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EFV-8 Club Forum / General Mercury Discussion / Baffling Brake Light Issue - Driver's Side

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Discussion Topic: Baffling Brake Light Issue - Driver's Side -- page: 1 2 3

len47merc

06-20-2016 @ 5:53 PM

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For such a simple receptacle, the driver's side brake light (only - taillight works fine without fail) on my '47 is routinely not producing light only after leaving on a drive. Have sanded and polished all contacts and even switched rear light bulbs side-to-side with no success. I disassemble the light, re-seat the fiber insulating plate holding the two spring loaded button head contacts for the light, reassemble the light and BINGO - it works every time. Put the light/lens back together, check it before a drive, it works, so out on the road I go. Within 10-15 minutes invariably someone is up beside me at a stop telling me the driver's side brake light is out. Crap. Finish the drive, back home, disassemble the light, reassemble - same results - light now works. Out on the road next trip it's out again and the cycle has continued like this for the last several outings. I have even just removed and reinstalled the light bulb and the brake light begins to work immediately but again it's out after 10-15 minutes on the road the next drive. Clearly I'm losing my mind on this one as I've continued to do the same thing and expect a different result - recipe for failure. The taillight is never affected - it always works with consistent brightness. When the brake light is working it exhibits consistent brightness as well. Upon returning to the house with the brake light not working the taillight is always on and working. Once removing the light Fluke multi-meter continuity tests reveal no short or disconnect. Gremlins.

Any thoughts, recommendations and/or experience on this is GREATLY appreciated.

Steve

ford38v8

06-20-2016 @ 8:01 PM

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Steve, You've not mentioned the ground connection even once! Your monkeying with it at home apparently is enough to firm up the ground, but on the road, vibrations break that important connection. Ford used the body and fenders to complete the circuit, which was just fine for the first 20 or 30 years, but 69 years is pushing the envelope! Run a dedicated ground from the light bucket to a known good ground. The fender just doesn't cut it. Same goes for the headlights!

Alan

len47merc

06-21-2016 @ 4:26 AM

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Thanks Alan. I indirectly referred to the ground when stating the taillight - not the brake light - which is the same bulb, same socket, same side - always is working even when the brake light is not. That is what is baffling to me - if it were a ground issue would not the tail light also be affected? Something must be so obvious here that I am looking right past it.

To address your suggestion Alan, when bringing the '47 back after its Rumpelstiltskin slumber I took advice from this Forum (likely yours and Tom's but can't remember for sure) and went through all ground points including completely removing all light fixtures, cleaning and baring the metal and reassembling then sealing the exposed metal, this before starting the car. I was also naive and inexperienced with Rouge class judging and got a bit anal at the time about ensuring originality prior to the first Rouge class judging and did not add any non-original dedicated ground wires but did also clean and bare the metal and corresponding 3 bolts on each fender-to-body connection. Have never had a ground issue since that time.

Just can't get past the tail light working without fail while the brake light is exhibiting intermittent functionality. Intuitively I FEEL like something is going on with the tail light socket wire (believe it is part#29A-13410-LS) terminal for the brake light side but I can't find it.

Help my stubborn ole' mind get over this and understand logically how this can be a ground issue when the mating tail light element in the same bulb always works. I need to grasp that concept so I can let go of the socket and socket wire that is burning in my brain.

Still baffled in NC...

Steve

cliftford

06-21-2016 @ 5:16 AM

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By any chance do you have turn signals with the stop light circuit runnung through them? When the left stop light fails, is it still getting power? Just some thoughts.

len47merc

06-21-2016 @ 5:20 AM

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No turn signals cliftford - only tail lights and brake lights (and license plate/trunk handle light). Tail lights (both sides), trunk handle/license plate light and passenger side plate brake light always work, again even when the driver's side brake light is not functioning.

Still stumped.

Steve

This message was edited by len47merc on 6-21-16 @ 7:00 AM

TomO

06-21-2016 @ 7:22 AM

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Here is my SWAG. The wire may only have a couple of strands making contact. It could be a loose bullet connection, bad crimp or a broken wire.

Check the bullet connector for that light to make sure that the connection is good and that the bullets snap into place.

If that doesn't fix it, remove the wires from the tail light assembly and try pulling the bullet connector off and if that is secure, try pulling off the bulb contact. If both are secure, try installing new wires in the tail light assembly.

