The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot '60-'66 Trucks blown fuse

I have a 1964 chevy stepside with a 1978 steering column. The tail light fuse burns out when the light switch is turned on, I replaced the light switch but had the same results. All brake lights and turn switches work until the light switch is pulled, any suggestions?

Maybe try a bigger fuse? Have you tested it to see what it's pulling yet? Are there any loose wires under the dash? I bet if you posted something over in the electrical bay, you might get a few leads as well. Just my two cents...

I tried a 30 amp fuse, it burnt out. I did not see any loose wires or worn spots on my first inspection- I wonder if the problem could be in the turn signal assembly?

Could be, how do your connections look? Is it grounding out anywhere else maybe? It's gonna be something simple. May I suggest that you could always re-trace your wires/connections and see if something has eluded you.

Here is a site for the 65 wiring diagrams;

http://www.64moneypit.pages.qpg.com/6066chevytrucks/id64.html

If you a diagram of the 78 column try autozone.com you'll have to register.

Sounds like a direct short.

Larry

If the 65 is the same as a 61 you can unplug the tailights at the drivers side floor under a panel by the seat. That would eliminate the lights and rear wiring as a problem.

The plug for the tail lights on a 65 is on the cowl. I would actually unplug it, it kind of sounds to me that you may have a direct short in the tail light circuit since everything works until you hit the lights. Unplugging the harness would eliminate everything from the firewall back. If that does stop it then track it down on the harness to the back end. If it doesn't stop it then you have at least eliminated that whole harness as a possiblilty. Let us know what you come up with.

does your steering column have a lighted shift indicator? maybe that wire is the culprit, other wise, turn signal switch would blow the turn signal fuse, tailight fuse is for tailights, or license plate lights, dash lights are a sub feed off of tailights fuse so no dash lights lets you know you have no tailights.....

Thanks for all the input! This truck is my son's daily driver. He went to school (daylight hours)and just my luck this problem disappeared by the afternoon. I just completed a search of the harness from the firewall back and discovered a worn wire where the license plate lamp wire exits the bumper. Hopefully this repair will solve this solve the problem.

The drivers side turn signal socket in the hood was defective-the problem is now fixed.