Brake/backup lights not working

[Guest]

History Commands

[July 26, 2010, 01:36:19 PM] Jon74panel: I'm burning 2 quarts of oil every time I fill up, I dread going up hills because its just a cloud of smoke behind me, help!

[July 26, 2010, 01:37:35 PM] Jon74panel: does this say drive no futher? I am 1900km away from home, do I limp it home?

[July 26, 2010, 01:38:18 PM] Jon74panel: Location:tofino,BC Destination:Calgary,AB

[July 26, 2010, 01:44:07 PM] Jon74panel: there is a small pool oil on the fan. *scared

[July 27, 2010, 02:49:48 AM] Beetle: http://www.type2.com/ & click on 'AIRS' icon.

[July 27, 2010, 07:45:05 AM] Orange_crush: help! acceleration problem.  bus can only go 5mph on hills..picks up fine on flats and dwon hill.  single carb. 2000cc  motor

[July 27, 2010, 09:04:10 AM] addicted: hey any one on?

[July 27, 2010, 09:04:44 AM] addicted: got a question abdout my piont set heating up

[July 27, 2010, 09:29:38 AM] addicted: poof of smoke from the pionts and gf claims from the dash aswell

[July 27, 2010, 09:38:17 AM] Beetle: Addicted: Post in the forum for better results.

[July 27, 2010, 10:56:36 AM] blue bus: does anyone know how to take the handle off the slider door ao a 74 transporter

[Today at 09:29:31 AM] scoobz: need help adjusting electric choke on 72 type 2

[Jugglingunicyclist]

Hey guys. I'd just like to start by saying that this is one of the first times in my life I've ever worked with wiring of any kind. So if I say something stupid or obvious... you know the reason 

So when I got this bus, the brake lights, the right headlight(although when I turn it on 'bright' it works fine), the left turn signal, and the back up lights were not working. I looked up an electrical diagram and fixed the left turn signal by replacing a fuse(the fuse looked fine to me, but when I replaced it it started working).

I can't figure out what's wrong with the backup lights or the brake lights though(I'm not too worried about the headlight because it works on bright). As far as I can tell they all SEEM to be connected properly but like I said I don't really know what I'm doing.

I looked on the diagram to try and figure it out but I just have no idea what I'm even looking for. Can anybody help me?

p.s. In case some of you haven't noticed I ask for a LOT of stupid advice but to be fair this is my FIRST car and I don't have any experience with this type of thing. I tend to catch on quickly but I have no precedent to look back to.... in other words... get used to it 

[Jugglingunicyclist]

(It's a 69 transporter by the way)

[GostaBerling]

Do you have a multimeter? If not, get one. You really can't do electrical work without one.

The headlight:  most likely is just a burnt bulb, switch it out with the other side and see. If it is then replace it.

The brake lights:  you need to get somebody to hold down the brakes while you use the volt (DC) setting on your meter. Place the red lead on the wire to the brake light and one on a ground. If you have 12v then you are looking at either a bad connection at the assembly, a bad ground, or a bad bulbs.

Reverse lights:  Pretty much the same as the brake lights.

If you don't have power to the lights then you need to start tracing back. There are brake switches on the master cylinder and their is a reverse switch. Both of these can be checked with the ohm setting on the multimeter. But first things first, check for power at the bulbs and work your way back.

[vdubyah73]

A simple test light would be easier for you to start to learn with. Cheaper too, just don't buy the cheapest, it'll be broken before you finish.

 Look for brown wires that are disconnected around the tail lights. They are ground wires for the light fixtures. Look for male spade connectors in the steel walls of the engine compartment in the vicinity of the light fixtures. That's where the brown ground wires hook up.

The reverse lights get their power from the ignition coil. The wire is black. They plug in with a spade connector to the + side of the coil. Same side as the black power wire from the key switch to the coil not on the side of the green wire from your distributor. Follow the black wires from the coil + One of them should have some kind of fuse holder. If its stock it will be black and you push it together while twisting to get it apart. check that fuse Follow that wire up the drivers side of the engine and see where it goes through the front wall under the car, find it underneath on the other side of the firewall. Follow it up to the front drivers side of the transmission. The reverse light switch is on the drivers side of the transmission toward the top front. the wires are supposed to plug into that with spade connectors. This switch doesn't care which wire goes where as long as both are hooked up. Be careful with this knowledge because most electrical things will fry if hooked up wrong. The wire that did not have a fuse on it goes back the lights harness on the rear wall of the bus.