Hi Tom, You are making a very good point here!! I do live in a very moist climate (I always have two moist absorbers in the car, 1 in the trunk and one under the front seat to absorb as much moisture as possible). I never realised however that the attachment of the fixture itself must maintain infinite resistance, but ofcourse you are right here!! The connection to ground must be make by means of a yellow wire and not because of the fact that the fixture is connected to ground.. And I agree completely with you that frayed insulation on a yellow wire must be the only remaining option if the fixture attachment is not at fault!! Thanks very much for your input, I will check it out as soon as weather permits here ! Robert van der Es Op Wo, 18 oktober, 2006 6:38 pm, schreef tom higgins: > Are you in a moist climate or environment? Water accumulated between the > fixture and the underside of the roof or within the fixture itself could > make this happen. The attachment of the fixture to the roof must > maintain infinte resistance; whatever insulating material exists in this > area is critical. Otherwise, frayed insulation on a yellow wire as it > passes near metal through a bulkhead seems the only remaining > explanation. --Tom > > Rob van der Es <r.vdes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > OK Paul, > > > Thanks for your very clear explanation (as always!) Here is the situation > and my opinion (please correct me if I am wrong..): There is a purple > wire running through the dome light, this is the positive 12 volt wire > that is going to the bulb. To complete the circuit (and make the domelight > working) we need a ground. This ground is supplied by a couple of yellow > wires, 2 of them are coming from the rear door switches and one is > coming from the manual switch in the headliner. > > Even with these 3 wires disconnected from their switches, the light still > shines at half power or so. > > So something is providing ground to this circuit.. Richard Burgess was so > kind to point me at two connection points were those yellow wires come > togehter, one is at the left rear wheel well and the other is under the > headliner close to the manual switch. > > I couldn't find anything wrong with the connection point at the rear > wheel well so I guess the yellow wiring under the headliner is at fault > here? Maybe this connection point is grounded somehow?? > > > Strangely enough when I remove the bulb, to prevent that my battery is > running flat, and place it back after a couple of days everything seems to > be normal again. The light only comes on then when a backdoor is openend > or the manual switch is operated, but after half an hour or so the bulb > is shining continuously again at half power.. > > Talking about electric gremlins!! > > > Any thoughts, anyone....??? > > > > Thanks again, > > > > Robert > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Op Wo, 18 oktober, 2006 1:37 pm, schreef randalpark@xxxxxxx: > >> I really think that this dome light issue is related to some kind of an >> electrical short circuit. It has been explained that this light comes >> on even if the doors and light switch are not activated. That means that >> the circuit is being completed someplace else. It has to be, or the >> light can't work. I know it sounds wierd, but this short might not be in >> the wiring to the light itself. >> >> A simliar situation in my '48 Lincoln Continental resulted from a >> grounded wire under the dash. In this case, the dome light became >> brighter as I increased the engine RPMs. At one point, it would go out >> until the RPMs fell back down to that level. I haven't mentioned this >> previously because the car is six volt positive ground. Nonetheless, it >> takes a completed circuit to make the light come on. Once I found the >> short, the light functioned normally, and so did the rest of the car. >> >> Paul W. >> >> >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: r.vdes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >> To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >> Sent: Wed, 18 Oct 2006 1:30 AM >> Subject: Re: IML: Progress of a sort on the '60 LeCrown >> >> >> >> >> Hi John, >> >> >> >> Thanks a lot for your kind suggestion! >> I will check the fusebox then to see if something is wrong there. >> Might well be the case, cause about the same time my dome light stays on >> at half power my wiper motor stopped working... Might be an >> coincidence, but who knows? >> >> I will check out the fusebox this weekend! >> >> >> >> Thanks, >> >> >> >> Robert >> >> >> >> >> Op Wo, 18 oktober, 2006 4:09 am, schreef john sadowski: >> >> >>> The dome light at half power sounds like a fuse is bad. On my first >>> 63, >>> I >>> had an 8 track player mounted directly below the fuses. Well , one day >>> the dome light wouldn't go out & it was shining less then full >>> power. Opening the doors caused the problem to move to the map light. >>> After >>> nearly pulling my hair out, I discovered the bad fuse. I put the 8 >>> track back in the same place & it happened again. After the 2nd time, >>> I >>> relocated the 8 track & no further problem. John ----- Original >>> Message >>> ----- >>> From: richard burgess >>> To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >>> Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2006 7:24 AM >>> Subject: Re: IML: Progress of a sort on the '60 LeCrown >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> Hey Everyone, >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> Since we're all chiming in on our '60s I thought I would throw in >>> another update. >>> >>> If you have paid attention to the saga, a big milestone has been >>> made. I >>> have a brand new correct windshield installed, finally! It's so >>> beauutiful. I have most of the stainless back on but of course had >>> one of the header clips break. Fortunately I have had parts cars. The >>> trim slid around a bit so it took a couple tries to get everything >>> rights. I am ready to install the dynamat insulation on the roof and >>> begin windlacing installation. I have started installing >>> weatherstripping on the doors. I seriously wonder how well these cars >>> were sealed in the first place. The original weatherstripping was >>> crushed in many places leading me to believe it never quite went the >>> direction it was intended even when new. As soon as the headliner >>> goes in I can start on the carpet and installing the interior which is >>> already finished. >>> >>> The engine and transmission have now both been overhauled a second >>> time due to botched work the first time. My Dad is coming down next >>> week and we are going to get the drivetrain installed. This should all >>> go very qwickly as we have