Trying to get all the lights working on my 1969 Skylark but I'm having one problem. All lights work except the two front parking lights and the front left marker light. This is when the headlights are on. The front turn signals within the front parking lights work at all times. Just can't figure this one out. I replaced the headlight switch with a new unit. New bulbs all around. No corrosion in any of the sockets. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks
Light Problem Sounds like no earth ! ( a bad ground somewhere in the system - check all your ground connections in the front harness, usually near the headlamps ) Sockets must have a path to ground in order for the lights to function. :TU:
Thanks RIVMAN. I already looked for some ground connections up front but did not find any. I will look again.
Well, still no luck. Found both ground screws up front. Removed them, ground contact points to bare metal and reinstalled. No front parking lights or front left marker light. Again, the front turn signals work. Could my problem be further back where the wires come through the firewall? As far as current goes, the meter shows none at the parking light/marker light plug.
i believe itis a ground problem too but your next step should bethis take a test lite turn on a turn sig /remove that bulb//there are twocontacts inside///grond the test lite use theprobe endand being careful not to touch the housing touch each contact///when you find the one that lites//flashes that is the turn sig contact/////now shutoff the turn sig and turn on the running lites test the other contact if it lites up the problemm it the ground////if it doesnt lite the problem is in the hot wire ok that atlleast will give you a start luck pete
Thanks for the info Bad News. I hope your screen name is not an indicator of my issues with my Skylark's electrical system. I do have one more question. When I replaced my parking lights in the new bumper, I painted the housings. Do the parking lights ground when bolted to the bumper ? If so, they might not be making good contact with the paint on them.
I had a similar problem a few years ago and found it was my socket was not making good contact on the bulbs. Either the outershell was not making contact or the pins ( springs ) in the base were not contacting the bulb I pushed the wires from behind and they worked ... at least thats what I found on mine Ken
I had a similar problem with my 70 in the tail lights some worked some didn't. First I bought a pipe brush the one that plumbers use to clean copper pipes before soldering them. The 1/2" size just fits the socket, that cleaned the sockets really nice. Make sure that the springs behind the wires are good and not shot. With all that checked out I still had some problems, they would light if I pushed the lamp into the socket. I took a soldering gun and put a dap of solder on the end of the lamps and extended the the contact points, and bingo I now have lights. Hope this helps. Thanks Rick
That could make a difference - but check to make sure you have power to the socket as bad news advised, then try and find why the ground source is not available. These old Buicks are notorious for poor ground connections. :TU:
