RE: [ihc] electrical grounds, follow-up

[Binder <Binder@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Thanks Dan! 

Great article. I enjoyed it and will save it for future reference and
assistance to others.

In a previous 'go round' with my lights, I tried to heed John's sage words
that these were likely ground problems.  All of John's words are always
sage. John IS a sage. And cleaning up the grounds sure helped matters. But
it didn't cure all my ills.  I found most of my lingering problems due to
either an 'open' condition (e.g.: the wire was 100% severed and was merely
hanging by the insulation!), or a short (e.g.: the plastic connector has
disintegrated over the years!) and once the 'shell' gave up the ghost, the
metal 'innards' were free to flap around and short at will to the light
frame/horn body, etc. Causing rather inconsistent operation (light
excessively bright [turn signal filament on instead of running light
filament, etc.], light constantly on - never flashing during turn, never
doing anything, etc. The telltale sign here was the "bzzzzt!", "bzzzt!"
sound when I was was removing the lamp while it was 'hot'. 

All lights are now operational and properly functioning with the only known
exception being the back-up lights.  Even at that, I know they are
FUNCTIONAL when ~12 VDC applied, so bulb, both sides of the socket & the
rear-most wiring socket/modular connectors are good.  I'd wager I'm
disconnected at the tranny or switch is kaput... But won't know for sure
'til I get under there and check it out some more.  I just ran out of
daylight yesterday so I had to give it up. That's what holiday vacations are
for... And mine starts at 5:30 today... You know, come to think about it,
John was right... All my electrical problems WERE ground related... Either
finding ground too soon, too late or never! ;-) Smart man, that there
Hofstetter feller. 

Troubleshooting is much quicker with a meter. %^}

I might regret not using any dielectric grease (No-Ox)... But last time I
was in Home Depot and asked, all I got was a "deer in headlights" look and
never located it. I DID find something possibly similar at the
"freebie"/sample basket at AutoZone... "Bulb Grease".  Little red packets. A
translucent Vaseline-like (but whiter) goo.  Snagged a few samples of that.
So far, so good. There was nothing on the packet that extolled any
dielectric properties of the product, but maybe they figured the average
shade tree mechanic wouldn't know that term anyhow.  Dunno.

The only other remaining electrical prob is I can't easily find a buld
holder for the bulb for my gas guage & ammeter (I think that's the other
gauge there) gauge.  Once I fix that, I won't need the Maglight to read my
gas gauge at night, arrrgh!  #@%&* 

My funny idling problem and smelling raw gas prob seems to have mysteriously
disappeared.  I'm sure it'll return when I least expect/want/can afford it!
"Carburator heal thyself"?  Not too bloody likely. Of course it could've
been a fuel pump or a filter prob or ___... To be revisited, I'm sure.  

Enjoyable article, thanks for sending it.  VERY timely for me!

So, how's married life & who really wears the apron in your family?  ;-)

     .===============.
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   \/-----------------\/	Peter Ferris
   ||( )| | | | | |( )||	Binder AT pferris DOT com
   | ----------------- |	'77 Scout II, 304, a/t, p/s, etc.
  [/\_@@ ==== ==== @@_/\]	More 'stock' than 'not'!
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: -----Original Message-----
: From: owner-ihc@domain.elided [mailto:owner-ihc@domain.elided] On 
: Behalf Of Dan Nees
: Sent: Monday, December 22, 2003 7:44 AM
: To: Old Ihc List; IHC Digest
: Subject: [ihc] electrical grounds, follow-up
: 
: Digesters,
: 
:     I was just reading the Good Grounds mail that I wrote 
: last year on the OLD IHC FAQ site and decided to add to it a bit.
<SNIPPAGE!>