Tail light issues solved - 72 Chevy truck

FullThrottle440's Garage

[@SiCkDiAbLo]

Seems like every truck you find these days, someone rigged up some crazy wiring..Nice Job!

[@not2fast4u2c]

That's great you have a diagram I have fixed a few GM vehicles that had a mess of wire from people hooking up trailer harnesses and hacking it up It is easy once you learn it.. I fixed a friends chevy that a 1/2 dozen people worked on. I started at the steering column and found a bad wire that went through the firewall connector It took less than a half hour to test and fix because I had the whole vehicle diagram

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

not2fast4u2c Thats the way to roll

[@brianjohnson6053]

Ive had 2 messes like that. Go to the front firewall cut it loose rip it all out and start over. With wire, connections, new sockets and lenses for less than 200.

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

That's the way to do it. That's what I do now. Remember this video is almost 10 years old

[@dogbuggy32]

I put a new battery in my chevelle once. driving home I was feeling pretty good until I smelled wires burning pulled over and pulled the battery terminal off in time to see most of the engine wiring burn off. all the way to the steering column . I was young and started calling to get it fixed...way to much money . I had a assemble manual with the wiring schematics and got to work....learning and doing it right is the way to go !

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

***** Thanks Larry. the Diagram was a big help. im glad i found that. wiring hackery is one of those things that bother me...you know

[@scottsinfl]

Back when i was 17 i worked for a alt. and starter shop re-building and re-wiring car's i was the re-wire guy. I just loved it I had schematic's built into my head. Of course the chevys I can still remember the color codes but the newer cars are fun too doing pin probe's from the computer plugs.

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

scottsinfl wow thats cool.

[@joelmccoin9727]

I am always amazed at how much hacking up is done just to put a trailer hook up on. but you cleaned up the mess, nice to see you soldered them, no butt connectors. You are getting closer all the time, nice job!

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

joel mccoin Thank you sir

[@JimsEquipmentShed]

Its always interesting to dig into an old wiring harness, some of the things I've seen in the past absolutely scared the crap out of me. I didn't see all of the exposed wiring on my FJ40 until the fire........ No, not mice, just bad work by the PO.

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

***** yeah, i hate sloppy wiring

[@TheShadeTreeFixitMan]

I ran into many rats nests like that back in the day when I was wrencing for a living. You did the right thing by going back to the basics and starting from there. Good job Dean.

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

The Shade Tree Fix-it Man Thank you George

[@Cobrafanatik22]

Our snow is about gone too. Loving these high 40's and 50's. I knew you could figure out the wiring.

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

Cobrafanatik22 Thank you!

[@snowking55]

Get you a test light Dean. That way you can trace hot wires down real fast and figure out what is what. I use mine all the time especially when it comes to wiring trailer lights.

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

snowking55 yeah i have one. it was a big help

[@joesalazar4675]

Thank you for the video I got to go to California Highway Patrol for Vin verification Christmas Eve so let’s see if he’s nice

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

Hope it worked out for you!

[@joesalazar4675]

It did thank u 1970 1 ton Chevy

[@iceman22st]

Double check your colors. Yellow traditionally goes to the left or drivers side turn signal, green to the right or passenger side.

[@iceman22st]

Also, that little blue snap on connector (commonly referred to as a Scotch-loc connector) get rid of it! They clip on the wire and cut the insulation to make contact, but in the outside and especially under the truck environment they let moisture in and the wire will corrode and go green.

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

iceman22st Thanks for the info! ill get rid of that. i was planning to, but didn't get to it yet.

[@militarychevy711]

Good work Dean. My harness is similar but only has 4 wires total. These were a bit different. But I think I'm gonna print me a schematic as well.

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

Military Chevy Yeah very handy to have! it helped alot!

[@themountainman2613]

Looks like uhals handy work , the sockets get warn too i put a little dielectric grease in them to it helps nice work. Thank ya.

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

Jeremiah johnson good idea

[@Fixinthatupvideos]

Good Work - T=up - always nice to have lights

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

FixinThatUp for sure..thanks for stopping by Stan

[@jakemichael8586]

I have a old ford and the wiring is so hacked! I have no idea why the wiring gets hacked on old cars. it drives me crazy as a electrician to see how people can not wire things worth a crap! thy make things hard on them selves! hope you get yore project sorted out. if copper wire was cheap i would rewire my truck and do it MY way!!

