ltoolio

OK. Quick narrative.

Rear plate lights burnt, corroded and not the right size.

Picked up a couple new ones ($22 total). Crimped new connectors to the wires, connected them to the new lights, had them dangling (not yet screwed in). Turn on ACC, flip on headlights, walk to the back of the car and yay...new plate lights are on.

Mount the lights to the frame, screw them in, flip the key to ACC and POP. Everything dead. Check fuses - all good.

Remove Battery ground, take lights out, put ground back on, turn key and I've got lights again.

So - where did the pop come from? I'm assuming I have something up in the cavity where the lights are that are touching the frame and the terminal on the lights, but why didn't a fuse pop? And why did the removal / reattachment of the ground fix it?

Ahh...love the new ownership here

Ducman82

i have had the sound of the arcing/sparks make a noise like that. but how it did not kill the fuse, no idea. are you talking about the rear interior lights? if so, i had to wrap the 12v connections in shrink wrap just to make sure.

bureau13

Are you sure you have the right fuses in there? In other words, someone didn't stick one with a higher current rating to prevent it from blowing?

ltoolio

Negative. Talking about the two lights right above the rear license plate which illuminate it when the headlamps are on. I'll probably do the same with the connectors later on tonight.

Good call...will check the fuses to make sure one of the POs didn't do exactly that.

Thanks for the input, guys!

Alan

Replace the battery ground strap

It was likely entirely coincidence and I expect unrelated to the work you did (unless you physically disturbed the ground strap).

Alan

ltoolio

Alan - checked the strap a couple of weeks ago. Wasn't really corroded, deoxited it a few times and the material under the sheath was bright and shiny (wrapped it back in self adhering silicone traits afterward)

Still think I should replace it?

ltoolio

So doing some reading and I see many other cases of good-looking cables that ultimately ended up causing problems. I think I shall invest in a new battery ground strap. On a related question does anyone have the length of the main engine ground strap?

VegasGnome

Measuring the engine ground strap on my '85 in place, it is about 12.5".

ltoolio

Thanks! I, and my wife for whom I'm running the errands, appreciates the help!

The battery strap is around the same, correct? Close to 15 IIRC.

Alan

Yes - these are classic symptoms of a failed ground strap. There isn't much that kills all power to the vehicle - looks don't count for much.

Call Roger to get the right thing - aftermarket is fine - may in fact be better - do wrap it airtight.

Alan