1985 Rear Export Lighting wiring help needed!!
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 311
Likes: 74
From: Double Oak TX.
1985 Rear Export Lighting wiring help needed!!
I have a pair of orange NOS export lights to put into my '85 C4. I've used these in a '86 before but that was many years ago. I can't find the wiring notes I had. Most of the installs say to cut the white wire at the brake switch but I can't remember why. My question to anyone that may help is; can't the wires at the outboard lights be cut to eliminate the brake and tail light function but keep the turn function? Can this be done without having to tap into a light source somewhere else on the car? The center high mount light was used for some reason on the later cars.
I have the service manual and I know what each of the wires do at the light itself, but can't put the white wire cutting step at the brake switch into the scheme of the install or if I even need to do it on my '85. Help!!
- 1986 Original Owner -
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 3,193
Likes: 139
From: North Yorkshire, England
Cruise-In I Veteran
Cruise-In II Veteran
Cruise-In III Veteran
Cruise-In IV Veteran
Cruise-In VII Veteran
The tail lights have two filaments, one for marker or running lights and the other for stop and turn. You can't remove the stop function from that filament without also removing the turn function as both run along the same wire from the multifunction switch to their respective lamps (yellow-left and green-right), unless you clip the white wire. Now none of the rear lights have stop function, only turn. You'll need to run a separate stop signal wire from the brake switch to the inside lights. Then clip the yellow (left) wire and green (right) wire on the inside lights and connected your new wire to the lights yellow and green wires you just clipped. Last, clip the brown wire from the outside lights to remove the marker/running function from these so they will only act as turn lamps.
Last edited by Ray Quayle; Jan 9, 2012 at 07:17 AM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 311
Likes: 74
From: Double Oak TX.
rear export lights
That was a very simple way of providing the missing link to the wiring questions I had. It didn't click about the dual use of the one wire and filaments. Thanks for the guidance, even with the sarcasm..........
- 1986 Original Owner -
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 3,193
Likes: 139
From: North Yorkshire, England
Cruise-In I Veteran
Cruise-In II Veteran
Cruise-In III Veteran
Cruise-In IV Veteran
Cruise-In VII Veteran
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 9,272
Likes: 17
Doesn't sound like it! The tail lights have two filaments, one for marker or running lights and the other for stop and turn. You can't remove the stop function from that filament without also removing the turn function as both run along the same wire from the multifunction switch to their respective lamps (yellow-left and green-right), unless you clip the white wire. Now none of the rear lights have stop function, only turn. You'll need to run a separate stop signal wire from the brake switch to the inside lights. Then clip the yellow (left) wire and green (right) wire on the inside lights and connected your new wire to the lights yellow and green wires you just clipped. Last, clip the brown wire from the outside lights to remove the marker/running function from these so they will only act as turn lamps.
The tail lights have two filaments, one for marker or running lights and the other for stop and turn. You can't remove the stop function from that filament without also removing the turn function as both run along the same wire from the multifunction switch to their respective lamps (yellow-left and green-right), unless you clip the white wire. Now none of the rear lights have stop function, only turn. You'll need to run a separate stop signal wire from the brake switch to the inside lights. Then clip the yellow (left) wire and green (right) wire on the inside lights and connected your new wire to the lights yellow and green wires you just clipped. Last, clip the brown wire from the outside lights to remove the marker/running function from these so they will only act as turn lamps.
