| JKrieger1976 | -- 06-15-2018 @ 7:30 AM |
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Hi All, The sheriff came again today to inspect the Mercury. He found the vin number, checked the headlights, and taillights, the horn, and I thought I was Home Scott free, until he said “tap the brake”. I did and he advised me the brake lights didn’t work and failed the inspection and left. Question 1. Did these cars have working brake lights that became brighter when true brake was pushed? Question 2. How should I troubleshoot this problem? UPDATE- the brake lights work if the taillights are not turned on. If the car is just sitting, depressing the break will illuminate the tail lights. If however you turn on the headlights and tailigjts at the switch, there’s no difference in the light when the brake is applied. Should there be? Thanks as always for helping a newbie This message was edited by JKrieger1976 on 6-15-18 @ 9:08 AM
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| cliftford | -- 06-15-2018 @ 3:39 PM |
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Question 1, no. Question 2, look for previous posts on this subject, this has been dealt with before. Good luck.
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| TomO | -- 06-16-2018 @ 8:01 PM |
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Take out one of the bulbs and look at the pins that hold the bulb in the socket. If they are spaced the same distance from the base, you have no. 1158 bulbs. It is possible to put these bulbs upside down and the result would be what you are seeing. The bulb should have the word "top" printed on the base. insert the bulb so that it will be on top when you twist the bulb in place. If the pins are offset from the base, the bulb is a 1154 and the wiring may be reversed at the tail light. Check that the green wire from the brake switch is connected to the green wire coming from the tail light. If neither of these fix your problem, update the post and I will try to help you some more. Tom
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| JKrieger1976 | -- 06-25-2018 @ 7:03 PM |
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Tom, when i pull the end of the bezel off, this is what I see. The wires are old and fragile. I am assuming the the way to get the light changed is to loosen that little screw and pull the light out? I see the bulb inside and I bought new bulbs and a new pressure switch from bob drake. As it stands now, the brake lights work just fine when the car is running without power to the head and taillights, but when you turn the taillights on and depress the brake, there’s no change. I appreciate any help
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| TomO | -- 06-26-2018 @ 7:13 AM |
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Removing the rear facing lens will give you access to removing the bulb. The nut that is shown in your photo is quite rusty and may break if you try to remove it. Before you remove the rear lens, try clipping a jumper wire to a good frame ground, such as the bolt that holds the bumper brace and touch the other end to the bulb housing, when the brake light and head lights are on. If the light gets brighter, you have a grounding problem and will have to find a way to remove that nut and clean the corrosion from the bracket and housing. If the light does not get brighter, the bulb may be in upside down. Maybe a 1939 Mercury owner will chip in with his experience with replacing the bulbs. Tom
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| fordmerc | -- 06-26-2018 @ 1:11 PM |
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I can confirm that Tom O is correct: removing the rear-facing lens allows access to the lamp.
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| fordmerc | -- 06-27-2018 @ 6:22 AM |
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If needed, I have images that might help in removal of the lens to more easily access the lamp. Let me know (I would have attached them but I'm not sure how to do that.)
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| TomO | -- 06-27-2018 @ 7:25 AM |
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You may attach one photo to each reply by clicking on BROWSE next to IMAGE ATTACHMENT at the bottom of the REPLY box. This will open a window with files on your computer, select a photo and then click open. To attach another photo, click on REPLY and do the same procedure over again. Tom
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| JKrieger1976 | -- 06-27-2018 @ 10:21 AM |
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Yes please. I would appreciate the images
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| fordmerc | -- 06-27-2018 @ 11:09 AM |
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The attached image is pre-restoration and shows the larger (upper) bracket to hold the lens in place for the taillamp
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| fordmerc | -- 06-27-2018 @ 11:15 AM |
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This image shows the smaller (bottom) bracket to hold the lens in place - and it shows the remains of the larger on shown in the previous unrestored image. (It took me 7 tail lights in various condition to make two complete!) Both of these brackets are secured by screws on top and bottom (screws shown)
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| JKrieger1976 | -- 06-27-2018 @ 5:26 PM |
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Thanks. I got the lens loose. Does the light bulb screw out or pull out? It seems to be seated pretty firmly.
