Hi Folks,
I am in the process of getting my 56 oldsmobile holiday 4 door super-88 ready for a Massachusetts inspection. I noticed that the rear stop lights / directional, reverse lights were blown. I replaced all bulbs. The reverse seem to work (so far), but the stop light / directionals immediately blow.

Please note, the front directions are fine.
I am thinking that the directional switch is likely fine , but not entirely sure.

I have been poking around , under the dash, checking the directional switch connections and the connection by the pillar. I feel like I may be getting some voltage bleeding over from the stop light switch, interior lights. Not entirely sure.

My plan now is to pull the brake light fuse and the fuel guage to see if the directional lights work with these items omitted. If anyone has had experience with this, please let me know.

Thanks
Brian

 

Ok, I pulled the stop light fuse and the directional blew. I did have the fuel gauge hooked back up, but I am suspecting operating voltage, although the popping bulbs are isolated to the rear only (not courtesy / front / taillights

is it possible to hook up the brake light switch in reverse?

 

The brake light switch wiring is not your issue. Have you checked to see what voltage your regulator is putting out? Too high of voltage will blow lamps.

 

I’ll give that a check. I’ll take a reading from the switch when I get home

 

Couple of weird updates.
With car not running, but key turned to battery, the bulb pops, instantly.
If I unplug fuel gauge, the bulb will not pop, with car off, but will blink slow.
If I keep fuel gauge unplugged, and start the car, the bulb pops immediately.

If I reverse the popped bulb (hold it to leads), the bulb does not pop, in either situation, and blinks at a fast (normal) rate.
This is an 1154 bulb.

 

You need to do as suggested and measure the voltage. An 1154 bulb (or any other 6 Volt bulb) should not blow even if connected directly to a 6 Volt battery. The bulb is designed so the filament resistance allows the proper amount of current to flow so that the filament wire incandesces (glows). If the voltage is too high, then there will be more current flow through the bulb, and the filament can overheat and melt.

 

So, we are blowing bulbs...Do not use a 6 volt bulb in a 12 volt circuit. This results in an instantaneous destruction of the internal workings of the said 6 volt bulb. 1154 is 6 volts.

 

A 6 volt bulb in a 12 volt circuit is not
the greatest idea. Serves me right for not looking in the manual and going off the bulb number that was in the socket .

 

Is your car 6 or 12v's?

 

Gm went to 12 volts in 1953.

 

Try 1157 bulbs they should work better. If I would have seen this post earlier I could have saved you a hand full of bulbs.... Tedd

 

I think you found your problem.

 

Sounds like your car is in the same shape that mine was when I bought it. The previous owner did some very strange things and I had to check every fuse, every bulb and every wire. Keep that service manual handy!!