now done it once before! I really plan on >>> finishing the car sometime next Spring. this is my fourth year in >>> this frame up restoration. We are then going to get the front >>> sheetmetal on. >>> >>> >>> Then the real troubleshootinng can begin. Once everything is hooked >>> up I >>> can see what does and does not work. I have laboriously added a >>> factory original power lock system from a parts car using the original >>> wiring harness and nos transformers. I still need one actuator for the >>> driver's door. It will be things like this that I am dying to know >>> if they actually work. >>> >>> It's going to be looking like a car again soon! >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> Richard Burgess >>> '60 Crown >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> Rob van der Es wrote: >>> Hi Donn, >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> Ahhh, the joys of owning and maintaining a 1960 Imperial... >>> Been there, done that and as a matter of fact.. Still do!! >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> Isn't it great fun to find yourself under the dash upside down (not >>> too easy when you are size XXL :) trying to repair something that is >>> hidden there? >>> >>> Right now I am trying to fix the wiper motor, it suddenly stopped >>> working and haven't found out yet what is wrong. Since both the switch >>> and the wiper motor are really hard to accesss this aint a job for >>> the faint hearted! >>> >>> Another problem is that the EL dash lighting system from time to time >>> fails to work, I have already thrown in a new (=rebuild) power pack >>> but the dash still gets dark every now and then (after a few days >>> everything is working again for an hour or so..) Must be one of the >>> gauges that is shorting out I guess, so in a short time I will finding >>> myself again under the dash pulling white leads from the gauges to >>> find out which one is guilty. >>> >>> Then we have the strange problem with the dome-light, it stays on >>> when the doors are closed.. And even stranger it shines it's light at >>> half power or so. There must be a shortcircuit to ground (and no, the >>> doorswitches are ok and so is the manual switch: with all those >>> switches disconnected the dome light is still working at half >>> power..) but I haven't found out yet where. >>> >>> I learned from Richard Burgess that there is a connectionpoint under >>> the headliner, running from the manual switch to the domelight and >>> then to left rear wheel well where it connected to the doorswitches, >>> so problably the shortcircuit is in this area... >>> >>> Apart from all these electrical problems (the electrical system of >>> the 60 >>> model year isn't of the same quality as the rest of the car if you ask >>> me) the car drives beautifully. Running strong and is shifting gears >>> perfectly, all I have to do in this aspect is to sort out a rough >>> idle. I >>> might be in for a new harmonic damper since the timing mark seems to >>> have slipped.. >>> >>> So enough work to do, but it is worth every minute of time that I >>> have spend so far to make the car better then it was before I bought >>> it:) It >>> is fun, and to see all those faces of people looking at a car that >>> they have never seen before...Well, it makes it all worth I guess! >>> >>> So Donn, keep up the good work and keep it runnin' >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> All the best, >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> Robert >>> 1960 Crown 4 door Hardtop >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> Op Di, 17 oktober, 2006 5:16 am, schreef Donn Reese: >>> >>> >>> >>>> In fits and starts the Imperial is getting more roadworthy, but >>>> good grief is it putting up a fight! Maybe it's just tired and WANTS >>>> to go sit in a pasture forever. I've certainly been ready to oblige >>>> a couple times recently. >>>> >>>> The heater fan was making a loud scraping noise and the heater >>>> control valve had been bypassed so I decided to pull the heater and >>>> at least fix the fan. I was surprised how easy the heater unit was >>>> to remove, just three screws. Turns out the plastic housing on the >>>> outside face of the squirrel cage had deformed inwards pressing >>>> against the squirrel cage itself. I used my heat gun to heat up the >>>> plastic then pushed the face out, reforming from a concave to a >>>> convex (btw, it's pretty crappy >>>> plastic). But it's much quieter now and I didn't have to cut a hole >>>> in the housing. >>>> >>>> With that fixed I removed the heater control valve and (assuming it >>>> was just froze up with corrosion) proceeded to lubricate it and >>>> get the valve working again. I reinstalled it and hooked up the >>>> heater hoses and fired up the car. That's when I found out why it >>>> had been bypassed, it leaks. Soooo, I bypassed it again and will >>>> have to scout around for a new one. >>>> >>>> >>>> I discovered the cause of the slow turn signals at idle that I >>>> reported here recently.....bad flasher. I put a new one in and now >>>> it works regardless of idle. Seems strange to me though. >>>> >>>> Amongst all of this, last week the speedometer started making a >>>> horrendous noise and the needle would jump around. The OIC archive >>>> came in handy, found the same symptoms there....who would have >>>> guessed you have to lubricate the speedo head periodically. >>>> Definitely a new >>>> one on me. Especially surprising considering they don't make it easy >>>> to get any of the instruments out to do any kind of maintenance. >>>> >>>> I made another little test run down the highway and back and >>>> everything seems to be fine for now. Let's hope it stays that way as >>>> we're now getting frost at night and working outside is getting >>>> chilly. >>>> >>>> Donn Reese >>>> 1960 Custom 4dr hdtp >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> ----------------- http://www.imperialclub.com ----------------- >>>> This message was sent to you by the Imperial Mailing List. Please >>>> reply to mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx and your response will be >>>> shared with everyone. Private messages (and attachments) for the >>>> Administrators >>>> should be sent to webmaster@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx To UN-SUBSCRIBE, go to >>>> http://imperialclub.com/unsubscribe.htm >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> ----------------- http://www.imperialclub.com ----------------- >>> This message was sent to you by the Imperial Mailing List. Please >>> reply to mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx and your response will be >>> shared with everyone. 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