Another LED taillight question

Yeah, very right. Just another one of those "Shut up Braz" things.    

Braz,
Yes, my new taillights are the ones you describe. I just think they look so cool. Granted they're not factory, but we're all uniquely different and like what we like for whatever reason that may be.  
I'm only sorry I won't actually see them in operation while driving

Anyway, thanks for the tips about voltage. I will get onto checking those tomorrow. I think I have a $1 voltage meter.
The story of the lights on the car is as follows:
Everything worked fine with bulbs.
The right rear taillight bulb blew, so I thought it a good time to replace all my lighting with LED.
Bought sequencing taillight kit, LED front turn signal kit, and LED interior lighting kit for courtesy and instrument panel
Installed front and rear signal lights with new LED - and had all four lights going (as though I had an emergency flasher)
Figured out the front lights needed a ground (through a random conversation) and hooked the ground up to the spare wire on the lighting kit.
Now the front signals work correctly.
Once I replaced the flasher unit under the dash, I was left with my original problem.
I also replaced all the lights in the instrument cluster with LED, and only the high beam bulb is a problem as for whatever reason, the new LED bulb will not hook up. So I have left that for now as I never use high beam anyway.
And after today's little attempt I am left with my earlier post.  

I will check the running lights situation out again, as to be honest, I didn't check the front. I just noticed that only the right rear lit up. I was fairly confident I had the fronts sorted so never even looked at those. I know they work correctly when the turn signal is on. The turn signal on the dash also flashes correctly, however the flasher unit that makes the clicking sound definitely doesn't sound right. It seems to be clicking WAY faster than it did before. Although before, it was a very slow click.

Wayne,
There is also an article on how to install these lights on a 69 Mustang. And they reference an article in 2004 on installing them on a 65/66 (but I can't find THAT particular story)
http://www.mustangmonthly.com/techarticles/mump_0608_1969_ford_mustang_sequential_taillights/viewall.html
They all looked so easy, I was convinced this would be a snap. But I guess those model cars have better wiring than mine apparently does.

Hope this helps you understand my situation a little better.
Many thanks

CWT  

Yes I do understand. If I had read the original links about the lights I wouldn't have prattled on.

I'm the guy that had a plastic human scull with a Beatle wig setting in the rear window of my 71 Mustang in high school. It had little red guitar amplifier light bulbs hooked up in the eye sockets that winked with my turn signal. There's a cool 60's Shelby that I see occasionally in Houston with the sequenced lights and they really do add a nice touch, especially at night.

I look forward to seeing the progress!!

Much peace Bro.

BTW, I replaced the flasher clicker thing on mine and it goes double speed too.  

braz... i am not mad at you or anything.. i am just trying to help the situation.. i do have over 30 years of experience as a mostly professional auto mechanic..  doing stuff that nobody else can fix..   one can never have too many ground wires..  i opened the hood of a 95 camry .. they have 6 ground wires to the engine one from the battery and 5 from the body...

i do expect input from you as i don't know everything..

let go back to the ground connections...



this is a BAD spot for the main battery ground on the engine..  it needs to bolt directly to the block.. NOT to a bracket mounted on the timing cover...   there should be a bolt hole in the side of the block either on the front corner or the side corner of the block..  please clean the paint off the center of the location so you can get a good ground..    you might want to add a second cable from there to the body..  or up to the core support where the headlights and turns signals ground..

the factory ford ground cables are set up light this..

battery clamp....  wire....   mounting ring.      wire............ ring terminal ...

the mounting ring mid wire if you look close is crimped directly to the wire without insulation..  this is the body ground connection to save wire..   its easier to just add an additional cable than to try to create this special version ..

why...  do you really want all the current to the starter flowing through the timing cover..  

you will want to run a ground wire to the alternator like you have done..  as you might recall that ford actually ran a ground wire from a stud on the back of the original alternator to one of the mounting feet of the voltage regulator..



lets look at the tail lights...



see the stud holding the fender extension on..      you might be able to install a ground wire from under that nut to the tail light housing studs... using star washers to ensure a good connection..  

Dang Wayne, just now reading this. I have NEVER disagreed with any of your posts and the help that you give so freely, and take so much time to research. That's why I call you Waynecyclopedia because you go sooo far beyond the call of duty in search of detailed answers to questions.

