[leeklm]

I was impressed when all of the electrical was working in the 68 firebird after sitting for 30 years, but I spoke too soon... I am running out of troubleshooting ideas and hope someone can point me in the right direction.

All Front and rear parking lights work.

Left brake and turn signal works front and rear.

Right turn and brake do not work in rear, but does blink in front. I checked for power at the under dash connector to rear harness, and no power for left brake/blinker on either side of connector.

Around this same time, my instrument lights stopped working, but dimmer works for other interior lights.

Also, I do not have power on either side of short LPS fuse . My next step was to pull the fuse block to see what was going on. I assume that ckt is fed pwr from another source, as all other fuses have 12v.

I noticed some inconsistencies with headlamp switch when turning on interior lights, such as a blinker indicator light coming on, so have a new switch on orde.

Where does the right side brake/blinker get its power?

Thank you!


I

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

[leeklm]

I guess it helped for me to talk it through.. I found a bad connection on the flat harness to the steering column, which was causing the right side brake/blinker issue. For the instrument lights, the cluster was not getting a good ground. Ran a separate ground wire to the cluster, and all good.

[johnta1]

Great to hear.

["QUICK-SILVER"]

Originally Posted by leeklm

Around this same time, my instrument lights stopped working, but dimmer works for other interior lights.

Also, I do not have power on either side of short LPS fuse . My next step was to pull the fuse block to see what was going on. I assume that ckt is fed pwr from another source, as all other fuses have 12v.

I noticed some inconsistencies with headlamp switch when turning on interior lights, such as a blinker indicator light coming on, so have a new switch on orde.

Dash light fuse gets power from parking lights when they're turned ON. So dash lights are actually fused twice. First through tail light fuse and then through instrument lamp fuse.

Dash light ground is in the headlight switch after passing through the rheostat.

Headlight knob turned all the way, turns on dome light by grounding that circuit in the headlight switch.

Dash and dome use the same ground in the headlight switch. So headlight switch has to be grounded good to the dash for dome and dash lights to work properly.

Headlight switch not grounded makes crazy stuff happen. Like dome light that bright and dims with the rheostat. Or feedback from dome light hunting ground turns on bulbs all over the place. Most can or can't be bright enough to see.

Needless to say, instrument cluster, headlight switch, dash itself...All need to have good grounds.

Under hood grounds can open up a whole nother can of worms
Clay

[65 Cat 2+2]

Don't mean to hijack your post, but I'm having very similar issues, and you solved yours, so here goes...
'65 Catalina. No taillights or brake lights. Left turn signal works, right doesn't. Instrument lights don't work, dome light does.
I replaced the headlight switch with with a new one - no changes.
I'm not good with electrical stuff, so any help would be appreciated.

[johnta1]

Left turn signal on rear works?

Front lights work when headlight switch on marker lights?

[65 Cat 2+2]

Left turn signal flashes. Headlights work fine. Parking lights - not sure, because car is in a tight garage and I need to pull it out to check.
BTW - love your website - use it frequently for engine code reference.

[Jonsie]

Hello Jack- Had similar electric problems on our '65 Cat. In my case, headlight sw. was the culprit. Easy test for your 'new' sw (and the 'old' one). Remove sw. from car, touch one lead of cont. tester to 'red' lug on back of sw., other lead to 'br/wh' lug. If it does not light up, then the sw. is an A-body sw. and incorrect for the big cars. Different electrical circuits between A and B cars. Ames indicates B sw. as discontinued. OPGI shows their sw. compatible with both A and B, which it is NOT. Good luck finding the problem, electrical systems are like learning Latin to me............

[65 Cat 2+2]

Jonsie -
That could be the case here. The new switch was sourced from NAPA, and the part number is different from that for the original switch. I'll try your test.
If that is the problem, where did you source a correct replacement?

[Jonsie]

Jack- got the correct one from an acquaintence of yours, one Jack Russell in Seneca, PA. He said it came out of a '64 Ventura. Apparently they are fairly rare now, no one is repopping them (that I know of) so if you can get an extra one to have 'just in case', you'll be ahead of the game. (I should take my own advice and look for an extra myself!) Regarding OPGI, I did tell them the sw. was not interchangeable between the A and B's. Don't know if OPGI updated their website noting as such. But I had no problem w/the return. BTW- Any big car sw, from '63 through '66, will be correct for you, good luck!

[65 Cat 2+2]

I think you are referring to Hank Webster. He dismantles B-bodies regularly, and is a good parts source.
I've got 2 switches on the way from Hank.
Thanks for the suggestion.

[Jonsie]

My error, yes Hank Webster was the source, glad to see he helped you out, hope to see you in G'burg in July

[Jonsie]

Almost forgot....any results from the switch 'test' w/the continuity tester?

[65 Cat 2+2]

My '65 is parked 1/2-hour away, so I'm waiting for the replacement switch before I run up there to test it.
Side note - I'll be hosting the second annual meeting of the 2+2 Chapter at the POCI Gettysburg Convention, on Thursday, July 18 @ 8:30am. I hope to see you - and any other 2+2'ers - there.

[Jonsie]

We'll see you there

[Jonsie]

Hello Jack- how did the replacement switch work out for you?