Electrical aggrevasion

[harleydeen98258]

Hello, well I'm at my wits end. I have replaced pretty much everything that I know of that deals with my brake lights/turn signals. My problem is that turn signals, brake lights, and 4-ways all work fine with the parking lights/head lights on, but once I turn on the parking lights I lose my brake lights, turn signals, and 4-ways. I have bought brake, turn signal, headlight switches. I have replaced all 4 light sockets, and also the front side marker light sockets. Have gone through and cleaned all the grounds I can find and checked for broken wires. Today I took apart the part of the harness that runs to the alternator and cleaned up the 4 way connection there( I assume ground, it was black).

I am out of ideas, so anyone of you might have any suggestions I'm all ears. I have been at this now for about 2 weeks reading pasts posts about electrical problems and trying them out 1 by 1, but nothing has changed.

I have a 1979 Bronco XLT Ranger with a 400/C-6.

Thanks,

 

[Bronc76]

This may not have anything to do with your problem, but did you check the column to chassis connector to see if anything is broken?

 

[harleydeen98258]

Are you refering to the turn signal switch connection? Yes I've gone thru that and the one just up the harness from it

 

[Seabronc]

The only thing that I can think of that is shared between those functions is the ground under the dash to the fire wall. There should also be a ground strap from the engine intake manifold to the fire wall. This is assuming that the 78-79 grounding is the same as later Broncos.

Good luck,

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[harleydeen98258]

The only thing that I can think of that is shared between those functions is the ground under the dash to the fire wall. There should also be a ground strap from the engine intake manifold to the fire wall. This is assuming that the 78-79 grounding is the same as later Broncos.

Good luck,

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thanks, I haven't concidered the ground from the engine to firewall. The one under the dash I haven't located yet, but will look more closely tomorrow.

 

[harleydeen98258]

Well I have changed the ground from the intake to the firewall. It was in pretty bad shape, but still nothing has changed. I've been unable to locate a ground strap under the dash. I think next I'll go ahead and replace both back-up light sockets and back sidemarker sockets, being those are the only one I haven't replaced. I tend to think my problem lies in the front somewhere though, it only starts acting up when I pull the **** on the headlight switch. I don't even have to turn the headlights on, just have parking lights on. I know this is probably something so simple that once it is figured out I'll probably go insane!!!

 

[Seabronc]

OK, I was wrong about the location of the instrument ground. On an 80-86 it is on the right side, (black wire with as lug on it connected to the dash frame. I realize your truck is a 78/79 but Ford wasn't much on reinventing the wheel so a lot of things are similar among different vehicles. I'm attaching a couple of diagrams from the 83 EVTM, maybe they will help. Also, if you haven't already done it, check the condition of the battery to engine block ground connection and the cable also, near the lug. Bad grounding often has some real weird symptoms, kinda like you are getting. In this case a lot goes through G701 which is the one that connects to the dash frame.

Good luck,

 

[J&SBroncolvrs]

I think someone messed with the wiring so you only have power to your signals etc. when your headlights are on. I'd dig under the dash and check that out before I changed anything else. A wire probably burned up sometime during the old Bronco's life and "Joe electrician" got in there and did a quick fix.

 

[Johnny Reb]

Well I have changed the ground from the intake to the firewall. It was in pretty bad shape, but still nothing has changed. I've been unable to locate a ground strap under the dash. I think next I'll go ahead and replace both back-up light sockets and back sidemarker sockets, being those are the only one I haven't replaced. I tend to think my problem lies in the front somewhere though, it only starts acting up when I pull the **** on the headlight switch. I don't even have to turn the headlights on, just have parking lights on. I know this is probably something so simple that once it is figured out I'll probably go insane!!!

Harley I noticed you said--it only does it when I turn on the light switch(even though you replaced it) I believe your trouble --lies in the switch--but like Seabronco said--grounds can act funny.

 

[harleydeen98258]

Well folks, I get ******* award for the day I suppose. I went back out this morning after talking with a close friend of mine last night. He told me to recheck the 3 wires coming from my new front sockets and to make sure I had them wired up correctly, cause we all know that new parts always come with correct color coded wiring(insert ******* moment here). Well low and behold I had all 4 sockets wired up wrong. At least I had the ground wire correctly wired up, but had the red and white wires coming out of the new sockets switched.

Problem solved, and thanks for all the help. I'm sure I'll be asking more in the future!!!

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