioning metal wedge pieces because they were too large.

On the contrary I have glued rubber to them and even dipped them in some of the DAP vinyl tool handle treatment from Ace Hardware to give them more size and better grip. So I'm not sure what that was about...

 

Actually, the turn signal is probably not returning to center thus accounting for one of the bake lights to not work.

 

A new bulb and pigtail, socket assembly installed on right side. With ignition off, turn signal centered, and brake pedal depressed, only left side blinks. Moving turn signal up off center, right side remains off and parking light blinks.

 

Thanks will watch it.

 

Purple wiring to right tail light inserted snuggly in socket.

 

Why do your lights blink with the ignition off? If your front parking light blinks when you move the turn signal with the ignition off, you have a wiring problem.

 

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Measure for 12v on the purple wire with brake pressed. What do you get?

 

BRAKE light, not tail. It's important to say exactly what you're seeing to find this. The tail light and brake/turn lights work on different circuits and your tail light is working.

 

Listen to GGVert he absolutely knows what he’s talking about when it’s electrical.

 

One other question. You said that you had a new socket, bulb, and pigtail, was the problem there before you did all that?

 

 

Still don't get the parking lights blinking with key off, but if the violet wire has voltage at the connector on the steering column with the brake pressed, but not at the socket at the rear, you're going to have to trace that wire to see where the break is. It should be the same wire.

The license lights ground can be checked by grounding the sockets to the bumper with a jumper. The wire connection to the socket case could be corroded and no ground being supplied to the socket case.