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

i agree. this video was a few years ago . its all nice and tidy now and i actually put a ls engine in the truck and as you could imagine there was a lot of wiring involved but i kept it nice and neat

[@jakemichael8586]

good you got it together! I am not in to efi that is why i like old stuff! with good ignition and a well tuned carburetor it will preform as good as efi. electrical is what fails and is expensive do to price of copper. take care

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

@@jakemichael8586 I can't agree 100 % but I respect your opinion!

[@jakemichael8586]

thanks! i am good at getting a carbureted engine to run like efi. well it is still a cool truck!

[@coeneschamaun1735]

As a woman growing up in the 70's, my Dad taught me how to change a tire, how to hunt for burnt fuses or bulbs, check oil, simple stuff. I wish I could've learned more about basic car care. I'm clueless on wiring, for example I have a trailer harness, but no idea if it works..... (I'm not the original owner). Was told yesterday that I have no tailights. Just lucky I haven't gotten a ticket yet. I do have emergency flashers, and turn signals, and I'm going to assume brake lights, though I need to back up to a wall or window to double check that. Any idea what to check first for taillights? 1988 Chevy pickup. I'm so tired of little things always going wrong that I don't understand, but very glad for KZbin.

[@DESERTHAWKIN]

"When cars had fins" intro by Rpeek

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

That's right

[@bigbawsz2054]

Thanks for the video man. I got a 69 Chevy c10 and somehow my damn taillights don’t work when the headlights are turned on. When the headlights are off brake lights signals etc work perfect. It’s weird I can’t figure out the issue.

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

Wiring can be frustrating

[@ercysuazo726]

Did you find out what was the issue

[@bigbawsz2054]

@@ercysuazo726 I did figure it out. My issue was the tailight housing was not getting a good ground. I ended up wire wheeling a spot on the chassis, drilled a hole, put a bolt with nut to secure 2 new ground wires up to the taillights. Now they are nice and bright and work perfectly.

[@ercysuazo726]

@@bigbawsz2054 I’m rewiring tailights with aftermarket ones on a Chevy Stepvan 30 it has the same wiring diagram that’s why I was asking it’s doing the same thing

[@bigbawsz2054]

@@ercysuazo726 nice man yeah give it a try what I did should fix the issue if the symptoms are similar. I forgot to mention I also soldered the ground wire to the tail light housing. Let me know if you got questions

[@MrMach1]

Awesome repair!!! You can come and do mine next! I hate wiring! Lol

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

MrMach12004 Thank you!

[@huck01955]

Nice your getting it sorted out

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

huck01955 Thanks

[@azautoxr]

Love that intro !!! Glad you got things sorted ...

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

Thanks. its an old intro i havent used in a while

[@shawnmrfixitlee6478]

Great job Man ! What a mess that was .. Great fix !!

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

ShawnMrFixit Lee Thanks!

[@mragentblue]

Craig Chevrolet in Arvada CO. I live in the next town south of Arvada which is Wheat Ridge. I saw that DeansMeanMachine was looking on line for info on your truck. Good Luck on that Dean, it may be easier to run the VIN thru Jefferson County DMV records??? Just a thought. Been watching all your videos on the 72. You have done some great work .........later.

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

Dave Riedy Thank you! good idea. i might try that. it would be cool to find the original owner if hes still alive, you know send him some pictures and tell him the trucks getting some love. lol thanks for watching

[@geargriden19]

FullThrottle440 Original owner might bug the heck out of you to sell it to him lol

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

geargriden19 nah, probably not. but i think he would like to see that its in good hands

[@shartne]

You got it figured out! Good deal.

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

shartne Thank you, The Diagram was a big help

[@RustyGlovebox]

That's handy to have that diagram while doing your wiring

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

Rusty Glovebox Indeed

[@MrWillis5719]

Good for you Dean, Nice work

[@19stoney64]

Good deal...looks good! Typical colors, be same on your trailer harness. Easy! I would feel a lot better about having that harness cleaned up too!

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

19stoney64 Thank you

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

MrWillis5719 Thanks

[@Redgonetogray]

Nice job. Wiring can be a pain in the ass.