Can we just go back to the teepee and clank a glass? I'm sure the gang will all howl at the very bright moon together.  

say... if the tail light housing studs are actually threaded.. looks like 1/4-20... if so.. add the ring terminal for the ground connector to the top of the nut thats holding it in.. and add an additional nut on top of the ring terminal..  so it will be nut.. ring terminal.. nut..  

this might also allow you to reinstall the foam mounting pads..  and have it all work...  

I know some folks hate these things.  I have a set on my '66.  I know it's a little "Blingy" but as there were 1.2 million of these things out there it does make it stand out a little from the regular "plain Jane".  I assume these are from Mustang project?  Mine were.  A couple of quick checks:  Check to make sure your 4-way flasher in OFF.  I found out that if the second flasher is out of the 4-ways and you turn the turn signal on it makes the lights work as 4-ways.  Second, if one rear light is not working unplug it and see if the other will function.  Check the lights to make sure the brake and tail lights are color coded correct.  Mine were reversed as to the stated color code on the wires.  I had to return my first set as they were defective.  

The first thing I would do is unplug the rear lights and see if the front will work. You might get a test light and then attach it to each light unplugged pig tail and see that you have light, brake and turn signal to each side.  If any of this doesn't work find the problem and get it right. Then plug in the one taillight that works and put the test lamp on the other and see if that works.  I found that grounds are a pain and the taillights ground via the studs that hold the lights in so make sure you have them CLEAN as Wayne says, you can run a wire from the stud to a good ground but you should find that out when you checked the "pigtails".  I've got a lot of other suggestions but try these first.  I have found the folks at Mustang Project are GREAT to work with and you can call them or email and they will be VERY helpful in trouble shooting.  Let me know how it goes!  Mel  

Guys,
I'm not ignoring you. I'm just in the middle of a kitchen renovation.

I tried some of Mel's and Wayne's suggestions. But I haven't been able to check voltages yet as I haven't started the car (due to no thermostat or thermostat housing).

Sooo, I have:
Unplugged the rear lights and the fronts work fine.
I tried the original bulbs (with the new flasher unit) and the rears didn't light up.
Tried the original bulbs (with the original flasher unit) and both rears lit up.
So I put the new flasher unit back in and the LED's and they both light up and sequence (in the same direction). But they stop working when I turn the headlights on.
I did make ground cables and attached them as Wayne suggested.

Mel, FYI, I don't have an emergency flasher on the car and yes my LED's came from Mustang Project. I think my next step is to contact them.

Will keep you posted.
CWT  

When you say they light up and sequence in the same direction, does that mean each tail light "flashes" from the center of the car to to the outside?  AND only when the appropriate turn signal is activated?  that's how it should work.  If they are both lit and running they are working in 4-way flasher mode.  Just for fun look in the glove box and make sure that there isn't a switch in there . . .  

Not to be a smart "elbow" but as the car isn't running and you have been playing with the lights . . . Is the battery charged up?  You might also check and see that the + post on the battery is CLEAN and cable is tight.  

A couple of things you might want to try . . . turn the lights on and see if you are getting lights on both sides.  Turn the lights off and step on the brake do both sides light?  Are they brighter then the running lights?  If yes to both, turn on the running lights, (both lit) now step on the brake does it work?  did the brighter brake lights come on?  Take your foot off and you should have just the running lights.  If these work it means your wired correctly!    If not let me know and I'll see if I can help you.  Mel  

Morning,
Mel, thanks for the reply. To clarify:

When I say light up and sequence, I mean when I signal (either left or right) BOTH sides come on and "flash" from left to right. It is as though they are working in 4 way flasher mode, but the front signals work correctly. Three way flasher???
Definitely no four way switch, as I have just replaced the glove box and light and there are no spare cables there.

Smart "elbows" are required for this.
The car does run, and battery was charged and is now connected to a charger. +ve is clean and tight.
Both headlights on = both taillights on
headlights on and brake pedal = taillights on (no difference in brightness)
headlights on and brake pedal and turn signal = taillights on (no difference in brightness, no signalling)
brakes = taillights on (no difference to the brightness compared to when headlights on)
left signal = both taillights on and "flashing" left to right
right signal = both taillights on and "flashing" left to right
either signal and brake = both taillights on and NO "flashing". Also noted that the flasher unit in the car stops making the "click"sound.

