Lighting issue on my "under restoration BT7"

[podracer169]

Greetings,
Just hooked up a fresh battery to my soon-to-be-finished BT7. I wanted to start testing all of the circuits before I start putting the interior back together. I noticed a weird issue with the front and rear parking lights – the right side (front and back) are MUCH brighter than the left side. The headlights are not effected. How can this be? Possibly a bad ground. Has anyone experienced this before?

Any recommendations are greatly appreciated.

Steve

 

[tahoe healey]

Start with switching the bulbs and see if its the bulbs. Some of the replacements are different. (easy stuff first)

 

[podracer169]

Thats what I was thinking at first (bulb swap), but after switching the bulbs - no change. I'm going to start with the grounds. I wonder if it has anything to to with the flasher relay??? Cant see why one side of the car effects the light different than the other.

One a positive note - I am excited to get this far. Its been 5 years in the restoration (I know - its long time). I was happy to see everything else (electical) working the way its suppose to (starter, wipers, etc). Although I still do not have a trafficator - thats another weekend project.

Thanks for the feedback!

Steve (newbie)

 

[Cutlass]

I just had a similar problem with my (pardon the intrusion, my BJ8 is still undergoing restoration) MGB. The problem I finally found was that, with the new paint, the lights were not grounded effectively. Fix that, and all should be fine. By the way, do you have a volt meter. If the grounding doesn't work, check the voltage at the light.

 

[JamesWilson]

This sounds strange.

Look at a wiring diagram- one for the BJ8 is on-site here in the knowledge base.

The front lights should be grounded together. The rear lights too should be grounded together. I'd then expect this to be a front/rear difference rather than left/right if grounds were at fault.

Looking again at the diagram there's a single switch feeding both left and right through a connector. If the switch were at fault, or the wiring between it and the connector the problem would affect both left and right sides.

This leaves the connector as suspect.

Try that connector for faults or poor contacts. Try cleaning the contacts and ensuring they're fully seated. If that doesn't fix it, then try swaping left for right and see if the problem changes sides. If it does then a new connector should do the job.... I hope. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[podracer169]

Thanks guys - I will take some time this weekend and try both reccomendations above.

Steve

 

[podracer169]

Re: Lighting issue *UPDATE*

Good news - It just so happens that it was a coincidence that I hooked up the front right and the rear right incorrectly. There are three connectors for each lamp (ground, hot and a lead from the flasher relay). I didn’t know that it was possible to mix up the hot post and the flasher relay post - no markings on the new fixtures.

So, now the question is do I want to hook the up to where the bulb is very bright or somewhat dimmer? My thought is that they should be hooked up at the dimmer setting so the flasher cause the brighter blinks.

Steve

 

[Dave Russell]

Re: Lighting issue *UPDATE*

[ QUOTE ]

So, now the question is do I want to hook the up to where the bulb is very bright or somewhat dimmer? My thought is that they should be hooked up at the dimmer setting so the flasher cause the brighter blinks.
Steve

[/ QUOTE ]
Your thought is correct.
D

 

[JamesWilson]

Re: Lighting issue *UPDATE*

Seconded.

Otherwise the turn signal will not be visible given the brighter park light....