Im trying to get the interior lights working on the cat. The sail panel bulbs are GE #90. Single filament but two terminals on the base like an 1157. Same set up as a convertible rear interior light. I have two wires going into the socket. White and an orange with a white tracer. Both wires have 12 volts on them. The shell of the socket has a ground on it. Now when I bench test the bulb and put 12v on both terminals and ground the brass, nothing. If I put 12v on one terminal and a ground on the other, the bulb lights up. So bulb works So it seems like the white wire should have a ground on it not 12v. Am I missing something here? I need a wiring diagram to see where the wire white gets its power from . Or should it?
I'd bet the light on the other side has some sort of ground issue causing the light to run in series instead of a parallel circuit. Hence why there is 12v on both sides of the circuit.
There are spring actuated switches that complete the ground path when the doors are opened. Probably corroded and just need cleaned.
Those door jamb switches are really finicky...I've disassembled and cleaned with good success. You also need to make sure the body of the switch makes ground with the sheet metal in the jamb.
That was it. Popped them both out, took thrm apart, cleaned with some radio shack tuner cleaner and put them back in. We now have working interior lights!
Now the parking light socket isn't cooperating. The little plunger contacts aren't plunging....and they're part of the assembly....old cars....
Ah.... the unending quest! Chasing rust, shorts, broken bits and PO murphy repairs. Usually finding two more problems for each one fixed; ARGH. I find it's helpful to keep a waste basket on hand to invert over head and scream in to relieve frustration.
Fixed the parking light socket. I had to remove it from the bumper so naturally both studs broke from rust. So out came the drill. Drilled both studs out. Then I nut and bolted it. Perfect repair and it now works
Sounds a lot like the problems I had with a 66 LeSabre this past Spring. Everything I touched turned to dust.
Jason, maybe the 63 Chassis Manual can help, https://www.teambuick.com/reference/library/63_chassis_s/index.php https://www.teambuick.com/reference/library/63_chassis_s/10.php
