light
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 129
Likes: 0
light
This seems like a simple question and I am sure it is to some people on this site. I took off my hood awhile back when I was putting my new motor in and every since then I cannot get that light attached on the inside of the hood to come on. I am almost 100% positve it is not the bulb. What activates this light to come on? Why won't it come on? thanks.
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,297
Likes: 3
From: Billings MT
light
There is the little black box, for lack of a better description that the wire plugs into and the light bulb is on the opposite side that controls the light. When that switch is placed in a near horizontal level, it shuts off, and vica-versa. I was used to GM things and I was like a little kid that would watch the light in the refrigerator go off as you shut the door when I figured it out. If your bulb is good, check a manual and see if it tells you how to check that. I would think that one wire will always be hot with this setup. If it isn't it may be something else.
Let me know if this sheds any light on the subject.
No pun intended.
Let me know if this sheds any light on the subject.
No pun intended.
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 14,947
Likes: 6
From: Topsfield, MA
light
I think there is a little mercury in there that activates the light when it is tilted. A lot of times the whole thing is corroded. Pull the bulb out and see if the terminal is corroded. Then check the plug on the other side.
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 129
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light
I went out to my truck justnow and none of the wires or connectors are corroded. I rigged up a little thing with a light real fast and a green wire with a yellow stipe is hot so everything seems ok except the light bulb or the switch. I assume the switch but I guess it could be the bulb. Thanks for the help.
Junior User
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 54
Likes: 0
From: Colorado
light
The two terminals where the bulb plugs in has a tendency to corrode inside where you can't see it. I just went through the same problem with mine, and since the feed line was hot, it had to be in the receptacle. I opened it up, and sure enough, the terminals at the base were completely broken apart from corrosion. They get that bad, just taking a burned bulb out (let alone normal road travel) will break the terminal. You won't see it, it looks normal when you look inside, but the housing is so restricted, the parts can't really move around in there.
Yelrihseam
Yelrihseam
Junior User
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 54
Likes: 0
From: Colorado
light
I was cruising down the road when I passed the dealer. I stopped and priced out the part. I figured that getting one from a junk yard was no go, since it's probably close to the same condition. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was $8.53 complete, be in the next day ( it was) and put it back together. I had to remind the parts guy that it was an option on the vehicle, because at first he couldn't find the part. I figure I got off cheap ( about the price of a gallon of gas by next year) until my wife started looking at new pick'em ups for herself. I'm prayin' she goes for the new lightning, but she's got her heart set on 4-wheel drive.
Yelrihseam
P.S. my vehicle is a '93- I don't know about availability for yours. If you can find a newer vehicle with one, and see if they match.
Yelrihseam
P.S. my vehicle is a '93- I don't know about availability for yours. If you can find a newer vehicle with one, and see if they match.
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Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 129
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light
When you say you put it back together what do you mean? I just thought you would just have to plug the new one back in. just curious. I agree gas prices are outragouse. I'm seventeen and low on money. It's starting to **** me off! 
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Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 9,987
Likes: 7
From: Memphis, TN
light
There was a variety of underhood lights used - in the early 80s, it was a cool ITT reel light; later, it was a Ford plastic bulb holder with the tilt switch built in; the one jbalestri described uses a remote tilt switch going to a bulb holder with a metal reflector. You can put any of them on your truck, but I recommend the reel light. Its self-retracting cable will reach to the back of the truck, and it has a plastic magnet on the bulb holder so you can stick it to the quarter panel while you change a rear tire at night. I put an extra one in my truck so the whole engine compartment is illuminated.
The tilt switch in the reel light is just a BB inside a metal cell - I doubt they'd used Mercury, for several reasons.
The tilt switch in the reel light is just a BB inside a metal cell - I doubt they'd used Mercury, for several reasons.
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 9,987
Likes: 7
From: Memphis, TN
light
No, but I have 2 in my truck and one in a box in the garage. The boxed one came from a late-80s Jeep (the cheap 4-door thing; Cherokee?) - they used the same light with a different connector. You can find the reels on many early-80s Ford trucks, so check the yards or maybe eBay.
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 9,987
Likes: 7
From: Memphis, TN
light
The standard reel light mounts on the passenger side of the hood, but uses that connector by the driver's hinge, so there's a power wire running all the way across the bottom edge. It's easy to splice another light into that wire.
