One for sparky (electrical)

[Flymanj3]

The large white light (turn signal corner light) on my 86 caddy won't work.

1 - bulb good
2 - socket tested good
3 - Stripped wires and I have 13+vdc when I am suppose to (only when turn signal is on)
4 - Put the bare bulb to bare wires... NOTHING !!!!!

WTF !!!

Everything tests good and looks like it should work but won't. Any ideas.

Oh, inspection due in a few days

[hotroddwayne]

They shouldn't ding you for that light in an inspection since it's a "corner illumination light" & not a turn signal. The actual socket itself should be the ground, so if you have 13 volts DC at the pin it's probably a bad ground. I'm assuming you have the plastic "twist-in" sockets, so determine which wire is the ground & check that pin to ground doing a continuity test. If you're using a digital meter the display should change from "OL" to an actual number when going from the ground pin to a known good ground. If you don't get continuity then cut the ground wire & run it to a known good ground.
If it tests the ground is good, use fine sandpaper to clean the inside socket surface. Also, if it's a single element socket, don't use a dual element bulb like an 1157 with 2 connectors on the bottom of it. You can also sand the bulb... sand the brass side & the pin @ the bottom, also the socket pin. Any little bit of corrosion or normal wear from arcing will cause a bad connection.

[Flymanj3]

Thanks for the reply HRW,
Yep, did all that. Bulb is new 1156 so no corrosion, socket has its own ground wire (black) and I also test grounded the bulb to the chassis, all continuity testing looks good, power testing looks good, etc.
I'm usually pretty good with electrical - this is why this is giving me the Red A$$... everything SHOULD work, but the damn light still won't light.
I was also thinking the system may be in a loop (BTW - BOTH sides are out) which is giving me a false power reading but I don't have / can't find any good wiring schematics to check it out.
Was also thinking the Amps may low or shorted somehow, but with the voltage correct, I don't know.

I can live without them...I'm just hopeful you're right about not needed to pass insp.

[Flymanj3]

Well, double checked the ground by hot wiring the +... bulb lights. The problem must be in the turn signal switch itself, but still can't figure out why I have 13 volts to the hot while the bulb does nothing.
Anyway, who cares... the garage either didn't notice or didn't care - the coach PASSED inspection !!!

[pyro]

possibly a short between the ground & power