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front light/rear lights issue

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Old Jul 5, 2020 | 05:10 PM
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Default front light/rear lights issue

Hi guys, ive got a new issue, looking for some help - 78 C3

My front lights wont come on, so thought get a new light switch, which did not help, so what ive discovered, if i remove the rear light fuse the front lights will work, but if i put the fuse bank in, rear lights work, but front lights wont come on, I unplugged the socket from the light switch and hot wired it if you know what i mean, used a piece of wire to see if same thing happens and it does, so its not the light switch, something back in the loom or a relay ??
anyone with any ideas?

cheers
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Old Jul 6, 2020 | 07:50 AM
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Are we talking headlights or parking lights? Sounds like no trouble with rear so focus on front park or headlamps. Get yourself a wiring diagram and a test light or meter and follow the circuit from source to light. If we are talking front parking lights ensure your grounds are good and pigtails are clean.
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Old Jul 6, 2020 | 08:46 AM
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ground missing. so the other lights act as a ground path.
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Old Jul 6, 2020 | 09:10 AM
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second the bad ground
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Old Jul 6, 2020 | 04:07 PM
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so i take it the ground will come into that light switch, so focus on that ground 1st?
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Old Jul 6, 2020 | 05:32 PM
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theres multiple frame grounds throughout the corvette being fiberglass and all. Each light housing has a ground to the frame through the harness as well as the tach, speedometer, radio housing, center console, gauge console, etc.....IF one isnt grounded well the electricty can search for apath to ground through another component making act wonky
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Old Jul 6, 2020 | 06:44 PM
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and the big ground? engine to block? if that is missing the starter can fry stuff trying to crank thru every light in the car.
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Old Jul 6, 2020 | 06:50 PM
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Originally Posted by derekderek
and the big ground? engine to block? if that is missing the starter can fry stuff trying to crank thru every light in the car.
thats all good there, has an extra one
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Old Jul 7, 2020 | 08:48 AM
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there won't be a ground at switches. they are hot in and hot out. the ground is where the electricity is used. the lights, motors, etc... reversible motors like windows may be different. they sometimes use 2 hots. sometimes switch hot and ground at the switch to reverse direction.

Last edited by derekderek; Jul 7, 2020 at 09:15 AM.
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Old Jul 7, 2020 | 09:14 AM
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Originally Posted by derekderek
there won't be a ground at switches. they are hot in and hot out. the ground is where the electricity is used. the lights, motors, etc...
the headlight switch is grounded so when you rotate the **** to the stop it contacts the ground and turns on the courtesy lamps. THe 68 wiper switch is supposed to be attached to the center console that acts as a ground as well even though the plug has a ground wire... Willcox diagrams says 69 and newer wiper switch also must be grounded

Last edited by Rescue Rogers; Jul 7, 2020 at 09:20 AM.
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Old Jul 13, 2020 | 02:22 PM
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Update - problem fixed, spiced into the front sidelight/turn signal earths, earthed everything at these points to the front chassis, all sorted

thanks for everyones help
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