tonight I hate my car.

[JPSmit]

We've had a falling out.

First off was working on the clutch pushing out the last of the air when I pumped the piston right out of the slave cylinder. Note to self: disconnect the slave cylinder for bleeding vertically then reattach to pump clutch. anyway, no fluid now - back to square one.

Today I bought a bunch of new light bulbs and decided to spend some quality electrical time. Got the license plate bulbs working and reassembled - hurray! Tailights were working till I realized they were wired wrong - now they don't work.

Took some time on the brake switch - switch works - check. power to green wire - check. does the brake light work - nope. However, if I wire it backwards and ground it it works - of course the front signal lights go on too.

then was noticing that while the high beams work perfectly, they also work when you turn on the right hand signal.

so, back to original configuration, and time to take a break before I burn it

I think it is a grounding issue. any clues for checking ground? All I can think is a patch cable. any ideas? I wonder if the new paint is preventing a good connection. And, while I'm at it - I have not got the fenders on till the hydraulics work. How can I ground the headlight/ signal lights while I'm testing?

 

[Billm]

I have a couple of setups that are just about 18" of 12 gauge wire with alligator clips on each end- they come in handy for lots of things.
I also have the same setups but with a 7 amp circuit breaker (what I had in the tool box) in there, great for doing wiring and checking circuits. Often I pull the fuse and hook the breaker assy in instead to save on fuse replacement until I am done testing.
Bill
In short, use a jumper for the ground!

 

[Morris]

You gotta keep on keeping on JP. I am constantly torn between loving and hating my car, but I keep on going. I figure it's good practice for marriage. :wink:

 

[zimmy]

most of the wiring in the grille of
my car matched color wise with the
color of the wires from the lights....
ill try to help with pics etc, if i
get some time later ......z

 

[Bruce_B]

JP, I'm in the process of putting in a new harness into a car that was painted. Like everything else, it's taking longer than I thought.

I had the rear wire harness hooked up fine on my BE, with the harness outside of the car. I crawled into the back, ran the wires, hooked everything up and ---Doesn't Work!

I know it's a ground issue because the red wire off of the ignition switch started to get warm and smoke. I'm now "cleaning" out the screw holes that are used to attach brake and signals on the back to see if that helps. Otherwise I'll crawl into the back again and set up an external ground and plug it into the harness.
Couldn't hurt.

Good luck...I feel your pain.

 

[tosoutherncars]

Hmm, a problem with the electrical grounds...

...sounds pretty terminal!

:laugh:

(Sorry, couldn't resist.)

 

[Trevor Jessie]

Let's not spark another round of bad electrical puns.

 

[Morris]

Trevor, I am shocked that you are trying to shield yourself from the flow of this conversation. You gotta go with the current man.

 

[jhorton3]

JP-I understand where you are with the car. Spring 2007 I was in the same boat. When I had trouble with Midgie's tail lights the problem was with the fasteners holding the housings to the car. Those fasteners bite into the paint for bare metal contact. Right side would light, left side wouldn't. Torqued down the nut a bit more and it finally made purchase.

I agree with having some test leads to test grounds. Also having a good test lamp helps a lot.

 

[Silverghost]

Oh those horrible puns, oh the humanity!

Wait........Ohhhhhmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Ok, I feel better now! :laugh:

 

[bugimike]

That's right Peter...take the path of least resistance!!! :wink:

 

[jhorton3]

Watt's that? Has someone become the generator of bad puns again?

 

[JPSmit]

Thanks for nothing you punsters, If you don't stay on the current topic, I hope you meet serious resistance from the moderator. At the very least know that while on the subject of loving/hating my car I might be an alternator, as a generator of posts on this board, I am disturbed that the positive flow has move to negative ground and I take a dim view of it all even as my current energy level is draining.

top that :banana:

 

[tosoutherncars]

Someone should charge him with excessive punning! Where's a copper when you need one?

Geez, wire we going on like this? Should we switch topics? (Sorry, anode that one was a stretch...)

 

[Pythias]

As an electrician, I get a charge from a battery (Nay a fuse-i-lade!) of such puns. It takes a real live wire to be such an-ode of mirth. Relax. Do a mantra.

Say it with me.

Ohm manu padmi hum. Ohm manu padmi hum.

This will drain your high tension and keep you grounded. Remember this to live up to your potential.

 

[abarth69]

Since you have had a fall out with your car. I have gone and got my trailer and will be over to collect it on the weekend. Please have all the parts packed and a few cold beers in the cooler. Still driving around with the lense in my car.

Mark

 

[JPSmit]

ok back to the issue at hand - how do you measure ground? I can bypass it and that will tell me if it is working or not - but - I presume there is such a thing as a weak ground.

also, do the tailights chrome pieces not have rubber washers on them?

 

[tosoutherncars]

You might want to watch John Twist (University Motors) and his youtube video on test lights and basic electrical troubleshooting. I found it very helpful.

 

[JPSmit]

Since you have had a fall out with your car. I have gone and got my trailer and will be over to collect it on the weekend. Please have all the parts packed and a few cold beers in the cooler. Still driving around with the lense in my car.

Mark

sure just leave the abarth and or the healey as collateral and I know you'll return it perfect and ready to go - what a good friend you are! Thanks for the offer!

 

[abarth69]

Sure I have a rusty Fiat 600 I could leave.

Any time soon I will see you at my back door to pick up that front lense?

Are you going to make British Car day on the Sept 21?

Mark