Can anyone help w/electric problem?

ericarand

I have a 1972 chevelle and the dashlights,taillights, and running lights all went out at once. I changed all the bulbs, fuses, changed the headlight switch and turn signal switch, and they still dont work. I'm out of ideas of what might be wrong with it. Please can anybody help give me any ideas?

0patience

Is there power to the sockets.
If there isn't, then the plug in may not be making connection to the printed circuit or the plastic is cracked. See if you have power to the sockets. If you do, then check to see if you have a good ground.

Mr_Shiftright

Sometimes on these old cars people install a battery cable with a smaller pigtail coming off the positive terminal, and this runs the lights independently. See if there is some wire coming off the positive battery terminal or some Mickey Mouse wiring under the hood.

It sounds like you have lost some main artery for power.

check and see if your fuses are even getting current.

swschrad

you will have to work back from the battery with a 12-volt test light to find the location in which it died.

moonshadow

I have had experience with wiring probs on older cars where the wires that run under the carpet get crushed, or the splices in these harness get corroded and eaten away by trapped moisture.

One prob was where the drivers left foot heal rested on the carpet. After 20 years of heal pressure several wires were broken. Not the insulation but the actual internal wire. If you suspect a pinched wire, grab the insulation and pull lightly. If the insulation stretches, then you have a broken wire.

0patience

I think swscrad may have hit it pretty good.
I misread the original post thinking he had power at the fuses, when it said they only replaced the fuses, not checked for power.
So if there is no power to the fuses, then it would definitely be a fusible link and on the Chevelle, they came off the starter solenoid and ran right by the exhaust and after 30 years, it wouldn't surprise me to see them start going bad.

desi501

I know it seems obvious but you never mentioned fuses at all. If I remember correctly all of those things are on the same circuit. You could have a fuse box problem with corrosion or wiring. If your just blowing fuses, that opens up all kinds of possibilities.