The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay 52 Chevy with a slight electrical problem,

Having problems with my brake lights. Let me explain, headlights, tailights, flashers, signals all work with no problem. One brake light works (but only with signal lights on, turn off signal lights, apply brake and no brake lights at all. Any help you could give me on this issue would be greatly appreciated, hope to hook up my horn in the morning as well, if I can only fix these last two issues, then I can cruise my new purchase, thanks HUGH.

Are the turn signal lights the same as the brake lights or are they different lights? Have you checked the stop light switch, found on the fire wall near the brake pedal? Did this just start happening or did you just re-wire the lights?

Depending on your turn signal switch, you either have a wiring error in the switch or you have switched the brake light wire with one turn signal wire.

Re-examine your wiring diagram. You will find the issue.

I got everything working just by opening up the 7 wire pat'd date March 1964 signal flasher switch , I raised the little brass fingers inside as they were laying real flat, and maybe not making contact with the flat brass contact areas. Took it for a spin and all was good for just a little while when problems returned. I have brake lights with headlights turned off. Turn on parking lamps and hit brake parking lamps and brake light come on together when I pump the brake. Turn on headlights and taillights and brake are on steady and solid and stay that way. Turn on right blinker and it blinks, turn of left blinker and it stays solid. Just went outside to verify these syptoms again and get this everything is working excellent just like it should, this really has me stumped, as I am not an electrician, seems like everthing is great one minute and not the next, any help you guys could would be greatly appreciated, thanks HUGH

You have intermittent grounds at the rear light sockets.

Thanks will check that area, this has me thinking about going ground crazy, from cab to frame, bed to frame and checking my battery to where it goes to ground as well, I think that should just about cover it?

Ground issues are not just the wiring from one component to another. Check for corrosion in your bulb sockets. Check for corrosion between the light unit and where it mounts. Check for corrosion / contact where a ground wire attaches. Also check for where paint might be causing a problem with components making contact.

Those and the ones MNSmith noted.

Found the culprit, two seperate problems, first slightly crimped the two barrel conectors that attach to the 2 terminal brake switch as that connection would function if I wiggled the wires, and problem number two intermittant crazy light problems as mentioned above came down to the two hot wires going to the rear passenger brake and seperate tail light, both had been spliced and left to arc and come into contact with each other at the same time, I seperated and insulated both wires seperatly and wala all problems ceased, I still need to run ground wires to the frame just to preclude further electrical problems down the road, thanks for all you guys help.

Next step is to solder the wires and get rid of the crimp joints.