grounding problem??

[69chargerdad]

  I think it's a grounding problem but i'm not sure.  When i turn on either turn signal  the all the lights dim with the signal .  including the dome , headlights , taillights and parking lights.   We have new battery cables,  a new grounding wire to the fire wall , we wirebrushed the 6 lightsockets in the tail lights, that helped those lights,  i drove a self taping bolt through the dash bracket into the body frame behind the kick panel, removed the paint behind the grounding wire on the firewall, the engine, the 2 grounding wires up front that are behind the headlights,and the 2 hood signals.   Where else can i look to fix this problem?     OR maybe could it be something else???    could it be the turn signal in the steering wheel ?  or the flasher ?    or ??   We've spent over 3 years restoring this car and the plan is to fire the bad boy up this weekend  for the first time, but i would like to fix this problem first.   any ideas ??      Ken and marcus

[Rick Keesler]

Do you have a ground wire from the steering column to the dash frame?

There should be a small black wire about 4"-5" long with eye loops on each end from the tube housing of the steering column to the bottom of the dash frame. Bet this little wire will solve most, if not all, of your symptoms.

[71_deputy]

good ground from engine to battery?

is the engine running??  check the volts off the alt when running and engine speed up around 1000 rpm's- should be above 14 volts

[Nacho-RT74]

is pretty normal to have a small dimming on dome light when hazzard since use the same wire source, and hazzard uses A LOT of power, that regulator doesn't have time to get back for the instant hazzard is flashing on.

Regulator sends charge order once it senses some decay on power, but flash on is too quick to charge for that instant.

[69chargerdad]

     Rick  I don't think we have that wire ,  I'll hook one up wed. night.   71,   deputy,   yes new ground wire to battery,  Ken

[Nacho-RT74]

None part of steering colum, except the horn switch ( and ignition key courtesy light on 70 and laters ), use ground, so beside maybe a better HORN function, won't have any difference on turning switch or similars with that wire... anyway, is better install it.

[69chargerdad]

    I put a wire on the steering colum  and the dash    same thing   lights still dim  any other ideas???     Ken

[Rick Keesler]

 .......

If you've never fired the car up and had the engine running since restoration, and you've been doing numerous lights on-lights off testing, are you sure the battery is up to full normal charge?

Do you have a lead coming out of the forward light harness with a 1/4" eyeloop that attaches to the radiator support with a 1/4" bolt in the vicinity of the battery tray? This is a ground for the forward light circut.

Are all of the lights(head lights, tail lights, dome light) on when you use the turn signal with the motor not running?

Are you lights normal brightness when you're not using the turn signal?

And lastly, is the turn signal switch the original that came with the car or a new replacement installed when you restored it?

[Nacho-RT74]

as I stated...

rusted, dirty, loosen conectors at bulkhead. ( or anywhere, but tipically at bulkhead )

Is with engine running ? when you press gas pedal do you have dimming ? I mean normally, not only with flasher lights function.

remember... with hazzard you will have dome dimming at dome light with original Mopar charging system, also maybe sometimes with turn signals