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Discussion Topic:
40 Mercury Cowl Wiring (Part II)
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TomO |
11-29-2011 @ 9:16 AM
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Senior
Posts: 7250
Joined: Oct 2009
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Enjoy your ride, thanks for the update.
Tom
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rradar |
11-28-2011 @ 8:38 PM
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Member
Posts: 44
Joined: Nov 2009
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The weather warmed up and we came back to the underdash wiring project!! Installed the CB supplied by a parts dealer here in Oregon. But just hooked it up without mounting it to the firewall in case it didn't work. Well, fortunately, when we got it together and connected the battery everything worked!!! So we mounted the CB to the firewall and it still worked. So now we have lights!! Have a few auxiliary wires to hook up and this project will be done!!! Thanks again Tom for your helpful advice and encouragement--it is great to know there are some good V8-er folks who will come through when you need them. Will now take the 40 Mercury out for a test drive and see if everything still checks out. Radar
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TomO |
11-16-2011 @ 7:14 AM
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Senior
Posts: 7250
Joined: Oct 2009
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Just come back with the solution or more questions when you are ready.
Tom
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rradar |
11-15-2011 @ 3:44 PM
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Member
Posts: 44
Joined: Nov 2009
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Thanks Tom, Will have to suspend this project for a warmer day. Planning to go ahead and install the replacement CB and just try your ideas. What puzzles me is the CB I took out seemed to be OK. But, will have to have someone who is electrical test it for sure. Radar
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TomO |
11-14-2011 @ 9:48 AM
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Senior
Posts: 7250
Joined: Oct 2009
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Rradar, does the dome light work? Do the stop lights work? If these all work, the CB is good. Do the parking lights and tail lights work when the light switch is pulled out to the first position? If they do, you have voltage to the switch. If not, then check all of the bullet connectors going to the light switch, paying special attention to the yellow and red wire. Do the tail lights work when the switch is pulled all of the way out? if they do then check the wiring at the dimmer switch or the dimmer switch itself.
Tom
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rradar |
11-12-2011 @ 4:26 PM
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Member
Posts: 44
Joined: Nov 2009
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OK, here is the latest from under the Mercury dashboard. The circuit breaker arrived and we tested it to be sure that was functioning. Just hooked a lightwire up to one terminal and touched the other terminal to a battery connection. The light went on so we thought the CB was good. Now here is the puzzle. We took the old CB out and did the same thing with it. It functioned just like the replacement CB. So, looks like we don't need to replace the CB. But can't figure out where the power is lost from the new loom to the lights. Could the light switch be bad or some connection not right?? My helper (my wife) has lost faith we will ever get this wiring right. Since she has to get under the dash, she rules the underdash world for the moment!! More about this when we recover from our neck pains!! Radar
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TomO |
11-07-2011 @ 9:17 AM
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Senior
Posts: 7250
Joined: Oct 2009
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Thanks for the update.
Tom
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rradar |
11-05-2011 @ 1:33 PM
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Member
Posts: 44
Joined: Nov 2009
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Located a tester that has a voltmeter function. Had helper get under dash and check connections. Found that the circuit breaker had an open circuit. (Power to one side but not the other) So concluded that the circuit breaker is defective. Ordering this item turned out to be more challenging than the search for the lighting problem. It seems that there are plenty of circuit breakers for 41-48 model Ford and Mercurys but not for the 1940 models. Did locate one in Salem, Oregon and ordered it. The project is now on hold until the circuit breaker arrives. Radar
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rradar |
10-29-2011 @ 4:36 PM
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Member
Posts: 44
Joined: Nov 2009
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Thanks Tom, It was helpful to have your input. Will need to get that volt meter so that I can follow up on your suggestions. The Mercury is a very original car. It is a pleasure to own it and I am looking forward getting it out on the road to enjoy driving it. Will post again when I've found out what is causing the lighting problem. Radar
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TomO |
10-29-2011 @ 7:29 AM
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Senior
Posts: 7250
Joined: Oct 2009
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Radar, Looking at the back of the ignition switch, the Batt terminal is the top one, the coil term is on the right and the gauge terminal is on the left. You can transpose the gauge and coil terminal wires, but you may lose some reliability. The coil terminal has a larger contact surface for the brush than the gauge terminal. I would suggest that you go to Radio Shack and buy an analog (the one with the needle) voltmeter. Buy the one with the largest face that you can afford. You will find this tool very useful for trouble shooting electrical problems. The meter is more useful than a test light and the purchase price is not that much more. Your parking lights and tail lights are powered directly from the dash switch. If they work, your wiring to the switch is correct. If they do not work check the yellow and red wire from the circuit breaker is going to the Yellow/Red wire on the switch. Make sure that the wire from the circuit breaker is pushed fin the bullet connector far enogh to make good contact. If they work, check the wiring to the dimmer switch and the dimmer switch itself. You will need a voltmeter to check this out. Measure the voltage going into the switch at the Yellow/Black wire and the output at each of the other terminals.
Tom
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