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Newbie Question about lights

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Old Feb 24, 2007 | 12:09 AM
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Default Newbie Question about lights

I just brought my new girl home today! A Polo Green 94 LT1 coupe with auto, FX3 Sport Seats and bunches over other neat options. This my 1st vette ever and I feel like the little kid in the candy shop with orders to eat any and all the candy I want! I have been going over all the mechanical and electrical and just sitting in the drivers seat playing with the lights and audio controls to be come familiar with their operation. That is when I saw the 2 under hood lights built into the hood. I pull out the owner's manual and turn and pull on every light control device I can find and .....nothing! I can not find the control to turn these lights on?!?!?!?! Does it exist or not? My question is this: Where and/or how do I turn the lights on? Please help me before I go crazy trying to solve the mystry of the engine compartment lights. I humbly say thanks in the anticipation of the response that will release my anguish. Thanks folks!
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Old Feb 24, 2007 | 12:18 AM
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Congrats on your new vette. When you open the hood, the lights will go on. Its a mercury switch. If they dont go on, follow the wires to the plug in. Mine were disconected. I have also heard that sometimes an owner will put another switch in the line. If everything is connected. Then its either burnt out lites or fuse. Good luck. Show us some photos.
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Old Feb 24, 2007 | 12:25 AM
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Congrats on your Vette! I have a '93. There should be a little fuse holder plug down in the front drivers side in the corner by the frame rail way up front. Lots of guys take out the fuse foe shows or detailing the motor so the lights don't run down the battery.
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Old Feb 24, 2007 | 12:27 AM
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Thanks, I have been waiting a loooooong time (20+ yrs) to by my first vette. I started out as fan of the C1 (54 model) because of "Route 66! But when the C4 hit the road---I said this is the one and I finally got her. I traced the wires from the lights to the plug along side the side marker light housing and they are pluged together. I guess my next attempt will incude the use of the multimeter to see if there is any voltage at the light sockets. The bulbs appear to be good but then I have not ohmed them out for verification. Pics will follow soon as I am going out of town on busness for 10 days in the morning. That sucks big time, new vette and it has to sit in the garage for 10 days before I can caress her!!!! Mercury switch? where might that be located? It could be the culprit. Thanks for your response and I'll be thinking of a thousand and one things to do to her before I return next week!!!

Last edited by c4derf; Feb 24, 2007 at 12:30 AM.
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Old Feb 24, 2007 | 12:32 AM
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Okay, that's good, BUT, is the fuse inside the fuse plug? and if so, is the fuse good?



[QUOTE=c4derf;1559100764]I traced the wires from the lights to the plug along side the side marker light housing and they are pluged together. IQUOTE]
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Old Feb 24, 2007 | 01:09 AM
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Welcome to the addiction. Have you got on her yet?
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Old Feb 24, 2007 | 07:10 PM
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96KICKS : I didn't get to check for the fuse yet as it past midnight friday when I was doing most of this comunique (sp). I had to get up early for a flight to Ft Riley saturday. When I get home next weekend I'll start the search for the fuse and the mercury switch.

slicked25: I did pick her up on friday afternoon. Drove her from Columbia, SC to my home in Grovetwon, Ga (80 miles) and my face still hurts from the ear-to-ear grin I have. I got up early this morning to go out to the garage to look her over a bit but I told my wife I was letting the dog out to do his thing. This week might seem like an eternity for me waiting to fly back next saturday. I'll make it!!!

Last edited by c4derf; Feb 24, 2007 at 08:24 PM.
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Old Feb 24, 2007 | 08:58 PM
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Boy, do I know what you're going through. I got my 1990 coupe delivered more than a week ago and have been travelling on biz since the day it arrived. Ain't even had time to mess with it hardly at all. Funny thing - my hood lights did not come on either. All the other courtesy lights worked fine but, on the drivers side, the wires were cut near the bulb housing. On the passenger side, the wires ran to a connector that appears to have been disconnected for a long time. Think some one took a short cut taking the hood off at some point (maybe). Anyway, when I get home I need to address these lights too.
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Old Feb 24, 2007 | 10:00 PM
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Originally Posted by Mr Pink
Boy, do I know what you're going through. I got my 1990 coupe delivered more than a week ago and have been travelling on biz since the day it arrived. Ain't even had time to mess with it hardly at all. Funny thing - my hood lights did not come on either. All the other courtesy lights worked fine but, on the drivers side, the wires were cut near the bulb housing. On the passenger side, the wires ran to a connector that appears to have been disconnected for a long time. Think some one took a short cut taking the hood off at some point (maybe). Anyway, when I get home I need to address these lights too.
Did you have a chance to take for a spin around the block before you left town? If you didn't then that would really be rough.
almost like the saying: .......add salt to the wound". I hope you get home soon.
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Old Feb 24, 2007 | 10:31 PM
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Congrats on the new vette .
Trust me when I say You'll LOVE it!!
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Old Feb 24, 2007 | 10:57 PM
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I would not worry about the under hood lights. I consider them worthless. Most people disconnect them because all they are good for is to run down your battery. I had a '96 and as soon as I started going to car shows someone showed me how to disconnect them and I don't think I ever reconnected them. Two and a half years ago I bought an '02 and the first mod I made on it was to disconnect those lights. If I ever need light I would use a flashlight or worklight in my garage. Since most people with Corvettes use them as "Toys" rather than DD's and they have so many parasitic drains on the battery I would suggest you use a battery minder or you will have a dead battery if you don't drive it at least every two or three weeks.

I drove mine to a car show today and the first thing I did when I got home was pop the hood and hook up my charger as I don't know when I'll drive it again. It might be tomorrow and it might be a few weeks depending on weather etc.

Congrats on your "new" Vette!
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