1969 Brake light issue / Help
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 4,366
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From: Huntsville Alabama
1969 Brake light issue / Help
1969 Coupe. All lights worked.
I had a Starter issue with bad hot lead, replaced hot wire from battery to starter, and battery to ground. I introduced a bad ground with my ground / Frame connection. When you tried to start the car would blow the Brake light/ Turn light fuse.
Fixed Bad main ground issue. Car starts fine, all lights work, except brake lights. IF you replace fuse, turns work as well, but tap the brakes and POP... no turns or brake again.
I assume I caused a false ground somewhere but where do I look to fix issue?
I have checked all 4 bulbs and they are good, and running/ tail lights work. Turns work when fuse is good/ before tapping brakes, But hazards do not.
I had a Starter issue with bad hot lead, replaced hot wire from battery to starter, and battery to ground. I introduced a bad ground with my ground / Frame connection. When you tried to start the car would blow the Brake light/ Turn light fuse.
Fixed Bad main ground issue. Car starts fine, all lights work, except brake lights. IF you replace fuse, turns work as well, but tap the brakes and POP... no turns or brake again.
I assume I caused a false ground somewhere but where do I look to fix issue?
I have checked all 4 bulbs and they are good, and running/ tail lights work. Turns work when fuse is good/ before tapping brakes, But hazards do not.
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Blows fuse when you touch the brakes. Brake light wire is shorting to ground somewhere. Not a bad ground. But a short. Try unhooking rear harness near left kick panel. Does it still blow fuse. If yes problem is up front. Shorted brake light switch? Short inside column? If no, short is in rear of car. Somewhere a wire was worn through or been cut.
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Sounds odd, but it could be the TURN signal switch in the steering column shorting out !!!
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 4,366
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From: Huntsville Alabama
So after even more digging. Took a shot at the Brake light switch as they are prone to failure and maybe it took a crap before the fuse when I had the bad ground.
New Brake switch fixed it last night. So thats fixed. I now have working headlights, tails, turns, brakes, and all 4 corner lights, Not reverse as that's not on the trans. no worries.
Then started playing with Vaccume lines and got the Headlights to stay down, and come up (1 comes up all the way on own, the other about 3/4 way you have to help it then it stays) but both go down on command too.
Drove it to work today
New Brake switch fixed it last night. So thats fixed. I now have working headlights, tails, turns, brakes, and all 4 corner lights, Not reverse as that's not on the trans. no worries.
Then started playing with Vaccume lines and got the Headlights to stay down, and come up (1 comes up all the way on own, the other about 3/4 way you have to help it then it stays) but both go down on command too.
Drove it to work today
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From: New Or-leens Loo-z-anna
try putting a few drops of oil on every hinge and pivot point on the headlight frame assembly.
If that doesn't improve the action of the up-down motion of the sticking headlight assy, the small vacuum relay that pivots the headlight assy up-down may be acting up as the o-rings inside the vac. valve may be dry causing the valve not to work correctly (my '68 has two valves/one for each headlight).
Let us know what happens.
If that doesn't improve the action of the up-down motion of the sticking headlight assy, the small vacuum relay that pivots the headlight assy up-down may be acting up as the o-rings inside the vac. valve may be dry causing the valve not to work correctly (my '68 has two valves/one for each headlight).
Let us know what happens.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 4,366
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From: Huntsville Alabama
Roger that will do. does a spray of lube or something inside the vacuum system help the o rings seal and stuff? Or keep them dry.
This car is a 69 but has single controller for both Headlights.
This car is a 69 but has single controller for both Headlights.
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From: New Or-leens Loo-z-anna
Hey Lou...Salute! When the previous owner grafted the '76 nose onto the '68 fenders all the '76 hardware/vacuum stuff must have been included. I like the idea of two valves..one goes bad--still got one working.
You narrowed the problem down to the headlight actuator or the linkage/pivot points sticking.
The actuators can be rebuit by you. The pivot points can be rebuilt with a bushing kit.
The actuators can be rebuit by you. The pivot points can be rebuilt with a bushing kit.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2005
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From: Huntsville Alabama
You know the crazy part is, the one thats slow/ Lazy. is the newer looking one ha. the older one is the one that works on command.
I will say both are slow at idle to come up, But go down fast. Driving the one comes up pretty normal speed. The Wiper door just comes up no mater what I need to find another line to connect to the single in there. more playing will figure it out.
I will say both are slow at idle to come up, But go down fast. Driving the one comes up pretty normal speed. The Wiper door just comes up no mater what I need to find another line to connect to the single in there. more playing will figure it out.