1950s 1955 clock wiring

[MickeyCaddy]

The clock in my 1955 Series 62 sedan has two wires on the one terminal; one wire is orange and the other is black, and both are somewhat brittle. While reinstalling my newly-rebuilt clock, the black wire broke off somewhere to the left rear of the glovebox; now the clock and its lights won't function.

The black wire looks like it used to run around the radio to parts unknown. Does anyone know what this wire is connected to? Thanks in advance.

[Cadillac Jack 82]

Black wire I believe is the ground.  It should be an easy fix.  Try to recrimp the connector back on the wire or source a new connector through:

https://www.ynzyesterdaysparts.com/?gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI1Z_mkqf6hgMVJczCBB0UwAjHEAAYASAAEgJuFvD_BwE

[MickeyCaddy]

To my knowledge there are no ground wires anywhere in a 1955. The entire body/chassis assembly is the ground; wherever electric power is needed, only one wire supplies it.

There's only one connection on the clock. It's a threaded stem with a locknut; the entire connector is insulated from the body of the clock (for obvious reasons).

I'm under the impression that both the orange wire (12v) and the black wire (?) connect to this terminal. Both wires have a lug crimped on the end. To me, this means the black wire can't be a ground. I just need to know what it connects to. This is all original, factory wiring ... until now.

Bottom line: everything worked perfectly for one day, until the black wire broke.

[Bob Kielar]

The black wire and the orange wire are on the same terminal on the clock. The black wire then goes to the glove box light. There also should be a gray wire that goes to a lamps for the clock that comes on when when you operate the headlamp switch. Did you check the orange wire fuse at the fuse block?

Keep Cruzin,
Bob Kielar

[Jeff Rosansky CLC #28373]

It looks like the black jumps out and runs the glove box light.

[MickeyCaddy]

Bob, Jeff – thanks for the info! Will check all connections this weekend and report back.

–Michael

[MickeyCaddy]

Looking under the dash it seems that a lot of wiring has been replaced. most of the wires are pink. I found one orange wire in a thick bundle of wires coming from the left side of the dash, but no orange wire coming out of the other side of the bundle, which has about 6 inches of electrical tape wrapped around it.

After looking everywhere, trying to figure things out, I left the driver's door open, with the courtesy light on, and came in the house to do more online research. Ten minutes later I went back to the garage and the courtesy light on the dash was off – first time that ever happened.

I then found that I now have no brake lights. Headlights work fine and car starts.

Feels like I'm between a rock and a hard place; I'm obviously in over my head, and will need an expert to put things right. For the first time ever, I can't even drive my car because there are no brake lights.

Anyone have suggestions about finding someone in Los Angeles who can help?

Michael

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

Can't assist you with your last question, but the headlights are on their own circuit (Circuit Breaker within the headlight Switch), and the Brake Lights are protected by a fuse in the fuse panel.

Do your rear Indicators work?

Bruce.

[MickeyCaddy]

Bruce, the rear directional signals function normally.
I can't understand how a fuse can blow while the car is sitting and nothing is touched or moved.
There are too many gremlins here, and the issues are snowballing. I'm looking for someone who can sort it all out.

Michael

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

Michael,

The reason I mentioned the rear Indicator Lights is that the filaments for those globes is the same as used by the Brake Switch, so that rules out the fuse.

Fuses can blow at any time.

Bruce.

[Jeff Rosansky CLC #28373]

Your fuse probably blew because of corrosion. All of the bulb sockets on our 55 had corrosion in them. The bulbs ran hot because of this. As things heat up, resistance increases.  You left the door open which let thr bulbs get hot until resistance got such that the fuse blew. Then, things cool down and all looks normal.
The fuse did it's job.
Clean all bulb sockets- scotchbrite on the end of a screwdriver works well cleaning both the positive posts and the barrel itself. When I hit the brakes on our 55, the front parking lights would glow because crap in the sockets connected the 2 terminals which backfed the parking light circuit.
The brake lights get power from the headlight switch. It has a thermo breaker and all is fed from a connection at the starter. I'd check that connection foe corrosion and integrity of the wire itself. It has vibrated foe 70 years, and may be breaking
Then, replace all the fuses. They can go bad over time- I had one that tested fine, but the glue on the end was bad which allowed the end to move. It tested fine when out, but not when under pressure in the connector.
This is all stuff you can do yourself at no cost. Then see how things go.
Jeff

[MickeyCaddy]

Jeff, thanks for the great advice and the helpful schematic.

I'm familiar with the 12v leaking, backfeeding, but had forgotten until you mentioned it. When I bought my car eight years ago, the speedometer lights would glow softly when I applied the brakes. I asked a few fellow Cadillac owners - they were incredible, found it hard to believe.

Then the left tail/brake lamp (fuel filler) became obviously intermittent. I found the wiring to be frayed and occasionally contacting other metal parts, so I carefully rewired it. To my surprise,  the phantom dash lighting issue was also solved! And I understood.

I'll know more tomorrow.

Michael

[MickeyCaddy]

Well, it's all fixed, 100% good to go. Whew, what a relief!

Right after I'd bought my car in 2016, I sent the clock in for repair. No problems at all; it came out and went back in easily. At the, time I ignored the advice on this forum which recommended installing a kill switch and/or a 1-amp fuse. A little while ago the clock started making a loud ratcheting sound. I knew it time for another repair, and figured I'd better make the suggested modifications to the wiring.

The clock came back after two weeks – big props to The Clock Works in Wisconsin! I didn't have time to install it until last week. I spliced in a 1-amp fuse and holder, and I found a flat, oval-shaped kill switch that I mounted behind the upper lip of the glove compartment, in the top left corner. The switch is completely invisible, but easy to find by feel because of its location. It's actually stuck to the inside bottom of the dash trim piece that holds the radio speaker.

Everything worked fine for one day; the next day nothing worked, and I found that the black wire that connects to the hot terminal on the clock (along with the orange 12v wire) was flopping around loose. I had no idea what that wire was, but figured it had to be causing problems; soon after that, the brake lights became inoperable. Way in over my head, I panicked.

This morning I took the car to my go-to guy. I didn't know he could handle electrical issues, but it turns out he's an expert at everything. He told me the brake light fuse on the fuse panel had popped, and that fuse also feeds the glove compartment wiring (I had no idea). Some time after I'd installed the clock and the new components, I must've inadvertently snapped the black wire off the glove compartment light bulb holder/switch. That wire is hot, and the exposed end likely brushed some bare  metal and popped the fuse.

My guy said there's no need for two fuses on the same feed, so he took out the newly-installed 1-amp fuse, kept the kill switch, redid all the wiring as new, and reinstalled the clock. The entire job took about an hour. All the stock components are now working perfectly; the added kill switch is invisible and works great; and I'm a very happy camper.

Many thanks to all the knowledgable and kind folks on this forum. From the goodness of your hearts, you've helped me so many times on this journey with my '55. Your support is greatly appreciated!

Michael

[Jeff Rosansky CLC #28373]

Whew!! Glad you got it fixed.
Jeff