Date:         Mon, 28 Oct 2013 08:45:57 -0400
Reply-To:     John Lauterbach <john@JHL.MGACOXMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Lauterbach <john@JHL.MGACOXMAIL.COM>
Organization: Lauterbach & Associates, LLC
Subject:      Re: Intermittent right rear stoplight '84 Vanagon
Comments: To: Karl Wolz <wolzphoto@Q.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <C2A95E8F-04BC-44CC-8B67-506651E67DF5@q.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"

Thank you, Karl and Stuart.

I put my Vanagon's  next driver (my Son, age 15) on the project.  Two
things needed work.  The metal strip that connects to the bottom of the
bulb got a drop of solder added to it.  The other end of the strip has a
mechanical contact with the current track from the connector to the
van's wiring.  We soldered that mechanical connection.

It is good to have Son doing the work and learning about the Vanagon.  I
also got him to do most of the oil and filter change on Saturday
afternoon.

John

On Sat, 2013-10-26 at 20:12 -0700, Karl Wolz wrote:

> Old bulbs that have gotten overly warm will sometimes melt and deform the lead contacts, making for poor or intermittent contact. New bulb to fix.
>
> Karl Wolz
> Sent from my electronic umbilicus
>
> > On Oct 26, 2013, at 6:16 PM, Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> >
> > It's possible that the contact(s) in the bottom of the bulb socket is so corroded or bent they don't have enough spring to make good contact on the bulb.  Try prying it up a bit, and if it breaks off you need a new tail light assembly!
> >
> > Stuart
> > '85 Westy
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of John Lauterbach
> > Sent: Saturday, October 26, 2013 5:58 PM
> > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> > Subject: Intermittent right rear stoplight '84 Vanagon
> >
> > The right rear stoplight on my '84 is being problematic.  I have tried
> > several different bulbs, bulb grease, cleaning contacts, etc.   The
> > taillight and directional signal light work correctly and consistently.
> > I can have the stoplight working after I put everything back together and screw the light assembly back into the van.  Within days it will stop working, but as soon as I take things apart, it will start working again.
> >
> > What is best solution to this problem?
> >
> > John


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