Topic: tail light wiring help!!!

[caldwell636]

I need some help with my tail lights on my 1980 1st gen. Trying to figure out the wiring scheme from the power source to the lights. I have a short somewhere, i've traced the wires back to the battery source and the only probable source is the collector like thing next to the battery.

I might as well buy a new harness but can I find a new collector thing?? I'm lost when it comes to wiring so any help would be appreciated.

[WHITE_TRASH]

WTF are you talking about?  Collector thing? HUH?? 

[jimbo74]

you mean the wiring harness that goes to the fusebox? the fusebox is the only thing that powers the lights and it gets its power from the battery

[caldwell636 [OP]]

i dont know the technical term for it ... it looks like an in-line fuse sorta thing
when i move it around the lights go on and off

[KDXSR5]

[WHITE_TRASH]

Lemme guess its a white plug near the battery and the wire from it goes to the fuse bow mounted on the fenderwell?  If so cut that connector off and connect that wire directly to the battery.  Those connectors corrode badly over time and begin to short out as you've found.

[RN37DD]

i think those are part of the fusible link connection, the ones on my 79 were cut off and replaced with in-line fuse's long ago.

[caldwell636 [OP]]

thanks for the help ... i'll try it and see if it works