brake lights problem

[WildKitty]

Bruce,
I'm assuming you have a volt/ohm meter...
set your ohm meter on "beep" and go around the circuit board and check for ground connectivity. if you find a break in the ground strip you can repair it with liquid solder. use a soft brass wire brush to clean all the bulb sockets... needless to say, check all the bulbs, also with the ohm setting; should get a beep between the casing and the lead tip.

glad you got the pressure switch taken care of.

noisy lifters?? hydralic lifters, eh? try some penetrating oil on the lifters, then some mystry oil - course, change the oil after you've used the penetrating oil.

the 455 was sitting on the floor of a barn for almost 5yrs when I got it. penetratin oil and mystry oil brought the compresson back up and quieted down the lifters. - little moisture = rust = sticky rings and lifters.

I shudda followed my own advice and gave the bendix some attention. it was spinning/starting the engine, but not engaging all the way = new starter when it didn't disengage all the way.
Butch

[bbernor]

[quote=WildKitty;69008]Bruce,
I'm assuming you have a volt/ohm meter...
set your ohm meter on "beep" and go around the circuit board and check for ground connectivity. if you find a break in the ground strip you can repair it with liquid solder. use a soft brass wire brush to clean all the bulb sockets... needless to say, check all the bulbs, also with the ohm setting; should get a beep between the casing and the lead tip.

glad you got the pressure switch taken care of.

noisy lifters?? hydralic lifters, eh? try some penetrating oil on the lifters, then some mystry oil - course, change the oil after you've used the penetrating oil.

the 455 was sitting on the floor of a barn for almost 5yrs when I got it. penetratin oil and mystry oil brought the compresson back up and quieted down the lifters. - little moisture = rust = sticky rings and lifters.

I shudda followed my own advice and gave the bendix some attention. it was, but not engaging all the way = new starter when it didn't disengage all the way.
Butch[/quote
Hey butch: I have a new circuit board so probably no ground interruption in that but will check anyway.
Funny you would mention bendix problems and spinning starters.Same here with my 465.I will replace it soon.
Good tip on the penetrating oil for the noisy lifters.I thought there is a way to adjust lifters to quiet them but maybe no?
My car had not ran in some 10+ years and was abandoned at an rv park in Washington then in someone's backyard here in San Francisco Bay Area so "moisture = rust" rule applies...lol
Thanks! Bruce

[bbernor]

Hey Butch:With regard to no temp/cold/hot/fuel- etc guages: I have replaced the trashed curcuit board and will check for ground interruption with ohm meter BUT..could anything else be causing this? EG: could it be a bad connection at ignition housing or bad ground at headlight switch control? I do have AMP light prior to starting and of course E brake bulb lights up because it does not run through cicuit panel but know AMP does ..Does it make any difference what year circuit panel is??New one looked identical to old one.Really puzzled
Thanks everyone for the benefit of your experience !
Bruce

[WildKitty]

I know on the Wildcat, the ig switch and headlight switchgo thru a plastic instrument panal. there is a plate that the switches snug up to - to connect the switch itself to ground. there could be some corrosion between the switch and the plate. use your ohm meter between the face of the switch and the grounding circuit on the circuit board.

anywhere there is plastic or circuit board, there has to be a "jumper" between the ground and the switches.

I'm assuming you have the instrument panal out where you can work with it.. you need to make a jumper between the car body and the fiberboard circuit panal's ground.

the dashboard for the LeSabre is behind a door that has a couple feet of snow in front of it. I'll look on the 64 Buick CD and see if I can copy the wiring diagram for the dash.

"Detroit Iron" has the manuals on CD for most any muscle car. I have the one for ALL 64 Buicks + for the 67 Impala (all 67 Chevys). they are only $30, and worth every cent. you can find them online - they are quick to get them in the mail for you
Butch

[bbernor]

Great advice as always.
This forum is so usefel !
Whycome I don't have an R.B.O.A. # ? ..lol
Thanks for the advice...BTW have lots of 63 Riv parts that I would practically give away because I hate to throw them in the bin..eg:windshild wiper switch.full set of 63 seats + 2 seat frames (1 power with motor) I chrome shift bezel,head bolts,vaccum hoses,speedo and amp bezels,descent recovered dash.etc.
Thanks Yall,Bruce