Tom

len47merc

06-21-2016 @ 7:54 AM

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Thanks Tom - I'll give your swag a go next. The bullet connections for that short tail/brake light harness seem solid - just checked and cleaned them with emery cloth 20 minutes ago and gave 'em both a good tug and they seem firm. Also cleaned the single female wire connector and all is very snug/tight and clean after reassembly. Main wiring harness end also checked and cleaned and is strong.

Still thinkin' it's gotta be in the spring loaded brass button head connection for the brake light somehow. I didn't check it for tightness just now but did check continuity again and it's there. For my personal SWAG I decided to cut two very short (~3/16"-1/4") pieces of insulating tubing (just large enough to fit over each round-head contact & spring) and place them over the springs and button head connectors to both provide more support for the ends/keep them better aligned and as well ensure no possible shorting between the two and/or the outside of the socket. I know - I know - makes absolutely no sense technically given the other lights' behaviors but I'm pulling at straws here. All lights are again workin' properly now (in the garage) - will take it out this evening for the obligatory 30 minute exhaust system dry out minimum cruise and see if the driver's side only brake light, failure-on-the-road-only phenomenon repeats itself.

Tom, if a no go again with this illogical-but-let's-try-it-anyway insulating tubing step I'll pull it again and check the ends of the light harness inside the socket for firmness as you suggest.

In the end I'm down to replacing the tail light socket wire with a new 29A-13410-LS (have to research a bit further to confirm that part number is correct) but very strongly wish to accurately identify the true source of the problem before spending $'s. It's tough because you cannot see what is happening with the contacts when the bulb is inserted and locked in.

Report back later. Any other thoughts in the interim welcome and thanks to you all who have weighed in so far!

Weird.

Steve

This message was edited by len47merc on 6-21-16 @ 8:05 AM

ford38v8

06-21-2016 @ 7:33 PM

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Steve, I just went back over your initial posting where you mention the "fiber insulating plate holding the two brass spring loaded buttons". If I understand what you said correctly, I believe what you have is an aftermarket bulb receptacle, having one single spring to press the two brass connectors to contact the bulb. I've always considered these to be a poor design, likely to not make a solid connection. The original Ford part had two separate springs, each pressing only on it's own contact, theoretically less likely to fail. If this is indeed the case, then I've been right all these years and finally have the chance to prove my theory!

Alan

This message was edited by ford38v8 on 6-21-16 @ 7:34 PM

len47merc

06-22-2016 @ 4:14 AM

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Sorry I wasn't clear Alan. Mine is the original design and is the original wire and contacts with 2 springs. Sorry I can't help you with your theory here. Other than the coil/generator to VR harness, the battery-to-firewall and firewall-to-manifold ground straps I am running the original wires and harnesses throughout the entire balance of the car.

I have not been able to locate the original design 2 buttons-each-with-a-spring and a brown fiber base plate/insulating disc like mine/the original yet - not sure who might carry them. Keeping an eye on eBay. Hopefully my efforts yesterday will solve the issue and I won't have to look further. Unfortunately if it does solve it I will not know why but fingers crossed on this next-to-last effort (Tom's suggestion my last resort if this cheesy sleeving over each contact and spring proves fruitless).

Apologies for no update last night - tweaked my back tinkerin' with this darn tail light and it kept me prone all evening. Brake light's still workin' in the garage this morning - try to get it out for a drive after the heat of the day subsides and the back quits screaming at me.

Steve

This message was edited by len47merc on 6-22-16 @ 4:45 AM

len47merc

06-22-2016 @ 6:00 AM

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Just to be sure - attached is a pic of the passenger side tail light wire contacts/base for my '47. I assume and believe these are the originals given both the driver and passenger side are identical, the clearly aging patina of both sides are consistent above and below the insulating base and for the length of the wires under the car, the bullet contacts on both sides show the same patina and difficulty in removing as the balance of the car and these are also identical to those I've seen on '46-'48 parts cars I found locally back when I was bringing this car back to life. Greatly appreciate knowing if otherwise.

BTW - this is an old pic taken back when I was going through all grounds and contact points a few years back that shows the contacts as they were found after coming out of their 35-40 year slumber for the first time.

Steve

This message was edited by len47merc on 6-22-16 @ 6:04 AM

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