Bill, pull all the parking light bulbs that are near stuff that was disassembled for paint. If you want to be thorough, pull ALL parking light bulbs. Don't forget the lic. plate lights. See if anything jumps out at you, e.g. incorrect bulbs. With all bulbs out, try again. If the fuses still blow, at least you have narrowed it to wiring. Then perhaps you could begin pulling connectors(e.g. spare tire well) until it doesn't blow fuses anymore to help narrow it down.

HTH

 

Dave:

Good idea. All the lights work except the tails on both side which are separately fused, so the lic plate light is off the hook. I did notice one wire in the trunk that was routed in what looked to be a wrong way. After Mike left I checked my car and that wire has been moved from under the quarter panel liner. Somebody had that part off and may have pinched something.

 

Bill,
On the off chance that marker and tail light assembly's -check front assembly's as well, both, marker and front running lights- for a backward install on the connectors.
I have the hand drawn schematics somewhere or someone could post the LCU wire diagrams for you.
While the left and right sides are fused independently your front and rears -left or right - are fused together and run thru the LCU together as well.
Pattycakes was wired backwards on both sides but I didn't know which way was right, eventually I just fabricated a quick static light -more or less as continuity checker- and solved the problem by having ALL of the light assembly's hanging and checking/swapping wires till I stopped blowing fuses.
FWIW
The same applies to interior lights -hatch, overhead and door panel lights. All fused together.
You would be suprised how often people mess up.
PS
Don't feel too bad, right before the Third Coast my turnsignals started flashing rapidly...
I checked them individually and with the 4 ways engaged ... no problem.
Eventually discovered when I put on the turn signals at a stop or while braking on the move with turnsignal on, the rear side marker on the right side was drawing juice and flashing as well.

 

John: This is good as the side markers are likely to have been pulled before painting - at least the rears, as they are easy to get to.

 

Tomorrow Quality Imports which fixed my malfunctioning air conditioner by replacing the dryer and expansion valve and disconnecting the heater, gets a chance to fix the tail lights- will post findings-

Thanks so much to all of you, esp Bill Ball, for your insights and help !!

Mike

 

Mike have them look at the rear side markers. They may be hooked up incorrectly, as suggested above. I doubt the front side markers were removed as that requires taking off the wheels and wheel well covers, but who knows. If these guys are good with shorts, then you've found a rare shop. Good luck.

 

ARRRRGH !!!

This 0800 took car to Quality Imports- they called 1100 to pickup car-could not find problem.

Tomorrows Larry's Auto Electric.

Mike

 

Larry better find it. If not, come back next weekend. We can work on some of the ideas presented here.

 

Hats off to Larry !! Dropped off car last Pm, he started sometime this AM- called me 0930 and told me car would be ready by 1000 !! Turns out a pin was bent and a connection which should have been to the bulb socket was made to the pin !! major short !!

apparently Larry specializes in this type of work-

Highly Recommended Larry's Auto Electric
120 Second Street
Brentwood . CA
925 625 0325

Again thanks to Bill for ruling out bulb controller and all help with car, and thanks to Rennlist people for ideas and help !!.

SHARKS RULE !!!

 

Put Larry in a box and freight him to Midland.
When we are done with him will freight where needed.

 

IMHO Larry rates first class air ticket and 5 star hotel-not freight !

Mike

 

No, we're keeping Larry here! It was a socket connector short as someone suggested, but Larry, without any clues, found it in 30 minutes. I believe it was in a front light - not exactly easy to get to.