Help: 1963 Jetfire Electrical issues

Trying to get everything fired up after 25 years. Any help will be appreciated.
Can't seem to get the brake lights working. One of the blinker lights is also a problem. Anyone have a fix? Clean the plugs with some thing special? Use a light coat of grease?
Thanks
Ken

 

Are the spring loaded contacts inside the sockets moving freely and contacting the bulb? Have you checked the fuse for the brake lights and the switch. Is there voltage at the bulb socket pins?

 

X2 oldcutlass check that stuff first, remember my issues with the 64 F-85 few weeks ago? I know the earlier year F-85's are different but a few ideas here: the ground wires are key-rust and damage in between the lines etc. Check the flasher relay, it's a round 2 prong plug in under the dash on the fuse panel. On the 64-F85 there's what I call a ribbon harness that connects from under the dash fuse panel, runs across on the floor under the drivers seat,to under the rear seat to another connection to the rear harness. 1157 bulbs are the replacement unless you go LED-It did. But one step at a time.

 

Thanks for the reply's. I have done all of that. I am looking for a tip or trick you all have used. I have a set of tweezers that have diamond sand paper type finish on the ends to clean things up. Does anyone use any cleaners that may help? I have been told grease conducts electricity?

 

Dielectric grease will slow down the corroding process for a while.

 

You didn't answer the question: Do you have 12V at the pins with the lights on, and do the bases have continuity with ground?

Have you checked for voltage and function at the stop lamp switch?

- Eric

 

The turn signals and brake lights use the same wires and filaments in the rear bulbs. If ANY turn signals work, the brake light problem is from the turn signal switch to the brake light switch. Did you jumper across the brake light switch connector to see if the switch is bad? Did you check for power at the connector?

 

MD
Ok this is what I have. The left blinker works, right blinker only the rear works. The front has a bad socket. All the head lights and tail lights work correctly. Now the brake light does not fire up. It worked once and after that it stopped. Turned everything off and plaed and checked a bunch of connections. Worked once and can't get it to work. Not sure if that helps. Thanks for your help!!

Joe
OK. I will need to double check what I did. Then do as you instructed. I will let you know. My son is coming down in a couple of weeks and he fits better under the dash than I do. I am still finishing up a few things. Finished all the door seals
Thanks
Ken

 

So, did you test the brake light switch?

- Eric

 

MD & Joe P.
OK this was a big mess. Here goes. I checked the brake light switch and it worked and then not?! Replaced it with another used switch. Same thing. Bought a new switch and bang it worked about 10 times and then out!? Checked the fuse and there was corrosion on the fuse block. Cleaned it up and reinstalled everything. Finally it all works!
Next the blinkers. The right front did not. Bad socket. Rebuilt it and we had parking lights. Drove it for about 30 miles and it worked a few times and not most of the time!?
Played with the turn signal switch. Some time it would work and some times not. Pulled the switch out. Took it apart and cleaned it. Also used my set of tweezers that have diamond sand paper type finish on the ends to clean things up. Bang eveything worked for a short time and then the left blinker was out!? Rebuilt the socket and bang it all works!! Blinkers, parking lights and the brake lights. What a mess. Learned a couple of things. Everything needs to be clean. Very clean!! Painted the dash and got some paint on the blinker switch electrical tabs that did not help. Thanks to all for help. Took a long time to get it corrected but its done.

 

The fuse block on this car has some rust on it. Is there any chemical that can be used to clean it or just sand paper or file it? Do they make a fuse size file with some flats you could insert and rotate it to clean the fuse contacts? Just a thought.

 

How about a drum sanding bit on a dremel?