Hope this makes sense to you. Thanks for the help.
CWT

PS, when I said I was newbie to this motoring malarkie, I wasn't kidding. I was feeling really proud of putting my thermostat housing back together with no leaks. Until I found the thermostat next to my wrenches on the floor  Doh!!  

the 66 mustangs usually had the hazard flasher along with a hazard switch in the glove compartment..

look at your turn signal switch connector along the side of the column... are there additional wires going into several of the terminals on the car side of the harness when the hazard flasher harness is installed....   most of the cars were converted..
this seems to be a replacement.


now..  on the sequential direction of flashing...    flip the LED circuit board that is flashing in the wrong direction...   left should be   3, 2,1   and right 1, 2, 3...  only when the directional flashers are on...


perhaps you may still need to add a temporary ground connection...   strip back 2 inches of wire...   wrap it around the exposed brass sleeve sticking out of the tail light housing.. twist the end to the wire and then twist the whole wire to tighten the loop onto the brass sleeve...  now connect the end to a good ground connection.. perhaps under the trunk latch bolt..

see if the lamps now work right..

the TEST...

1. head lights on...   tail lights should be on dim....   Y or N...

2. headlights on.  step on brakes...  turn signal centered..   do both sides get BRIGHTER  Y or N...


3. headlights on..   foot on brakes...  turn signal in left position..     right brake light on bright. left sequencing    from the center out..

4.  head lights on.. foot on brakes...  turn signal in RIGHT position..  left brake light on bright.  right brake light sequencing..

5. headlights off..  left turn .. left side squencing..

6. headlights off.. right turn.. right side sequencing.

you can video record the back of the car.. and post it to your photobucket account.. showing how this is functioning.. .  

OK CWT.  Are you getting the "bright" lights in the tail light at any time?  to check the lights take them to the front of the car by the battery and (one at a time)take a couple of jumper wires (those guys with the alligator clips work great) put one between the mounting stud on the light and the - battery and then attach the other to the + side and then touch it to one of the leads from the light.  You should get it to light.  Then check the other lead and it should light.  One lead will be brighter, this is the stop / turn signal lead.  The dimmer one is the tail / running lights. MARK the wires so you know which is which.  Repeat for other light. Now go the the rear of the car with a test light and with the head lights on see which wire is live that is the one for the tail lights.  Turn off the lights, put the test light on the other wire step on the brake light and it should come on (bright).  Check both sides.  for scratches and giggles take the test light and attach it to the other (tail lights wire) LEAVE THE RUNNING LIGHTS OFF, step on the brake and you should have NO LIGHT.  

All of this assumes the lights (tail, brake and turn signals) were functioning correctly when you had the stock tail lights in?  Please advise what you find.  Mel  

Hi guys, I'm back.

So I had a little success today.

Wayne,
There are no additonal wires going into terminals on the column. As far as I can tell, it is just the wires from the horn and turn switch. So in my limited experience I would say there is no 4way flasher.

I did the test you suggested Mel. I connected the alligator clip from -ve battery to a mounting stud, and connected the +ve to one of the leads from the light. The first worked as you said it would (one lead dimmer than the other). With the second light, it was the same brightness from either lead. So I am thinking that might be a problem.

I didn't have a test light, so I just connected it all together.
I posted a video of what it looks like now. It can be found here  http://s1069.photobucket.com/albums/u476/100weight/?action=view¤t=taillightsvideo.mp4.

Not sure if you can hear the sound, but the test in order was
left turn
right turn
brakes
headlights
headlights and brakes
headlights and left turn
headlights and right turn
headlights, brakes and right turn
headlights, brakes and left turn

I didn't do the brakes and left/right turn but that works the same as headlights and left/right turn.

Thanks
CWT  

that just does not look right...

 

YES the second light which has no difference in brightness IS A BIG PROBLEM.  If I had to guess I would say the light on the left side of the video is to one which works correctly and the right is the one with no brightness difference. . . Also is the light on the right turned upside down?  It is flashing in the wrong direction!  If it were me I would connect the current left light to the right side and see if it functions correctly (flashes >>> )  When in the left position it should flash <<< so . . . looking at the rear you should see <<<  >>>  with the turn signals.  I think you have a defective unit.  I would contact the guys at Mustang Project and have them look at your video.  You may need a new light for the one with no difference in brightness.  Keep us posted!  Mel