C2 battery....part TWO

[firstgear]

ok.....need more help
I went to radio shack and bought a lamp and an aligator clip/wire.....disconnected the battery positive cable and put the lamp in circuit and started pulling fuses......the light bulb went out when I pulled the bottom fuse marked "courtesy - stop lamps"......I was looking at the wiring diagrams and I am not sure where to go next.....thoughts and ideas would be appreciated....

 

[67HEAVEN]

Turn the lights out in the garage. Now, are your courtesy lights on with the doors shut? Are your stop lights on without pressing the brake pedal?

Your brake light switch (at the pedal) may need adjusting, or the light switch may be causing the trouble.

 

[Rollin's65]

Firstgear: Glad to see good O'l radio shack came through and the bulb at the battery worked. You could have had better luck with a different fuse.. When they ran out of fuse block positions, the hooked up eveything else to that fuse position. Like the clock, right and left underdash bulbs on and on. 67heaven gave you the best 2 shots at it. In the dark, also look under the dash for light and make sure the headlight switch at the dash is not turned full left. I'll have a couple of cold ones and look through a electrical diagram i've got. Let us know if you find it.

Regards, Rollin

 

[firstgear]

will try those things tonight when I get home from work....I have an electircal diagram in the AIM as well as the supplemental shop manual....but I will darned if I can't read the dog gone thing.....I will take it to work today and get an electrical engineer to help through it...I am a mechanical engineer and when I am looking at electrical stuff if it isn't obvious....I am not going to see it....but everyones help is appreciated and needed!

 

[JohnZ]

That fuse feeds the courtesy lights, dome light, convertible rear compartment light, glove box light, clock, and brake light switch; everything that works with the key off. I'd check the glove box light first.

 

[ChuckG]

Do the courtesy lights work? The rear compartment light? The glove box light? Brake lights? Clock?

If any of these items aren't working, that's where I'd begin the search for your battery drain.

Glove box light and clock would be my first 2 places to look. Chuck

 

[firstgear]

Do the courtesy lights work? The rear compartment light? The glove box light? Brake lights? Clock?

If any of these items aren't working, that's where I'd begin the search for your battery drain.

Glove box light and clock would be my first 2 places to look. Chuck

I now know why I didn't know that I even had a glove box light....there was no bulb in it....never know what you might find.....so I don't think that is the culprit unless there is a short somewhere in the wires....

The courtesy lights work, but what is weird (perhaps not weird....if the test bulb won't pass enough current) but with the test light in circuit to the battery and positive cable, the test light is lite, but the courtesy lights in the car won't come on. If I hook everything back up, then when the door is opened they light......by courtesy lights I mean the ones that come on when you open the door.....

The brake lights are not on nor are they dim when everything is hooked....had the lights out in the garage couldn't see anything.....

The clock......has never kept accurate time, it works, but it is always either fast or slow...but never the right time....where is the best place to disconnect that?

 

[Subfixer]

To disconnect the clock, you have to reach behind it and pull off the connector. Easiest with the glove box removed, but can be done with one of the radio side panels removed if you arms/hands are small enough.

 

[ChuckG]

In the glove box, the "hot wire" has a bizarre fish hook like connector which fits into the plastic part of the glove box light.

See if it's shorted or touching ground. It's a fairly thick orange/red wire as I recall. Chuck

 

[Rollin's65]

Firstgear: If pulling the power off the clock didn't do it and you see not even a very dim light on your brake lights, we're down to the last easy try. A nasty looking bulb in any non switch socket. Hookup test lamp and start pulling bulbs. I've seen a nasty bulb base short enough to be a problem without it even lighting the bulb. Not very likely, but worth a try.
Just a thought. Follow the positive battery cable down to the starter solinod(sp) and make sure the other wire connected to the same post isn't touching the case. It's probably switched, but maybe the backup light switch on the tranny.

Let us know if you find this. I'm drinking too many beers thinking about it.

Red vettes -- nice!! Rollin

 

[I_R_DA_ONE]

I had a very simular problem with my 67 and found that the clock selinoid had stuck....is the clock still somewhat working??... they electricly wind about every three to four min.. if you listen close you can hear them work and rewind ...It will go clunk when it rewinds..also did you replace the radio or is it the orignal...if it's the newer type it may have a memory circut that holds the memory and it may be something to look at....
Mike R

 

[firstgear]

Firstgear: If pulling the power off the clock didn't do it and you see not even a very dim light on your brake lights, we're down to the last easy try. A nasty looking bulb in any non switch socket. Hookup test lamp and start pulling bulbs. I've seen a nasty bulb base short enough to be a problem without it even lighting the bulb. Not very likely, but worth a try.
Just a thought. Follow the positive battery cable down to the starter solinod(sp) and make sure the other wire connected to the same post isn't touching the case. It's probably switched, but maybe the backup light switch on the tranny.

Let us know if you find this. I'm drinking too many beers thinking about it.

Red vettes -- nice!! Rollin

when I find it......I will have to buy you a beer.......it is a PIA for sure.....really its all Barry's fault.....if he hadn't started fussing with his car, I would be fussing with this one, I would be focused on the '60 that is getting into a pile of pieces....anyone know how I can work on the two of them at the same time? That would be helpful also...at any rate I hope to have more info this weekend on the 64 and its battery issue....stay tuned...other ideas would be helpful...so keep them coming....since the clock "works" but doesn't keep the right time, I am hoping that is the problem.....we will see.......now I just have to figure out how the glove box comes out......

 

[BarryK]

really its all Barry's fault.....

hey now, don't go blaming me for your problems! i have enough of my own without getting blamed for more!
Besides, you are a big boy and can decide on your own to take on these jobs without it being my fault because I'm stupid enough to try to work on my car!


Actually, passing the blame is fair since I blame EVERYONE on here for getting me started on mine too

 

[67HEAVEN]

....anyone know how I can work on the two of them at the same time?

Quit your job.

 

[firstgear]

Quit your job.

yikes.....won't be able to buy parts like I am......I am burning up $100 bills so fast....it is actually going at a rate that is approaching what I am paying my ex-wife....but there are only 23 more months of doing that.........