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| JKrieger1976 | -- 06-27-2018 @ 5:39 PM |
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Here is what it looks like. Do the two cables come off the end?
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| fordmerc | -- 06-28-2018 @ 4:59 AM |
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If memory serves, the bulb is a bayonet type. I cannot recall how the wires are attached but I suspect the socket is a relatively standard one and is swedged into the holder. The attached image may (or may not) help
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| len47merc | -- 06-28-2018 @ 5:30 AM |
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JKrieger1976 - in case you have not already removed the bulb, and the 'bayonet' description is not intuitive to you, basically you should be able to impart modest inward pressure on the bulb to depress the socket-base spring and release the lock pins on each side of the bulb from the socket's notched holding positions. Then maintaining modest inward pressure rotate the bulb counter-clockwise about 1/4 turn or so to then remove the bulb. If it's been in place for a while you may have to work carefully to overcome the resistive force of any corrosion/rust that may have been created over time. Steve This message was edited by len47merc on 6-28-18 @ 5:32 AM
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| TomO | -- 06-28-2018 @ 6:44 AM |
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Did you try using a jumper to provide a good ground to the bulb? It is important to have a good ground and a poor ground could be the source of your problem. Tom
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| JKrieger1976 | -- 06-28-2018 @ 11:47 AM |
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Thanks. It’s locked up tighter than a drum. I’ve been working on it as best I can, but to no avail so far. Will keep trying.
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| JKrieger1976 | -- 06-28-2018 @ 1:56 PM |
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No, I haven’t. I need to go and buy something to make a jumper out of.
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| TomO | -- 06-29-2018 @ 7:27 AM |
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You can use any piece of wire or even jumper cables. To use jumper cables, clamp the red lead to a good ground, like the bumper brace, connect the other end of the red lead to a probe, like a screwdriver, and touch the bulb base or the light socket. To use a piece of wire, just wrap one end of the wire around a bolt that attaches to the frame and tighten the bolt, touch the other end to the bulb base or socket. Tom
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| cliftford | -- 06-29-2018 @ 4:06 PM |
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Squirt a lot of wd40 or similar penetrant around the bulb. Sometimes that will loosen it.
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| JKrieger1976 | -- 07-03-2018 @ 9:05 AM |
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Where did you go to find all the tail light pieces you got? The assembly is so old and it’s either been damaged or is just broken, but the new tail light bulb will not fit snugly due to one of the notches being damaged. Do you know if anyone makes the internal hanging assembly for inside the bezel? The screw holding this on is old and I’m thinking I should just replace the whole internal mechanism. Does bob drake make one?
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| JKrieger1976 | -- 07-03-2018 @ 9:05 AM |
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Where did you go to find all the tail light pieces you got? The assembly is so old and it’s either been damaged or is just broken, but the new tail light bulb will not fit snugly due to one of the notches being damaged. Do you know if anyone makes the internal hanging assembly for inside the bezel? The screw holding this on is old and I’m thinking I should just replace the whole internal mechanism. Does bob drake make one?
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| JKrieger1976 | -- 07-03-2018 @ 10:31 AM |
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Where did you go to find all the tail light pieces you got? The assembly is so old and it’s either been damaged or is just broken, but the new tail light bulb will not fit snugly due to one of the notches being damaged. Do you know if anyone makes the internal hanging assembly for inside the bezel? The screw holding this on is old and I’m thinking I should just replace the whole internal mechanism. Does bob drake make one?
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| TomO | -- 07-05-2018 @ 9:02 AM |
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I don't know if anyone makes reproduction parts for your tail light. I doubt that they do, because there are not enough cars to make it profitable. Was the old bulb a 1158 with the 2 prongs the same distance from the bottom of the base? Did you replace the bulb with the same bulb number? Tom
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