74 Tailight Problems

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7

74' Duster

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My tailight fuse keeps blowing out everytime that it gets turned on i have checked all the bulbs and the wiring and everything seems fine i am just cant figure it out and i am running out of ideas any pointers...
 
Just something to check, on my 67 Dart 4 door I had one taillight bulb the kept burning out, I was following someone else drving it one night and I saw water sloshing around in the housing, I drilled a small drain hole and it didn't burn out after that. Apperantly the water hitting the hot bubl was burning it out.
You might also check the dome light wiring as the Dome light is on the same circuit as the brake or taillights(can't remember which it is), at least it was on my 75 Duster.
 
Start by unplugging the rear harness at the drivers kick panel and try another fuse. If it still blows, you have a short in the dash somewhere. If it doesn't blow, you'll have to trace the harness from end to end to see where the problem is. If the bulbs are new (and the correct ones) and the lights aren't full of water, it's likely the harness has frayed and is grounding the wire against a sharp edge somewhere along it's route. Cargo damage is common so look for crushed areas on the tail panel. Other likely areas are where the harness passes through the back seat innerstructure and along the channel under the scuff plates. I've seen many harnesses damaged by someone installing aftermarket stereo wiring and either pinching the wiring with the scuff plates or running the scuff plate screws right into the harness. Also check the wiring and socket for the license plate light.
 
So I unplugged the rear wireing harness that leads to all the lights in the rear and the fuse still popped so that leads me to the instument cluser. So i pulled the gage cluster out and now i can't get the car to start at all. The car will crank but will not fire. It also has an MSD ignition system in it any ideas and i still cant get any the tailights or any lights to work now
 
Check main feed from battery under dash to amp gage, amp gage to splice. Unwrap splice and inspect its condition repair if necessary, and rewrap with 3M # 33 electrical tape not the cheap stuff. Continue inspection from splice to fuse block. From fuse block, and headlight switch follow each conductor looking for a chafed, burnt/melted, or cracked area. Somewhere between main feed splice and kick panel connection there is a fault to ground.
 
Im starting to think it might have something to do with the ignition switch and harness. Nothing else gets any power in the car when the ignition is on so it leads me to believe me to believe that the ignition isnt sending the power to on
 
so i went out and got a new ingition switch and it is still doing the same thing( a good freind suggested the switch) I am really lost in this electicall stuff and could really use some ones help
 
oh this is a pain all right, how does the harness look? chopped up? some PO added a trailer harness? Is this something that just "happened" or are you putting the car back together and just noticed it?

Get the wiring diagrams for as close to your year as possible, and start comparing them with what you have.
Keep in mind that the rear harness may doesn't use black for ground, my 73 uses grey for ground..or is it brown...glad I could help :lol:
Could be as simple as the tail light switch..mine had so much corrosion on it, that it melted the switch and eventually blew the fuse
 
So i got everything but the taillights working again it was some issues with the wiring under the hood. After doing more checks i think i have come down to it being the light switch. the fuse only blows when i turn my headlights on now. There is a small hole in the fitting that connect the wires on to the switch but im not sure if that is it or not? Please help lol
 
are any of the wires going to the headlight switch melted or burned? what about your dimmer switch? make sure you have good grounds
 
Had a 74 Duster that exhibited the same issue everytime I hit the brake pedal. Found that on one of the tailight sockets, the blue(?) plastic inside had melted and allowed the connection to short. Replaced socket, and all was good.

Grant
 
you might need to have the brake pedal applied when looking for your problem.
 
stop using a fuse and use a 20 amp ciruit breaker part no. 782-3044 from NAPA auto parts and than take your time finding the problem. sorry i am late i am new to this typing thing
 
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