Nomad78SA

On my 78SA, I have got the main harness, rear harness and most of the engine harness hooked up. Not the heater or AC harness.
I go to check the lights......rear lights turn signals and running lights are fine.

On the front, headlights only..
no parking lights or front running lights but the running lights will blink with the turn signal on but not the front parking lights, they do nothing??? When I check voltage it has 12 volts at the connector on both prongs the park light and turn signal to ground at the connector or chassis ground but no light?? I am using 1157 bulbs. I had the steering column rebuilt by a shop with new wiring harness installed in it.

I do not have my speedo/ tach assembly or instrument cluster plugged in. Is it looking for a path to ground through the speedo/tach cluster through the turn indicator bulb in the dash?

The motor cranks up and I have rear lights so I am happy about that.....Any ideas on what is going on..
Thanks,
Neil in Tenn


[Modified by Nomad78SA, 5:40 AM 9/29/2003]

wombvette

Sounds like the ground. Probably the one on the radiator support.

flynhi

Ditto Wombvette.

Nomad78SA

There is 3 grounds on the front harness. Radiator support, altenator and middle of the nose up top. I removed them and cleaned the connections to no avail. I will clean them again when I get home from work and the main ground strap connection between the body and frame which would make sense. The rear harness connects to the frame as the neg. from the battery does.
Does the engine have a ground from it to the frame or body somewhere too??
Neil in Tenn

Guest

Neil,
I don't know about your 78 but I'll bet this is the same. There is a heavy duty grounding cable, about 13 inches long (steel cable wrapped in black plastic) that attaches to the block on the right side to the rear of the fuel pump and below the exhaust manifold area. This cable is then attached to the frame near the right engine support structure. If you come by I can show you or I'll come out there, just let me know.

Rick

wombvette

Yes, At the motor mount.

Lets go back to your original statement. You say that the running lights blink with the turn signals. Are you saying that the parking lamp filiment lights or that the turn signal filiment lights? I assumed that you ment the parking light filiment was lighting, which would indicate a ground problem. If not I would check for power on the park lamp circuit first. That would come from the switch and go forward.

edit. After going back an rereading you first post I see that you say both filiments have 12V on them. If you have a good bulb and a good ground, that thing should work. Look at the ground at the socket.


[Modified by wombvette, 7:54 AM 9/29/2003]

Nomad78SA

Problem resolved I took ohm readings of the grounds and it showed good at all points. I checked the connectors and have voltage or loose it moving the connectors around. They should work...as I see it
The front harness has 2 sub connectors, one to each front parking light. When I unplugged the very end one the lights came on the other end. Well I cleaned the connectors of all things and plugged them back in and the lights worked.
Thanks for all the suggestions on troubleshooting this gremblin
Neil in Tenn