I have been trying to troubleshoot a problem with my 61 88. I have NO LIGHTS ANYWHERE? I have power to the all the switches, both headlights and brake lights. All the fuses are good and I have power to both sides of the fuses both with the key on and off where I should. I have checked bulbs all are ok and still NOTHING! I have no lights anywhere on the car except, the oil pressure light when starting the car, and of all things the indicator for the E brake. Nothing else, no dash, reverse, brakes or headlights or tail lights? I hve replaced the voltage reg, horn relay. Gen has always been good. HELP PLEASE!

 

I would have to say light switch first. You mentioned power going TO the switch, hopefully on the thickest input wire. Check the switch connector for loose, burned contacts. Do you have 12V at ANY of the light bulb sockets? (I doubt)...
You can also check for bad connections at the front body and rear body connectors but I doubt both would be a problem, but you never know...

 

The reverse and brake lights have nothing to do with the headlight switch. In fact, the only thing these lights have in common is the connector on the firewall. If you have verified that the bulbs are, in fact, good, then get a wiring diagram and start chasing circuits.

 

Hmm... did not read down far enough I guess...
Do the wipers, horn, and heater fan work? If not, turn the lights "on", put your voltmeter across the negative battery post and the body/chassis sheetmetal. You should get close to 0V. If much higher, check the body to engine block (or battery) ground wires.

Has the car had rodent damage or stored in an area where pool chemicals were stored?

 

Check all your body grounds Batt to body Batt to engine you can test by using a jumper wire from Batt ground

 

I have run two new grounds, one from the block to the firewall and another from the battery neg terminal to the core support. NO LUCK!?????

 

Offhand I'm thinking corrosion in the fuse block, but if it were that bad seems like nothing would work.

Do you have a 1961 wiring diagram? if not, this may help.

The 1961 shop book shows:

a 9A fuse labelled INSTR BACK UP feeding the idiot lights, fuel gage, park brake warning and backup lamps. Fed from ignition switch ACC terminal.

a 9A fuse labelled TAIL LIGHTS feeding the tail lights, underhood, glovebox and trunk lamps. Fed from battery thru the main light switch. If you have 12V at this fuse with light switch in park or headlight position, the main light switch is probably working.

a 3A fuse labelled PANEL LTS feeding the instrument lamps. Fed from battery thru the main light switch. Again, if you have 12V at this fuse with the dimmer turned all the way up, the main light switch is probably working.

a 20A fuse labelled STOP DOME that feeds the brake light switch, courtesy/dome lamps and rear seat lighters. Fed from battery thru the main splice.

Head and park lights are fed direct from battery thru the main light switch. Red wire feeds switch from battery, white wire feeds park, light blue goes to dimmer switch (which may also be suspect).

Good luck.

 

Rocket and Rob, I don't know about the storage as far as chemicals go but I haven't found any rodent damage. So????? I will try checking the ground voltage as you instructed in the AM. Mean while I do have a wiring diagram but the information you sent me is much eaiser to read, the diagram is too small to be clear and I'm getting to old to see anything that's less then 12' from me HA! Tomorrow is going to be a day of taking another battery and playing MR. JUMPER WIRE, but that will come after I put the generator back in my 53 Ford. OH BOY a day of electronics YIPPIE! Thanks guys I will let you know what I come up with.

 

While doing the jumper-wire-jiggy , you may try to jumper over some of the switches, just to rule them out. (Voltmeter lead works well). Also, from good clean chassis ground to each socket.
It seems too stange to have so many unrelated things go unfunctional, and that is why I thought of the pool chemicals. My ex GF had stored sealed buckets of chlorine in the garage and in the kitchen and the fumes (although very light) reacted with all metals in the area and corroded them. She had all sorts of electrical failures and every unpainted piece of metal nearby was rusty...

 

I remember some years back when I was running a tow truck 69 Chevy went out one night fired it up hit the light switch & blew every bulb on the truck! the regulator full fielded. Needless to say I had to call the local PD & tell them I wasn;t going to make it

 

I am on my way out to the shop to start working on this. I had one success today, the 53 ford is running just SWEET. The flathead is ultra quiet and the charging system is working! Now for the Olds! I will keep you informed!

 

SUCCESS! LET THERE BE LIGHT! After about two hoursof jumper wire fun, I decided to start checking hardware again, Well you won't believe it but as everyone said IT WAS THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH! But so you don't think I am a complete dummy, The replacement one I bought LOOKED NEW but was also bad . So I chased two bad parts which it just enough to make me MAD! I have every intention of explaining my dis-pleasure to the place I got the switch! In the end, I took the switch apart, cleaned all the contacts, along with the switch body and put it back together and IT WORKED! Thanks for all the help I apprecaite you guys and the expertise you all have. Unlike some of those other Olds sites where they are just trying to show how dumb you are and how smart they are! THANKS AGAIN

 

Great! Glad you had so many successes in a row!
So did you also get the BU and stop lights to work also?
I have had issues with bad "new" parts also; nowdays, I am almost getting used to it...
Great news on the '53, also!
The wonderful feel of personal accomplishment is what makes me enjoy working on cars and doing other DIY projects. Saving money is just a bonus!
Glad to have helped you out - thats what we are here for...

 

Yea the Brakes and the reverse lights work. I have some old socket problems but I will tale care of those today. Still don't have dash lights but I think that will be an easy fix! The little victorys are what keep us going back to the garage day after day! When you spend weeks trying to get things to work it gets real depressing after a while! BUT HEY! Yesterday was good so back out there today!