Ddbord

I do not understand how these things work! I had them for years in Olds cars , but they ALWAYS worked!

The fuse is OK and the hood light wire has power when the parking lights are on. Is the socket a mercury switch, or a mechanical one? I don't understand the trunk light at all

If anyone has any REAL suggestions, let 'em rip.

The circuit controls both lights....

Thanks for fixin' my car.......

--Don

Yellowstatue

Both lights use mercury switches, so either you have a poor ground or the switches are finally defective-after forty years-my '68 hood light comes on with the park lights on and my trunk light always has power... could also be a broken wire right at the spot where the wire enters the switch

Lady72nRob71

If you can, post a picture of the each light.
The underhood I am pretty sure is mercury switched, but the trunk may or may not be. The 72 Cutlass one is all mechanical. The trunk light in my 86 is mercury switched. The light switch in the 'fridge is controled by the resident penguin, I do know that for sure......

Check voltage at the closest point to the light and you will be able to determine either light unit or further back.

On most Olds, the hood and trunk lights are on two separate circuits - hood is on the lights circuit (operates only with lights on), trunk light is on the courtesy light circuit (12V all the time).

Ddbord

I checked between battery and socket for ground. O.K! Also I have power at the socket entry...I think you may be right!Sounds like you have more problems than me!

Thanks for your help!

--Don

Ddbord

I'll try to do that later today

I'm thinking of getting a Radio Shack mercury switch and putting behind the hood pad.I have an idea that my trunk light might be triggered by the latchI'll try to do thisI'll have to check these suggestions out. Like I said to Yellow, I drove these cars back in the day, but they ALWAYS worked!

Thanks for the input, Rob.... If you think of anything else, chime in!

--Don

Ddbord

_________________________________________________

You Nailed It!

Both units have mercury switches. The under-hood lamp had been painted with Genuine Olds 330cu.in. Gold Engine Paint. When I removed it from "Blue Belle" I found that there was so much gold paint on it that the ground was gone. I also had to scrape paint from the "hooks" inside the socket that holds the bulb in. Works fine now when the light switch (park or head lamps) is on.

As to the trunk light, it's "pristine." Shiny zinc plating in the housing (no gold paint) but found a dead wire and corrected it. This also light when the light switch is on. Works just like from Lansing!

The glove box light is on the same fuse, and it doesn't work either. Put in a bulb and nothing happens. I'm sure that the light switch must be on for this to work. Maybe the map light too?

The car runs great, though!

I'm posting this as a new thread along with the windscreen washer that does not pump!

Thanks for the great information.

--Don

Ddbord

See the post to YellowStatue. It tells the whole story. On my car, the under-hood, trunk, and, I think, glove box are all on the same circuit. Off the light switch. It would be a simple matter to put them on the "hot" side of the switch so they would work without having to pull the light switch on. Olds probably wired them like that to prevent battery run down if the trunk lid or hood were left open.

I'm posting my next project, the windscreen washer and the glove box light.

Thanks for your input, Rob.... It's much appreciated.

--Don

Allan R

Glad it worked out.

I think both Rob and I were thinking it was a 70-72. Good thing I read further before saying anything. In 70-72 Cutlass models, they don't use mercury switches. The trunk uses a mechanical contacter to open and close a switch. The hood light is plug and play - only works when the light switch is hot.

JR442

Hi Allen after I sent u message I checked other post n seen u already addressed hood lights. No mercury switch just is hot when lights come on, makes sense. we did try it with lights on and I think my brother said it had power, but would not come on, guess we will play with it some more tonight. Any suggestions would be appreciated, take care n thanks john