Date:         Mon, 8 Jan 1996 13:42:03 -0300
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         johnny89 <johnny89@io.com>
Subject:      Re: What does a bad ground in the tail light mean? what do I do?

Fred writes:

>Besides my 84 boxer having a lot of engine noise in my stereo.  I guess I
>have a ground problem in the eletrical circuit of the tail lights.  I
>finally replaced all my bulbs that were out on all my lights.
>Now when I turn on my left blinker it bleeds off into one of the other bulbs
>in that left rear housing and makes it blink dimmly.  When I turn on my
>right blinker without my head lights on they work fine.  When I turn on my
>headlights, both the right rear blinker and RR driving lights come on and
>keeps my right blinker from working.
>I was told the check the grounds in my tail lights.
>Where do I check and how do I fix it?
>Thanks for the help.
>Fred
>
>"Looks like I'm fixing my Van-a-gon."

Fred,

If you don't have an electrical diagram, ask around the list and see if
anyone can photocopy one for you--they come in handy...

Also, you haven't mentioned if you have done any work around the electrical
system besides replacing some bulbs, so I am assuming that this problem
"crept up on you".

Getting down to business, the GROUND WIRE most likely can be identified as
the wire that is ATTACHED to the LIGHT and CONNECTS to a BARE PIECE of
metal...

If the GROUND WIRE is connected in a SERIES with other bulbs, meaning, if
the ground wire CONNECTS to one bulb then CONNECTS to another bulb and then
to another, you will have to track down where the wire actually ENDS and
connects to a bare piece of metal.  The ground wires in my '71 bus are
brown, but I imagine they could be different for you.

If any of these GROUND CONNECTION points are loose or dirty, they will not
conduct electricity well and will not ground the current like they should.
If dirty contacts are the problem, simply scrape them clean with a pocket
knife.

Although there are many variables involved with electrical systems, it
sounds as though you may have somehow knocked a terminal connector loose.
But I could be way off base...

Let me know if you have further problems and what steps you have taken...it
also helps to know what you have been fooling around with lately (such as
removing the battery--anything) as sometimes stuff happens and you don't
know it...

Good luck!

Regards,

Johnny





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