300 series rear lights issues

[newoldvolvo]

Hello out there

Last summer me and my mate, Terzoed ( read his post on our 164 project ) picked up a couple of project cars that really should be running by now so I am looking for advice and tips to get the other half of our project fleet a shiny new MOT certificate.

It is a 1983 build , 84 registered 360 GLS that all but passed an MOT, bar a couple of lighting niggles.

The first was a cruddy headlamp - now replaced, the second was lights failing on the nearside rear light cluster. I have changed the bulbs on the tail light and indicator but I am still having issues. One of the tailight bulbs is prone to faltering, but it is the nearside rear indicator that is the real bugbear. I have cleaned the contacts with a wire brush and checked the wiring. power is there,The bulbs work if I hold them against the thin metal contact strip fitted to the tailight cluster,.but it still refuses to go once mounted in place.

I am guessing it is the small plastic connector the light bulb sits in, that is causing the problem - can you get replacements? my only other thought ( I don't have many, my ambition is to be a goldfish ) is to try a tinfoil bodge.

I had a look at the rear drivers side indicator, as this was working fine, and lo and behold once I returned it to its mounting this too stopped working, although it eventually responded to crude Anglo Saxon encouragement.

Any suggestions - rude or otherwise are most welcome we would love to get the 360 through the MOT so we can take it to our local meet.

[petefarrell360]

Hi, the most likely problem is the common earth strip that the lights use, make sure this is clean where the contact points are. The plastic bulb holders do suffer from dirty contacts, so cleaning these will help, which you appear to have already done, they can be temperamental, but don't rule out the bulb either, even with it being new, I had an issue which luckily I worked out quite quickly as I began to suspect the new bulb as being faulty, which it was!

Have a look here on V3M, this is a good thread about the rear light earth.
http://www.volvo300mania.com/uk/foru...p?f=57&t=13873

Hope you get it sorted and can enjoy the 360 when it's MOT'd.

Pete

[TonyS9]

All the contacts on the earth strip and the bulb socket tend to get a bit corroded with copper compounds over the years. You need to roll up a bit of fine wet and dry and clean all the contact areas.

[newoldvolvo]

Thanks to petefarrel360 and Tony S9 for their advice. An update for you is that the lights are up and running and I've splashed out on a new set of tyres all round ( They were borderline and starting to perish - I think they were the originals! ) and treated the car to an oil change and filter. car is at the testing station as we speak

[360beast]

That's great news, do you have any photos of your 360? You could start a thread in the showroom section.

[newoldvolvo]

Hi 360Beast

Thanks for your interest.

Yes I do have a few of it being fixed up as it was standing for some time before we bought it. My plan is to take it down the local Volvo dealer and take some new pics of it there now its back on the road. I will stick one on there as soon as it's done.

Mot passed with no advisories. I am sure I can find things to tinker with, would quite like to do a poly bush kit at some point but now we have to push on with our other project, A 1969 164.