AAaagghhh - still no brake lights or turn signals!!

[patrickt]

Still... it had to have been a pretty dumb mistake, whatever it was.

[ray humbel]

I was having a heck of a time trying to figure my problem with brake and turn signal lites working and not. After trying everything I changed the turn signal colum arm switch. You can get one from Finish Line. I got mine from Shelby American $130.

[CHANMADD]

I for one would like to know what the problem was...............

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by CHANMADD

I for one would like to know what the problem was...............

No, it's too embarassing. Don't ask again.

[DanEC]

Ok - I guess I've sufficiently gotten over it. I finally got down and looked inside the right front wheel well and saw the green turn signal wire hanging loose having come disconnected at the spade connection. Don't ask me how one of those l/4 inch spade connectors just suddenly comes apart. I tested the right bulb for conntinuity on both elements and switched it to the other side to verify it was good - but didn't think to check the connection in back.

I knew there was something even more screwed up with the right side since even the front wouldn't flash over there, but most of the problems were in the rear on both sides). When Bob says that a front signal light will prevent the rear one from working, that might mean both sides in the rear.

[patrickt]

Oh that's not so bad... I thought you were going to say "I had the battery disconnect open all the time."

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by patrickt

Oh that's not so bad... I thought you were going to say "I had the battery disconnect open all the time."

OK. Now that would be REALLY dumb.

[DonC]

Could tell you stories about much "dumber" moves but I think the forum limits you to 10 pages of text for a post. As for your situation I'm sorry to say it's hardly a blip on the dumb scale comparatively speaking.
DonC

[1795]

Don,

I concur. It is easy to miss wires that have become disconnected. There are easily dumber mistakes than yours to make..,

[ERA Chas]

Dan, that's an oversight, not a dumbass mistake.
A dumbass mistake is following Professor Partrick's advice.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by ERA Chas

Dan, that's an oversight, not a dumbass mistake.
A dumbass mistake is following Professor Partrick's advice.

Ahhh, I remember my first really dumbass mistake. I was 16 years old and adjusting the valves on my Datsun 2000 Roadster. I was holding a small wrench in my mouth as I was overtop the OHC engine. My mom came in the garage and when I said something to her the wrench fell out of my mouth and straight down the front of the engine in to the timing gears. I could not retrieve it, try as I might -- and believe me, I tried. I ended up having to remove the front of the engine and timing gears. When I put the timing gears back on, I did it wrong, and when I cranked the engine, the pistons kissed the valves. There, beat that.

[DonC]

Don't know if it will measure up but in my twenties was at a friend's house when his cousin came over. Neither the friend nor the cousin were car people. Cousin mentioned he needed an oil change in his Datsun and was complaining about not having the funds to take it to a shop. Mentioned that oil changes were a slam dunk and we could do it right in the driveway. Went to the local parts store and got 4 qts. of the recommended oil and a filter and wrench. Used a cardboard box lined with a plastic bag for a drain pan.
Spun off the filter and replaced with new. Ducked under the car, pulled the drain plug, drained the oil, replaced the drain plug and added the recommended amount of oil to the crank case. Gave it a few minutes to drain down and checked the dipstick to see if it needed more. Took a couple of minutes and another look under the car to figure out why the dipstick showed about 4 qts. more oil than it needed. Back under the car and removed the oil pan drain plug (left the tranny drain plug alone since I had already removed it and drained the transmission when I was under the first time) and drained all 8 qts. out of the engine before making another trip to the parts store for another 4 qts of engine oil and enough transmission fluid to refill the tranny that I'd drained by mistake the first go around.
So much for my rep as a "car guy".
DonC

[DanEC]

Thanks guys - but after following Professor Patrick's electical circuit testing procedures for a week, harassing Bob, moping around wondering what the heck is wrong, purchasing several trailer relays (fortunately cheap at $8 at Summit), countless hours of looking at the wiring schematic and reading Bob's Electrical Primer until I was dreaming about them - when I looked inside that wheel well and saw that green wire hanging loose - well, I felt about 2 ft tall.

Not my dumbest move ever either - but one of the longer playing ones which makes them seem even more painful. The short term ones, like when I overlooked an oil filter gasket sticking to the engine, installed a filter over the top of it and pumped/sprayed 4 quarts of synthetic oil all over the ground and engine compartment - well, at least I had that cleaned up in an hour and it seemed less painful. Three years later, my driveway still beads water in that area when it rains.

Oh well - I got to go for a ride this morning so all is well. Now I think I have a leaking brake master cylinder - but I'm better mechanically than I am electrically.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by DanEC

Now I think I have a leaking brake master cylinder - but I'm better mechanically than I am electrically.

Brake fluid is notorious for leaving a puddle at a spot that has nothing to do with the true leak. See: Guess the Origin of this Leak - Lame Entertainment

[ERA Chas]

Dan learn your lesson. Fix that master without turning on your computer. You'll be bombarded with charts, diagrams, links, algorithms, a dog picture and the celestial map from the Professor.
-And don't take your pants down on here if you make a boo-boo.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by ERA Chas

Dan learn your lesson. Fix that master without turning on your computer. You'll be bombarded with charts, diagrams, links, algorithms, a dog picture and the celestial map from the Professor.
-And don't take your pants down on here if you make a boo-boo.

Hey Chas, here's me back in my Datsun 2000 Roadster. Now, was I cool or what?

[ERA Chas]

That's at least the second time you posted that and it's no cooler now than then. No foam on the roll bar back then?? Did they beat the crap out of you in law school with that skate and 'do?
Only Brock was cool in a Datsun-you look like a stand-in on 'That '70's Show'.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by ERA Chas

...you look like a stand-in on 'That '70's Show'.

Stand in? That's me in 1975 right there. You know what's really funny? If I close my eyes I can still see the diagram of how to install the timing gears with the marks lining up. I'm sure I was 180 degrees out of whack. Oh well, I got to learn how to put valves in a head.

[DanEC]

I'm good on the master cylinder if it is leaking. Need to pull the box cover and examine it. There are a few dark spots on the edges in the lizardskin ceramic coating (it's right next to the exhaust pipe) that look suspiciously like they could be from a small leak. My clutch master cylinder leaked also. I think that is one of the hazards of building your own car over several years time - seals dry out, etc.

[kevins2]

Hi Dan,

I had a small leak at both the brake and clutch master cylinders and stopped them by simply tightening the fittings more. I have a bad habit of over tightening things but those fittings really needed to be tight to not leak.

Kevin