No lights at all except for break lights

[86hollis]

I just bought a 1986 k30 p/u and the light do not work this is my first truck with black outs switches so its a little confusing to me on how its set up but i tried every position possible and could not get any lights to work except for the break lights... if theres any suggjestions i can get on where a good place to start first and any good sujestions on were to get ome replacement parts like blackout switches something i cant find at napa or autozone any helps greatly appreiciated

Thanks

 

[CPAPPY]

Congrats on new truck and to SS. The black out switch is the switch that is spring centered, the other switch flip up or down and pull out your light switch .

 

[86hollis]

okay yes i had the lights pulled out and it was the switch that flips up and down i had it flip up and that was when i could get break lights only and the other switch i had left in the center..... i know it wasnt me that wasnt getting them to work its def something wrong in the system... and thanks this website looks very useful and inspritional on my voyage of this restoration

 

[salt6]

Start by checking your grounds and clean all the light conections.

 

[CPAPPY]

There is a ground wire above your light switch and black out switches black wire that is connected to the cab. , I had a problem similar to what you have and it was the ground above the light switch on the .

 

[Vet89]

Check your fuses too. I posted something here when I came on the boards (it seems to be a rite of passage). My problem was the fuses. One had blown but you could not see it from the top. I got a diagram for the fuses from the forum wiki, and replaced all the fuses. That did the trick for me.

Also, lets see the new ride!

 

[Warthog]

... if theres any suggjestions i can get on where a good place to start first and any good sujestions on were to get ome replacement parts like blackout switches something i cant find at napa or autozone any helps greatly appreiciated

Thanks

Welcome to SteelSoldiers.

Make sure you visit the Cucv Wiki - Steel Soldiers::Military Vehicles Supersite (CUCV Wiki) that is at the top of the page on the CUCV Forum. All of the CUCV Technical Manuals are listed and many other helpful bits of information.

You need to download the repair manuals. You can get then for free. Here on this site or a couple of our members have posted them on their websites.

www.jatonkam35s.com
www.liberatedmanuals.com

The wiring diagrams are in the appendix of the -20 and -34 manuals.
Also checkout the CUCV stickys. It is where we try to post helpful tips and tricks.

Almost every question you will have has been asked and answered many
times. The advanced search will become your best friend. Please don't hesitate to ask something that you can't find.

Read the TM 9-2320-289-10 Operators Manual to find out how a stock system should work. It is simular to the Operators Manual for Civilian vehicles. It tells you where all the lighs, switches, etc are located and what they do.

Three of the most important tools you can buy are:

Digital Voltmeter and know how to use it - ~$10 and up
12v Battery Charger - ~$50 for a decent one
Battery Load Tester - ~$30 for an okay one at Harbor Freight

Until you know what you have, Ie, batteries charged, fuses cleaned, grounds checked, etc, we really can't help you. We would just be guessing.

Also has your trucks wiring been hacked? When a previuos owner doesn't understand an electrical problem they like to hack the wiring. Is yours hacked?

Warthog

 

[86hollis]

so i went threw all the wires under the dash and check the ground and evertyhing was intacked but they have converted the glow plugs to a manual switch and also has a push botton ignition and another thing witch i figured out is they put a 89 grill in witch has the two headlights and i realized that they also spliced alot of wires in so i think i have a bigger problem then i was hoping to have and from what i have been reading i def made a bad buy with this truck :/ i also posted a pic of the truck not the best one but all i could get right now

 

[edpdx]

86hollis,

Hang in there with your truck. I have found that the more problems you have to tackle to fix your truck and get it to operate correctly, the better you will know your ride- this helps immensely when things break down on the trail. Where possible try to get the wiring especially back to (or near) stock configuration. This will make future issues easier to trouble shoot as they will, again, match the Manual- and be more easily identifiable by the other board members here to help you.

Heed Warthogs advice and get the manuals downloaded or buy hardcopies and make copious notes in the margins... for next time

The tools Warthog mentions are pretty standard for shadetree work; but I never owned a battery load tester until I bought my M009 Blazer... it is a must for starting issues when two batteries are involved.

There are lots of good folks here to help you work the kinks out of your new truck, so go with it and enjoy the ride as each thing you fix gets you closer to the vehicle you were hoping for.

 

[mudman]

That's strange..I have all lights except brake lights.. Under the dash we go!!!

 

[86hollis]

yea i am 2300 in so no point in just getting rid of it i have nothing better to spend my money on really... I am going to get a hard copy of the manual and a stock front grill for that so i can get everything wired back up the right way... I was also thinking of putting a manual in it someday and putting a 205 case on too whats you think would be better a 4 speed or 5

 

[86hollis]

well i ordered new black out switches from boyce equipment and they finally came in today plugged the switch on the left in and i got all my lights back glad to know i didnt have to go digging to far into the harness

 

[jimm1009]

Along the lines of your switch, I replaced mine too for the same reason about 15 years ago.
I turned the switch upside down from the way the military wanted it and repinned the connector on the back so all the wires
are in the same location as oriented to the dash board as before but on the opposite terminals as the switch is now 180 degrees off the original position.
The switch tends to get knocked off to the center position as the military had it and that is a safety issue in my book.
Switch in center is "all off' which is not so good for us driving down the road.

Good find and a cheap fix too.

Post here if you have any more problems. Those wire gremilins are fun to hunt down & catch.

jimm1009