Bad ground rear Cuda 71

Author Topic: Bad ground rear Cuda 71  (Read 2433 times)

Offline andben

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Bad ground rear Cuda 71
« on: April 22, 2015 - 04:49:06 AM »
Guys, I dont know how the rear brakelights and stuff ground to the chassi? Everything is painted like three times.
Can someone explain how to get better ground to the right and left parkbrake and reverse-light?

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Offline thedodgeboys

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Re: Bad ground rear Cuda 71
« Reply #1 on: April 22, 2015 - 07:42:24 AM »
1. Take your pocket knife or similar object and scrape away the paint around the socket area where the bolb plugs in.

2. Check your grounds off the motor to the body are they good?

3. Run a ground wire from the battery to the back of the car eather as a test or permanent solution.

Good luck.

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Offline Finoke

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Re: Bad ground rear Cuda 71
« Reply #2 on: April 22, 2015 - 10:10:10 AM »
The light socket is grounded by pushing it into the tail light housing.

The tail light housing is grounded because it's screwed to the body.

The body is grounded with the wire from your  radiator support to your negative terminal.

Clean all those connections with some fine sand paper.

It also helps to run an 8" ground wire from each tail lamp assembly directly to the body.

Offline 67vertman

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Re: Bad ground rear Cuda 71
« Reply #3 on: April 22, 2015 - 01:23:23 PM »
 :iagree:

All good suggestions and they should fix the issue you are having.

I run extra grounds on my, engine to frame, transmission to frame and rearend to frame to help eliminate grounding issues.



Ron - Born and raised in Southern California

I got the 1970 Cuda, but still need the hot blonde to ride shotgun!

First car -1969 Road Runner 383 4sp

Current ride - 1970 Barracuda 440-6 4 sp Dana 60  (4:10)

Offline ec_co

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Re: Bad ground rear Cuda 71
« Reply #4 on: April 22, 2015 - 01:29:51 PM »
you may also want to use some dielectric grease - electrically conductive and will help seal bare metal from rusting in the future
'70 Barracuda /6 3spd BH23C0E
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Offline HP_Cuda

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Re: Bad ground rear Cuda 71
« Reply #5 on: April 22, 2015 - 01:30:18 PM »
 :iagree:
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Offline andben

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Re: Bad ground rear Cuda 71
« Reply #6 on: April 29, 2015 - 05:41:24 AM »
The light socket is grounded by pushing it into the tail light housing.

The tail light housing is grounded because it's screwed to the body.

The body is grounded with the wire from your  radiator support to your negative terminal.

Clean all those connections with some fine sand paper.

It also helps to run an 8" ground wire from each tail lamp assembly directly to the body.

Yes lamp socket is grounded to the light housing.

Tail light housing is NOT screwed to the chassi anywhere on 71 cuda. Its monted with bolt from the outside part.. !?

I got good ground from BATT- to the chassi and big to motor, and motor to firewall.

I now run a small ground to the bolt/nut to the light houseing from chassi but it's doesnt look good :)

Appreciated guys!
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Offline Katfish

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Re: Bad ground rear Cuda 71
« Reply #7 on: April 29, 2015 - 06:22:59 AM »
Dielectric grease is a non-conductive, silicone grease designed to seal out moisture and, therefore, prevent corrosion on electrical connectors. Being non-conductive, it does not enhance the flow of electrical current.

Offline YO7_A66

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Re: Bad ground rear Cuda 71
« Reply #8 on: April 29, 2015 - 07:19:59 AM »
When I bought my 70 Challenger some 13 years ago, it was freshly painted from the previous owner. It was not driven much at that time and I had the same issues with the rear tail lights as you. I had to do the same as the others by adding an additional ground wire from the battery. I ran mine from the battery all the way back to the rear of the car. Then I ran a wire to each of the tail light housings, then one to the gas tank sending unit. Then last year I added an electric fuel pump and I used this same ground for the install.
 Adding this ground wire to the back of the car has taken care of all of my brake light issues and it made my gas tank sending unit more accurate to my gauge on the dash.