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Rear end lights question

Posted by robieusa

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Rear end lights question #1
robieusa Robert Flynn Lexington, KY, USA 1973 MG MGB	Posted: June 17, 2012 05:09AM Registered: 5 years ago Posts: 642

A question on here made me think to test out my headlights yesterday. I never need them, driving only in daylight.

BUT... in testing out all the lights, I got myself confused. Does anyone have pics of how the lights at the rear should light up in the following situations:

1) With Headlights on...what do the running lights look like?
2) Brake light only lit up

When my headlights are on, what appear tp be running lights are the same as the brakes. With headlights on, you can't tell when I press the brakes. Dangerous. Guess it'sgood I don;tdrive at night.

The PO did a number on wiring that I continue to work through. WOnddering if maybe he had the brake/running lights screwed up.

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Re: Rear end lights question #2
Jim K James A. Krasnansky Liberty, KY, USA 1970 MG MGB GT "Chloe" 1971 MG MGB GT "Roscoe" 1972 MG MGB "Camilla"	Posted: June 17, 2012 05:18AM Registered: 9 years ago Posts: 8,012

http://www.advanceautowire.com/mgb.pdf

Robert -
Do you have the wiring diagram?

I'm in Casey County - maybe I could swing up to Lex sometime.

Jim K is a grease-stained wretch

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Re: Rear end lights question #3
robieusa Robert Flynn Lexington, KY, USA 1973 MG MGB	Posted: June 17, 2012 05:27AM Registered: 5 years ago Posts: 642

Yes. I want to see pics of how the lights ought to behave though.

PO altered wiring so much that the diagrams are now marginal reference points. Will eventually get it right by the diagrams, but, short term just want to see if I can ensure brake lights work as designed with headlights on.

A pic is worth many posts , I guess.

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Re: Rear end lights question #4
robieusa Robert Flynn Lexington, KY, USA 1973 MG MGB	Posted: June 17, 2012 05:36AM Registered: 5 years ago Posts: 642

Jim. Just saw your comment that you're in Casey County. If you know a bit about wiring and are ever willing to help, I'd fire up the BBQ and pay you with food!

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Re: Rear end lights question #5
rrmgb robert schau Reston, VA., USA 1973 MG MGB 1973 MG MGB	Posted: June 17, 2012 05:50AM Registered: 6 years ago Posts: 9,069

1) top red light should be lit
2) top red light should be on.

It is a 2 filament bulb. If lights are on and brake is applied, the light gets brighter (both filaments glowing).
Check to see if you have the correct/working bulbs.
Standing outside the car w/driver's door open and one foot on the pedal, you can see if the brake lights (ign. on) are working in either situation.

When did you move to KY from Chicago?
RS

"It is a mistake to try to look too far ahead. The chain of destiny can only be grasped one link at a time."
Sir Winston Churchill
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"It all starts in your mind's eye, then it goes to your heart
and finally to your very soul."
G.S.George PHD

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Re: Rear end lights question #6
robieusa Robert Flynn Lexington, KY, USA 1973 MG MGB	Posted: June 17, 2012 05:56AM Registered: 5 years ago Posts: 642

Robert:

Ah. The old 2 filament bulb trick. Will check that out as it seems the likely cause.

I took a job in Lexington 2 years ago, and was commuting back & forth for over a year. Moved here entirely in February, though I still have my house in Chicago if things change. Much better driving weather & roads down here, though.

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Re: Rear end lights question #7
astbury Mark Astbury Rye, NY, USA 1966 MG MGB "Megan B"	Posted: June 17, 2012 08:24AM Registered: 2 years ago Posts: 377

In reply to # 2095753 by robieusa
When my headlights are on, what appear tp be running lights are the same as the brakes. With headlights on, you can't tell when I press the brakes. Dangerous. Guess it'sgood I don;tdrive at night.

Hi Robert - as the other Robert said, it's a two filiament bulb and the brake filiament is appreciably brighter than the regular light filiament.

You could have a ground problem at the lights. My rear lamp base on the left side wasn't grounded properly to the chassis which resulted in some pretty strange behavior when depressing the brake and/or using the turn signal if the lights were on.

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Re: Rear end lights question #8
robieusa Robert Flynn Lexington, KY, USA 1973 MG MGB	Posted: June 17, 2012 01:44PM Registered: 5 years ago Posts: 642

OK. So I checked the lights again this afternoon. Made sure I had dual filament bulbs; yep, I do ibdeed . Tested rear brake lights with headlights on. They work properly.

Another case of electrical voodoo.

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Re: Rear end lights question #9
Davew70mgb Dave Windisch Iowa, USA 1970 MG MGB 1972 MG MGB	Posted: June 17, 2012 01:55PM Registered: 7 years ago Posts: 87

As noted previously, it is a 2 filament bulb with one brighter than the other. You have to make sure that the brighter filament is wired to the stop circuit and the dimmer filament is on the taillight circuit. It's easy to get it backwards.

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