need electrical troubleshooting help
 

it began with a brake light not working on rear driver side. bulb replacement didn't fix it, so i r&r'd the whole tail light assembly..found the socket for brake light had simply come apart..fixed and no problem, but now my turn signals are blowing the fuse. hazard switch work these bulbs, so i'm guessing i must have a break somewhere on the wire that traces for blinkers..i'm guessing that since hazard lights work that the problem certainly isn't the bulb. hazard and blinker lights, although they control the same bulbs must be on separate wires then, right? all parking lights work, btw. any suggestions before i tackle this afternoon?? thanks.
ryan

Is the hazard relay and TS relay the same on your 911? If not you maight start there.

Yes, there are even separate blinker modules for the hazard and turn signals. Are you sure you didn't pinch the wires against the body when you reinstalled the tail light box?

I was going to answer your other question about getting the gauge lights with the parking lights, but want to wait to check the later wiring diagrams.

Can you print out the diagrams for the SC off the main page here? They are a big help when tracing electrical faults.

thanks, guys. the turn signal relay is only 2 years old. i'm thinking that, john..my guess is also a pinched wire..and must be the one for blinkers and not hazards..pops fuse as soon as i select turn signal. yeah, i can get to the electrical diagram..will check it as long as no other ideas surface. that darn backing plate for the brake light on that side has been a loosey goosey thing before..dabbed some jb weld around it this time to help hold.
ryan

a quick check of the wiring diagram looks like i'll be hunting for a mauve colored wire..
ryan

okay..not done yet..pulled the assembly and checked for a cut wire making contact with ground..nada. while in there i found that the back-up light wasnt making good contact, so i bent the clip up and fixed that. i removed the turn signal bulb and the bake light bulb (one that originally was the problem, not working)..next i put in a fresh fuse, turned power on. no blown fuse. turned on parking lights and then headlights. no blown fuse. put in turn signal bulb and turned on hazard lights..work fine..tried left turn signal..worked, no blown fuse. put in brake light..same, good to go. okay..hmm..didn't find problem, everything fine. so i put the metal back on the assembly (all old gasket fell away) and put back into body, got one screw secured and checked again. wtf?? fuse blown again. what's happening here?
ryan

john or mack..any other ideas based upon this info?
ryan

Could one of your hot wires be contacting the body and shorting when you put the light housing back into place? Seems like that's got to be it...

ianc

sure sounds like it..i'll go back out and pull it. damn, i'm out of 16 amp fuses too now. removing the old gasket from where the back plate attaches the assembly is the only change..wouldn't think that would do it..that's only weatherstripping i think.
ryan

looks like case solved..found that the contact clip that accepts the hot wire to the brake light was bent slightly up..i think it was going to ground when i put the back plate on..must have been making contact because it always fried after i put the plate back on and stuck assembly into body. the only other possibility (remote) was that the rubber nipple where the wires enter the taillight assembly had been 'out' for a very long time (years it would appear). i pushed it back into place, but none of the wires passing through it appeared nicked. thanks for the advice, guys.
ryan