Guy Chiattello

Guy Chiattello · 12-23-2002, 04:36 PM

My car is a 82SC coupe. I just installed Euro taillight lenses and discovered that the turn signal stays dark until you put the turnsignal on. It's not that way on the front. This makes no sense to me! The bulb should have two filiments so the light is always on and then flashes when you put the turn signals on, just like the front I checked the socket and it's diffently designed for a single fillement bulb.

Are later cars different? Does anyone know a fix for this?

Guy Chiattello
82SC Black Coupe

kepperly · kepperly's Garage

did you replace the whole tailight housing or just the lens?

keith

Guy Chiattello · 12-24-2002, 07:06 PM

Just replaced the lens. I never noticed that the turn signal light was not lit until I replaced the lens.

Guy Chiattello
82SC Black Coupe

kepperly · kepperly's Garage

doble check the lamps, i had one that i couldn't figure out and just replaced the lamp.wayne has a great deal on all the lamps for a 911 for 14.95 highly recommended.

keith

RANDY P · RANDY P's Garage

The cheap -n- dirty way is to go get a dual filament universal socket from the auto parts store and tie it into the same wiring, and tapping the new wire for the parking light on into the existing parking lamp next to it. A new set of 1157 bulbs and you should be good to go. It will be a monkey rig to make it fit, involving hacking up the lamp housing and it may leak. It would be assumed that if the turn signals are lit with the parking lights you'd need a dual filament socket in there.

Pardon my ignorance, but do the euro cars have tail turn signals that go on with the parking lamps? I used to do this to my Acura way back in my ricer days - never knew if there was once a legitimate origin of that mod?

If that's the way the lights are supposed to work then getting some euro sockets would be the best way to make it go.

rjp

Mike Feinstein · Mike Feinstein's Garage

One of my rear running lights was out and it took me a long time to track the problem. It turned out there was a short in the engine compartment light which is on the same circuit as the left rear running light. A long shot in your case but worth a look.

Guy Chiattello · 12-25-2002, 11:48 AM

Randy,

I considered doing what you suggested but I am, as you pointed out, reluctant to mess up the light housing. This a.m. I tried to take out the light housing and discovered there must be nuts on the screws that hold the housing in place. It looks like trying to get at nuts is going to be difficult.

Guy Chiattello
82SC Black Coupe

RANDY P · RANDY P's Garage

Should come out with a #1 phillips. Remove the outer lenses and there should just be a couple of screws inside? They screws just simply tap into a couple of tabs in the fender - no nuts if memory serves. Perhaps stripped? Be careful.

rjp

Guy Chiattello · 12-26-2002, 10:38 AM

Randy,

Thanks for the input. I will try again. Pehaps the housing was tightly imbedded so I will try to pry (gently) to get the housing out.

I saw your post on Rennlist and see that you converted your backup light to a rear tail light. You must feel as I do. I want to make sure someone does not "plow" into me a night.

Guy Chiattello

n8marx · n8marx's Garage

On the back side of the screws you are having difficulty removing are stamped metal "quick nuts" that are supposed to clip to the fender. When the clips corrode and break they lock the screw in place as if there were a nut on the screw. You need to get a buddy in the wheel well with a Vise-grip or similar pliers on the quick nut while you unscrew it. My '86 has a couple of these broken nuts on it right now. Good luck.

Guy Chiattello · 12-26-2002, 08:15 PM

Thanks fellows for the help.

Guy Chiattello

RANDY P · RANDY P's Garage

Oh yeah, I remember that post - that guy who did that actually lives in FLA- He had problems with his lights going on and off at the wrong times. I was just answering on the lighting issues.

I stuck to more traditional methods on my car, got the Hi - mounted Cyclops on now. Works good for me.

cheers

rjp

Tom F2 · 12-27-2002, 02:46 AM

The Euro light units are different. On the US units, the forward most light socket is a side marker light, which must be red. The marker light and turn signal have to share space, so the US lens must be red all the way to the front. On the Euro cars, the forward most socket is empty, the inside of the light unit is painted white around the turn signal bulb, and the entire amber area is just for the turn signal. So, in the US unit there are four bulbs (side marker, turn signal, park/brake, reverse) and in the Euro unit there are three (turn signal, park/brake, reverse).

I have a Euro 911 that needs lenses, and I have a pair of perfect, new US lenses that I'd like to swap for a pair of equal condition Euro lenses. Please let me know if you're interested.

Also, if you decide to remove your light units (not a good idea, unless absolutely necessary) try to clean off the tops before you yank them out, or all of the sand, stones, etc. on there may scratch up your fender. The two screws can be awful to remove if the car's seen any winter use. It's easier to drill them out, and get some new hardware to reinstall them.

Finally, it can be a mistake to try to open up the light units. The screws that hold on the covers can break in the housing.