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

Redgonetogray Indeed

[@MrHevyshevy]

Stop and tail always good

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

***** yeah those are a must!

[@thestuffz]

trailer wiring is such a pain. looks like it would have been easier to just cut out the rat nest and run new wires.

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

TheStuffz There was enough potential this time, but if it was worse i probably would have done just that

[@mrshevyshevy]

Helps to have a diagram to follow, takes out all the guess work...

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

***** yeah its a big help. like a puzzle

[@gregkendrick1874]

Dean i got the same kinda problem going on on my 83 monte carlo. All lights working except turn signals. I suck at electrical work so i gotta figure this b.s out

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

Greg Kendrick Good luck

[@ercysuazo726]

Did you solve the issue?

[@johnsont963]

once you got rid of all the hackery you should be able to get better gas mileage since your truck weighs less now!!!! ;-)

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

johnsont963 LOL

[@eastcoastlowlife1]

Nice work

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

east coast lowlife thank you

[@coltendixon1782]

Cool driveway

[@joesalazar4675]

Where did you ground your back till late I’m having an issue with my truck everything works just fine during the day at night I have no tail lights nor blinkers but everything else works? Help LOL

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

I put a ground from each taillight housing to the bed cross tube and then ran a ground wire from there to the frame.

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

Your issue sounds like a shorted wire or blown fuse. Check all the wiring over especially any hackery done by previous owners . Most issues are where someone cut in for a trailer harness

[@DEADIKATED]

@@Fullthrottle440Garage I have a new wire harness from the bed to the tail lights everything working good except left brake light

[@trentwhite9127]

Could someone tell me were the ground wire is for a 2001 GMC Jimmy for the tail lights I have one tail light I have brake lights an turn signals could someone tell me were it's located

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

Hmm I can't help you there as I've never owned one of those. I would follow your wires back from the taillight buckets . you should be able to find the ground that way

[@vernonchaney65]

Are your grounds for the lights tied to the body or the ground?

[@Fritsvrolijk]

thanks

[@gaspargarcia4177]

Can you tell me where can I buy the diagram, my truck is 72 and Im working on electrical wires too

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

If you Google "wiring harness for 72 Chevy truck" you can find everything you need . I just got a picture of a diagram off Google and printed it out

[@Andrew-ff4hh]

Everything works, turn signals, break lights, but the tail lights dont come on when light switch is pulled. Any ideas?

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

Must be a broken wire somewhere in the harness .

[@MustangConnection1]

Good fix

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

MustangConnection1 Thank you

[@DriveShaftDrew]

good stuff

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

drvshaft drew Thanks

[@saskgreen13thman]

Cool cool , cheers from Heres

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

***** Thank you

[@mordoor5371]

Thumbs up bud .

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

Mordoor 53 Thanks

[@strokedfirebirdable]

You took care of that rat nest Dean.

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

strokedfirebirdable Thanks Dave

[@wtbm123]

Cool

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

wtbm123 Thanks Terry

[@erlindagalindro8638]

I have no lights no tail lights nothing works it just run like a champ

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

check the bulkhead connection on firewall

[@johnmarks7243]

Good one

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

John Marks Thanks

[@arynbeltran2566]

40 degrees is warmer?

[@Trose3]

So i need help. My brake lights will not work. Ive replaced the switch and ensured its being pressed ect. Ive replaced fuses. I get it to work after replacing fuses but they eventually go out again wtf

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

Sounds like you got a short somewhere. Most likely somewhere along the frame or where the wires run up to the lights. I suggest starting from firewall and working your way back. the tail light harness comes out of the firewall near the oil pressure gauge lines where the firewall dishes in at the back of the engine. check the plug at the cross member near the rear bumper. Most hack work is done by previous owners in that portion of the wiring, especially if someone put a trailer harness in. good luck

[@Trose3]

FullThrottleChevy i have a 1970 C10 btw. Thanks for your help. I did locate a burnt out wire on my brake switch. I need to find out why it burnt out. Thanks man

[@kurtislouth231]

Warmer?? Wtf im from Florida thats cold af

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

Yep. -5 today.

[@RobsPackanShine]

cool fix....most snow gone in ohio. no moe ice fishin

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

RobsPackanShine woo hoo

[@woodgranecustoms]

Pain in the ??? but good fix....

[@Fullthrottle440Garage]

Woodgrane williams Thank you