[64SS427]

Kyal you’re in the right place and asking the right questions. You don’t need to apologize. We were all beginners at some point. Your electrical issues aren’t significant, but are common to old cars. If you were local to me I’d be happy to spend an afternoon going over the basics with you. Electricity isn’t complicated, but it’s scary when nobody has taught you how it works. There’s nothing on your car that you can’t fix with some knowledge, and my dad would say each thing you learn is another feather in your cap. It may not always be easy but it’s worth doing.

Devin

 

[200170]

how would you recommend i clean the sockets? with alchol?

From the amount of paint I saw I would scrape the paint off and lightly use a 220 sandpaper. I have never had a socket with so much stuff in it. DIsconnect the battery and carefully remove as much gunk with a small screwdriver and try WD40 and if that doesn't work alcohol. You want to remove any corrosion that you see but don't take off any plating that may exist. Grounds are really important, make sure they are really clean on both contacts. You can buy new sockets at any auto store. We do not know your level of electronics and automotive skill. Meaning can you use a soldering iron, Ohm meters (you can buy cheap for this type of work) do you have good crimper tools and waterproof connectors in sizes 12-14 and 16-18? You are in a fun stage of learning. By any chance do you know someone to help that has experience with wiring. As Steve (lucifer) said wiring can be the devil and considering his nickname he might be right. Keep the questions coming we will get you through this.

 

[zeke67]

Don't give up Kyal after three days. You have 20 replies and over 100 views.

 

[smitty454]

He said the bulbs work, but didn’t say in which socket and how they were working. If you put an 1156 into the outer socket, it can actually make contact with one or both socket contacts at the base and light up and also cause other problems by feeding across both socket contacts.

To Kyal - for your tail lights, make sure the outer bulbs have a base that looks like the ones in the picture you showed with two contacts on the bottom. Make sure the inner bulbs have only a single contact on the bottom.

Thats right. If you mix up the bulbs it back feeds the system so when you step on the brakes your tail lights and front parking lights turn on. Ask me how I know

 

[Hotwire]

Hey Kyal, you're definitely in the right spot and asking the right questions. This forum is awesome for helping everyone out with issues. I've learned a lot being here and am thankful for the resource of knowledge.

A circuit needs a complete loop in order to work. It starts at your battery's positive terminal and ends at the negative terminal. (speaking proton flow so the one's in the know won't get mad) BASIC OVERVIEW: Current will flow from your positive terminal through your headlight switch to the bulb and back to the negative terminal of the battery.

A bulb has no directional flow, you can hook it up however you like, but in the automotive world the brass body of the bulb is the return (negative) and the little dots or contacts on the bottom of the bulb are the positive. If you take 2 wires and hook them to the battery touch one to the body (brass cylinder) of the bulb and touch the other wire to one of the contacts on the bottom of the bulb, it should light up. If you touch the wires together there will be sparks and heat, try to avoid that.

If you look at the bulb there is 2 little nubs on either side, pay attention to them, they're at different heights for a reason. The bulb is supposed to go into the socket one way, the slots in the sockets are different heights to work with the nubs on the body of the bulb. If it doesn't go, don't force it, it's not meant to be, take it out, spin it 90 degrees and try again.

What the bulb part numbers mean:

1156 - single filament - there's only 1 light making circuit in the bulb used for interior lighting, reverse lights, something that just needs to be lit without any other purpose, like a light in your house. Look inside the bulb and you'll see what I'm talking about.

1157 - dual filament - there's 2 light making circuits in the bulb, a lo and a high, you can see the difference in the filaments if you look closely at the bulb. Low is for parking lights, high is for brake/turn signals. If you touch the body of the bulb to the negative terminal of the battery and touch one of contacts only one filament will light up. You can play with lighting the bulbs up, just don't touch positive and negative together, you'll get sparks and heat.

Over time the sockets and the bulbs will oxidize and corrode causing bad connections which will make your lights dim or not work at all. Do not use sandpaper to clean things, that will remove material. Use a steel brush or scotchbrite pads as they will clean without removing material from the sockets or bulbs. While you're at autozone get a cheap battery post brush and some dielectric grease. You can get a tube of it or those little throwaway packets they keep near the register. When you get home use the cone shaped brush to clean out the sockets in the car, make sure there's no power going to the sockets (lights turned off), you will blow the fuse. I also use red brakleen to degrease them and clean them up. It dries quickly. You can also use the same brush to clean the body and contacts of the bulbs. Put a thin film of the grease on the bulb, then install it paying attention to the nubs on the bulb and slots in the sockets.

Hope this helps!

 

[Jayhawk500]

Used mainly in aircraft?

You are correct Sir. And as stated, Very Toxic!

 

[smitty454]

Dont worry about being wrong, or not knowing what you are doing. Those of us on here know what we are doing because we have already screwed everything up and learned from our mistakes.

 

[Jayhawk500]

Dont worry about being wrong, or not knowing what you are doing. Those of us on here know what we are doing because we have already screwed everything up and learned from our mistakes.

WORD! Oh, Sooo True!