[Spits] Tail and dash light Gremlins

[Paul Meyer]

Thanks to everyone who replied.

As I've said many times to people who ask about my car,
I couldn't imagine owning a car like this without the help of the on-line 
community.

So the summary opinions are:
the fuse block connection (middle fuse)
Bullet connections (all)
Ground at lights (all)

The middle fuse has given me trouble before, so I'll look at that.
Harness and lamp sockets are on the way, so hopefully that tackles the 
connectors.




Paul F. Meyer

Home Phone:    781-551-8574
Cell Phone:       781-801-3170
e-mail:               paulfmeyer at msn.com




----Original Message Follows----
From: "Bill Gingerich" <bill at gingerich.us>
To: "'Paul Meyer'" <paulfmeyer at msn.com>,<spitfires at autox.team.net>
Subject: RE: [Spits] Tail and dash light Gremlins
Date: Mon, 25 Jun 2007 21:51:13 -0500

I'll second the fuse idea.  As I recall the tail lights and dash lights are
on the same fuse.  It's the middle one.

Bill G
OKC, OK
'74 Spit, etc.

-----Original Message-----
From: spitfires-bounces at autox.team.net
[mailto:spitfires-bounces at autox.team.net] On Behalf Of Paul Meyer
Sent: Monday, June 25, 2007 11:12 AM
To: spitfires at autox.team.net
Subject: [Spits] Tail and dash light Gremlins

Guys,

When I first got my '78 Spitfire in 2000, I had intermittent electrical
problems, most of which cleared up when I replaced the old frame ground
strap.  I later upgraded to a GM alternator which improved most of the
remaining, occasional problems.

I have had one issue, though, that got worse.  Years ago, the dash and tail
lights would go out simultaneously.  The next day, they'd work.  This
happened 6 or 7 times in the first two years of ownership.  So, I dismantled

all the lights, cleaned the contact surfaces, applied dielectric grease and
re-assembled.  It appeared to solve the problem for a while.  Then it
returned.  Recently I can't get the dash or tail-lights to work at all.
Oddly, my left turn signal works in the rear, but not the right.

I'd really like some feedback on this.  Has anyone had the same problem?

I've pored over the wiring diagrams in the Haynes manual, and a really great

one that has the wiring in color that I found on-line.

It appears that all the affected lights share one common red wire that
travels from the body harness under the dash to the rear of the car.  This
doesn't explain the dash lights, though.  I jumpered the red wire at the
harness plug to the rear of the car, and it didn't improve.  I unwrapped the

tape over most of the harness wiring, but couldn't find any obvious exposed
copper or damaged insulation.  I'm stumped.

There is a black wire, the ground, that runs from the tail lamp housings
toward the front of the car, but doesn't seem to have a pin in the body
harness connector.  I tried tracing it, and I think it terminates at a nut
on the firewall brace near the battery - several black wires join there and
are linked by a cable on the same nut to the black Battery terminal.

At the tail, some wires have power - specifically, the fuel guage sender.  I

was not able to get the light to come on at any of the lamp positions
affected.

I gently pulled the fuse box out to look over the harness connections.  They

all appear ok, but the middle fuse is connected to only one green wire with
a red stripe.  Seems odd.

In desperation, I ordered a new body harness, 6 new lamp sockets, and new
bulbs.  I also ordered a new dimmer for the dash lights, as it's part of the

same red-wire circuit.  I hate taking the shotgun approach, but I'm out of
ideas and will need an inspection sticker next month.

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