It was fun, fun, fun.... but my lights now work fine. What did I learn?

1. Bulb condition: many of my bulbs were defective. Several globes twisted off the bases trying to remove them.

2. Dual filament bulbs must be installed properly. The pins must rest on the detent in the socket. Check the phenolic contact board to ensure it doesn't rotate out of line.

3. Cleanliness is next to godliness.. get those bulb sockets and connector contacts squeaky clean. which leads into ground connections:

4. Ground connections on the front signal and running lights must be according to the schematic and solid. A weak or switched ground on the turn signal will allow current flow through the running light circuit and every running light to flash. Make sure the black fround wire is on the CENTER terminal.

5. A good anti corrosion treatment is worth its weight in gold to preserve connections. I got some Penetrox B and have treated all my lighting connectors and bulb contacts and despite the heavy rain last night, all my lights are working correctly this morning for the first time in weeks!!!! Read Ron Kwas' dissertation on gas tight joint "GTJ" on his Website.

Thanks guys for the good advice.

Twombo

Isn't it amazing how many of our assumptions turn out to be wrong?
Especially the one made before taking things apart: "It looks OK, probably
IS OK......"
You can sure get some weird effects on Volvo lighting systems, much enhanced
by the invisible protective (nonconductive) film that seems to form so readily
on European electrical contacts. It's a wonder ANYTHING works!!

George

Ain't that the truth. Assume nothing!!!

Since you have an Amazon wagon. Are the tailight assemblies installed from the inside of the fender using two sheet, metal screws. I see the remains of two stripped out holes in the fender flange matching factory the holes in the reflector assembly itself. Then, of course, the whole thing is sealed off with the gasket and lens/bezel assy. I am thinking of using aluminum pop rivets...secure but easy to remove.

Twombo;

I suggest strongly against alu rivets...short of something which has gotten battery acid on it, I know NOTHING on a car will corrode faster than alu ...and then you'll be right back to some funky symptoms which a bad ground can result in...alu is about as "un-noble" as you can get...that's why it likes to turn to white dust!

Why not instead, add a short grounding-jumper from the rear reflector assy to the body...set-it, and forget-it!

Thanks also for reference.

Cheers

NO, Thank YOU!!!!

You have a great resource in your website! I stumbled across it just as I started to rehabilitate my long neglected wagon. When I have a queation I go first to your webpage, then ask questions as needed. You would be surprised the problems solved that I never have to ask for assistance with!!

Thanks Ron!

Yes, they are small, phillips head, very short sheetmetal screws, maybe #5 or 6.
If you can get sheetmetal screws that will both fit and bite, I think they would
be better from a grounding standpoint. I don't trust aluminum any farther than
I can throw an ingot. (at least not for electrical contact)

I got some fancy 316L stainless hardware I can draw upon. Photo processing chemicals don't phase it after 40 years.

OOPS!! Forgot about disimilar metal corrosion.

That is not as much of a problem as passivation - the extremely thin
Chrome oxide film that keeps it from corroding. If you keep that from forming,
it is no longer stainless.