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I am just finishing rewiring my 66 custom cab and checking out everything to see how well I did.
I notice that 1. the tail lights are continually lit when the ignition is on; and
2. the light switch heats up fairly hot when ever the ignition is in any position other than off?
The head lights aren't on when this heats up.
Rear signal lights and brake lights are working.
Everything else seems to be functioning properly.
Thank you.
heat usually means resistance, as in a dirty connection, or an intermittent short. I would check to see you have the same voltage going into the switch as you have coming out. Could be just a dirty switch, could be other issues, but thats where I would start. Spray electrical cleaners work good inside switches, And I have bent the little tabs away to take the thing apart to clean it up good.
I notice that 1. the tail lights are continually lit when the ignition is on;
With the original Ford wiring. The tail, park and headlights are only controlled by the headlight switch. The brake and turn are controlled by the turn switch with power coming from the ignition switch.
If you used some aftermarket wiring harness you need to call the manufacture.
I just used a universal 12 circuit fuse harness and rewired everything not included with new wiring and connectors, etc. as per the original wiring.
Thanks for the advice.
Hopefully you are using a Jim Osborn reproduction wiring diagram manual and not one of the online freebees. There are several of the online diagrams that have omissions and inaccuracies in them.
I think you have something crossed up somewhere with the switch going to ground if it is getting hot.
All of the original harnesses are re-produced with the original wire colors and are plug and play.
What I'd do is remove all connections going to the switch other than the power in from the battery on the 'B' terminal. Turn the key on and check if it gets hot. If it does get hot the switch might be grounding internally - a malfunction. If not, then add back in one thing at a time checking between each new addition. Once it gets hot, you'll know which connection it likely is. Might be a useful troubleshooting technique. A modified divide and conquer method. To be safe disconnect the battery negative terminal between each change.
Lead Driver
you are referring to the ignition switch correct and not removing the connections from the light switch that is heating up?
Also what is the TSS?
I have replaced the light switch with a new one and it is still heating up.
If it is the ignition switch you are referring to , what to do when the culprit is discovered?
Please forgive my ignorance.
Thanks for all advice.
Ah yes sorry, I was somehow thinking ignition switch. But you did say light switch. OK, well most light switches have a built-in rheostat. A rheostat in a headlight switch can generate heat under certain conditions.
The rheostat is a variable resistor that adjusts the brightness of dash lights by controlling the amount of electrical current flowing through the circuit. As it resists the flow of electricity, it dissipates some energy as heat. The amount of heat generated depends on several factors, such as the current passing through it, the resistance setting, and the efficiency of the rheostat's design.
If a rheostat is operating under normal conditions with moderate current, it should only produce a minimal amount of heat. However, if there's excessive resistance due to wear, poor connections, or an overloaded circuit, it might become noticeably warm or even hot. In some cases, prolonged high-resistance settings could lead to premature failure or damage to surrounding components.
Just a possibility. Not being there and trying to do armchair troubleshooting leaves a person at a great disadvantage.
eBay ad with a picture of just the rheostat separate from the rest of the switch. The coiled wire is the rheostat/resistor.
You have a wire crossed somewhere. Since your taillights are on when they should not be. Start with the #285 wire and trace it back. It should end up at the headlight switch. Since you used an aftermarket harness no telling what color the wire is. The only other wire that it should be connected to is the wire to the park lights.
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