Tail lights not working help

[Bunker45]

i am new to e bodies and new to electrical also. I have a 74 barracuda. All turn signals work, headlights work also. At night though, I have no tail lights or parking/ fog lights, the brake and turn signals still work. Any advice as to where to start looking to fix this problem would be greatly appreciated!

 

[aussiemark]

Get a wiring diagram and start at the beginning of the circuit and work your way to the end with a test light checking for power. When you have power on one side of a component but not on the other you've found the fault, check you have power to the fuse, out of the fuse, to the switch, out of the switch, and so on. It could be a fuse, faulty switch, faulty connection, bad earth, broken wire but you won't know until you follow the power and find out where it stops.

 

[jimynick]

That's damn good advice. The FSM has dozens of pages of wiring schematics that show every circuit in the car. Don't ignore the chance that all the bulbs are bad and don't ask me how I know that, either.

 

[moparleo]

Welcome to the world of E-bodies. Electrical : Poor grounds and connections. Do your self a favor and just get this problem out of the way. Get some contact cleaner, dielectric grease, small s/s brushes and some 12/14 gauge wire. Also high quality( no imports) light bulbs. Test light. Start at one end of the car and work your way to the other. Unplug, spray with contact leaner, lightly brush connection if needed. Apply dielectric grease to connector or bulb socket,. Install new bulb and move on. This will take time but it is time well spent. Otherwise you will spend a lot of time chasing electrical gremlins forever.

 

[Chryco Psycho]

if you have power to the light socket the problem is generally ground , the taillight housing Has to ground to the body , this is the first place i would look

 

[quapman]

Grounding the t/l housings on a 74 cuda will be a good trick since they're plastic.

The sockets have small tabs that hang off them where the ground wires are crimped. Mine were down to just a few strands still hanging on. For now, I attached the grounds to the sockets with small hose clamps. I'll replace the sockets or solder the wires to the sockets when I get some time.

 

[73Barracuda]

If it's not to late here are the diagrams I have
been using.