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Power Tryp · Joined: 16 Apr 2009 Posts: 435 Location: Calgary, Alberta

Ok so I was about to swap cars out last night to get my car inspected this week when I noticed that I didn't have any tail lamps lit up. I started looking closely and noticed that my red tail lamps are only a single connection/single filiment bulb. My side markers on all corners light up and so do my licenceplate lamps.

Is the reflector the only thing on the back there for night time? or am I missing something here? It's not my inspection that i'm worried about it's my personal safety.

Tryp
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Melanie - 1980 931
NoName - 1980 931 (seeking rebuild)

Green tartan interior, you don't see that on a Civic.

ideola · Joined: 01 Oct 2004 Posts: 15550 Location: Spring Lake MI

The "tail lights" should come on with the running lights, first position and second position on the dash rocker switch. In stock form, they are on the same circuit as the running lights, so if the running lights and plate lights are on, and the wiring hasn't been cannibalized, you can eliminate fuses and relays as the issue.

First thing I would suspect is corrosion at the bulb holder itself. The tail lamps are susceptible to taking on water through the lens-to-body seal, and also due to the latch pin drain tubes being inadvertently disconnected, which will cause water to drip directly onto the bulb holder. Moisture in the lens assembly leads to corrosion.

Remove the rear bulb holder assembly, and thoroughly clean all of the grounds and power lead connections as well as the bulb holder contacts themselves. This is best done using a piece of 180 grit sand paper rolled into a tube to get into the circular shape of the bulb holder (which provides the ground). The bulb and positive contact (on the bottom) are easily cleaned with a flat sheet of sand paper or emory board.

Also, check the center grounding point between the tail lights behind the spare tire.
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erstwhile owner of just about every 924 variant ever made

Power Tryp · Joined: 16 Apr 2009 Posts: 435 Location: Calgary, Alberta

I forgot to mention that the brake lights work. Does any one know the industry # for the bulb that should be in the brake/tail lamp socket? i might just have an incorrect bulb?
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Melanie - 1980 931
NoName - 1980 931 (seeking rebuild)

Green tartan interior, you don't see that on a Civic.

ideola · Joined: 01 Oct 2004 Posts: 15550 Location: Spring Lake MI

Brake light and tail light are two different bulbs, they are not the dual filament versions common on US cars of the era. The brake light is in the upper holder, and the tail light is in the lower holder. Don't recall the correct bulb part number off hand, but I'm sure someone here has access to the info.
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erstwhile owner of just about every 924 variant ever made

Power Tryp · Joined: 16 Apr 2009 Posts: 435 Location: Calgary, Alberta

So there's supposed to be a bulb in the section right below the reverse lamp? if so then i have a bigger problem than originally expected.
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Melanie - 1980 931
NoName - 1980 931 (seeking rebuild)

Green tartan interior, you don't see that on a Civic.

ideola · Joined: 01 Oct 2004 Posts: 15550 Location: Spring Lake MI

Power Tryp · Joined: 16 Apr 2009 Posts: 435 Location: Calgary, Alberta

So it's below the turn signal on the rear? I'm blanking here at the moment, I can't remember if there was a bulb there or not. It does make sense that there should be a bulb there, and I do like the idea of putting a bulb in the reflector spot.
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Melanie - 1980 931
NoName - 1980 931 (seeking rebuild)

Green tartan interior, you don't see that on a Civic.

RC · Joined: 25 Mar 2007 Posts: 2637 Location: Australia

ideola · Joined: 01 Oct 2004 Posts: 15550 Location: Spring Lake MI

Let's make it unequivocal:

(the above photo is from a US car, left hand side...obviously, reversed for the right hand side).

{EDIT}
I updated the description above after reading Roger's post...I didn't realized they were configured differently on ROW cars!!! Learn something new every day!
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erstwhile owner of just about every 924 variant ever made

Power Tryp · Joined: 16 Apr 2009 Posts: 435 Location: Calgary, Alberta

perfect! alright, I my hunch is correct then I'm missing the tail lamp bulbs on both sides. Dan you've been a huge help, you should really write a book about these cars and make some money off all the hard work you've put into finding out the info that you have. sign me up for that.

Tryp
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Melanie - 1980 931
NoName - 1980 931 (seeking rebuild)

Green tartan interior, you don't see that on a Civic.

ideola · Joined: 01 Oct 2004 Posts: 15550 Location: Spring Lake MI

Joes924Racer · Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 3:31 am Post subject:

isnt the bulb # something like 7038. I believe it is.
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1979 porsche 924 Na
1980 porsche Turbo 931GT Replica
Have u ever driven a turbo.

Power Tryp · Joined: 16 Apr 2009 Posts: 435 Location: Calgary, Alberta

I noticed the PET lists two different bulbs back there, is the tail lamp bulb different or is it the turn signal bulb thats different?
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Melanie - 1980 931
NoName - 1980 931 (seeking rebuild)

Green tartan interior, you don't see that on a Civic.

xpernet · Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 4:26 am Post subject:

ideola · Joined: 01 Oct 2004 Posts: 15550 Location: Spring Lake MI

I can't remember off hand which is which, but one of them is definitely smaller than the other. It should be obvious when you look at how the backing plate attaches to the lens itself, as I believe the holes where the bulb end goes are different sizes as well. Sorry, no pix handy of the backing plate.
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erstwhile owner of just about every 924 variant ever made