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Thread: Spirit/Acclaim taillight wiring differences

  1. #1
    Hybrid booster
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    Spirit/Acclaim taillight wiring differences

    So since I didn't bring my FSM with the wiring schematics in it with me to Fallon, NV and I have now installed the Acclaim taillights on the car and can't go back, can anyone post the differences in the wiring so I can get my blinkers working. I've tried using a couple jumpers and can get the left blinker to work as long as brake lights aren't on, but can't get right blinker to work at all. I know there is a difference as the Acclaim uses the same bulb for brake, blinker, and taillights and the spot the Spirit has for blinker is where back up light is.

    Just shorting the wires for the blinker to the brake light wire only lets the left blinker work, and when both sides are jumpered the same turning on the right blinker, blinks the left taillight. But as soon as you push brake pedal the blinker stops working. Not sure how the Acclaim accomplishes the blinker function. I know now I should have grabbed the turnk harness out of the donor acclaim since the local junkyards here don't have any acclaims on the lot and it's a four hour drive to the junkyard I got the taillights out of.

  2. #2
    turbo addict
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    Re: Spirit/Acclaim taillight wiring differences

    I did the reverse to my acclaim. you need to swap the rear body harness its about 8 feet of wire starts from a wheel well and extends into the trunk lid, you can access it all from the trunk.
    1988 Lancer Shelby 2.2TII 1989 Shadow ES 2.5TI 1992 Lebaron Sedan 3.0Auto 1993 Acclaim 2.5TI-A520 Hoard parts now!

  3. #3
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    Re: Spirit/Acclaim taillight wiring differences

    Yeah, I know I need that harness, but I currently don't have access to one, and was wondering if I could basically make jumpers on the existing harness to make it work somehow until I can get one. Right now I have working reverse lights and brake lights, but no turn signals. Contemplating buying some amber bulbs to put in the reverse light position and just hooking it up for a blinker and just do without reverse lights. If I could get the schematics I would know what is needed.

  4. #4
    Slugmobile & MeanMini Caretaker Turbo Mopar Contributor wheming's Avatar
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    Re: Spirit/Acclaim taillight wiring differences

    I did the switch years ago on my spirit. Never like the rear amber signals.

    I did not switch wire harnesses either. However i wired so that the signal bulb is in the same location, (which is now the clear reverse light section)
    The reverse light wire is now tied to the same bulb.

    Although I didn't do a write up or anything it was just a simple matter of installing some diodes when you connect the wires to the bulb. The diodes need to be in both power wires directed towards the bulb. Mind your current draw when selecting the diode. If I remember corrrctly I bundled three diodes together.

    (Diodes are like "electrical check valves" that only allow current to flow in one direction) This way it prevents you from back feeding and causing problems.

    You would still have to do someghing similar if you want to have the red part flash for your turn signal. I wanted to use the clear section for my signal.
    Wayne H.

    '91 Dodge Spirit ES 2.5L turbo 5spd
    '05 PT GT 2.4T HO autostick (RIP)
    '89 Plymouth Acclaim 2.5L turbo auto, "Slugmobile" yes, THE Slugmobile!
    '89 Dodge Caravan SE 2.5L turbo auto, "Mean Mini" yes, Gus' Mean Mini! (Current best 11.699 @ 114.43 mph! - Oct 15th, 2022 Cecil County Dragway, MD)
    MeanMini dragracing videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...URZLB1RxGYF6vw
    and other cars, trucks and motorcycles
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  5. #5
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    Re: Spirit/Acclaim taillight wiring differences

    I'm an avionics technician. Wiring and electrical isn't hard, just need schematics.

  6. #6
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    Re: Spirit/Acclaim taillight wiring differences

    But that does give me an idea. Get some of the switchback led bulbs that are white normal and blink amber. Use the white side for back up lights and connect the amber for blinker. Not sure how well the LEDs will work without hyperflash on these cars. Is there a led flasher I could buy? I'd rather not use load resistors if I don't need to. Doing this would require splicing in a 3-wire 3157 socket like the top one, but that's not an issue.

  7. #7
    Slugmobile & MeanMini Caretaker Turbo Mopar Contributor wheming's Avatar
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    Re: Spirit/Acclaim taillight wiring differences

    You can skin that cat any way you want brother.
    First though decide if you want to blink the red reflector section or the clear. I wanted to blink the clear.

    There are solid state flashers that work with led bulbs. My experience is the leds just aren't bright enough. I've got them all over my pt gt and these were some of the best ones I could find but still not very bright during daylight. Www.superbrightleds.com
    I got the 3W ones with the single led and diffuser for wide angle.

    A handful of diodes at RadioShack aren't that pricey. I think I doubled up, so you need at least 8 total if you wanted to do it the same way.
    And you need a multimeter, which sounds like you'd have.
    Wayne H.

    '91 Dodge Spirit ES 2.5L turbo 5spd
    '05 PT GT 2.4T HO autostick (RIP)
    '89 Plymouth Acclaim 2.5L turbo auto, "Slugmobile" yes, THE Slugmobile!
    '89 Dodge Caravan SE 2.5L turbo auto, "Mean Mini" yes, Gus' Mean Mini! (Current best 11.699 @ 114.43 mph! - Oct 15th, 2022 Cecil County Dragway, MD)
    MeanMini dragracing videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...URZLB1RxGYF6vw
    and other cars, trucks and motorcycles
    https://www.youtube.com/user/SlugmobileMeanMini

  8. #8
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    Re: Spirit/Acclaim taillight wiring differences

    I've got some amber 3157 led bulbs in my truck. They are plenty bright and I have the reflecotor plastidipped white so its not even reflective. I bought some white led bulbs with 3smd LEDs on end and 15 around the sides fromnwalmart today and have them hooked up as reverse lights now and are plenty bright. If you are using LEDs behind a colored lens you need to use LEDs the same color as the lens they are behind.

  9. #9
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    Re: Spirit/Acclaim taillight wiring differences

    So I decided functioning blinkers were more important than reverseights so threw a couple jumpers on the connector to get blinkers working in the reverse light location until I get back home with my soldering iron to be able to splice in a three wire 3157 socket, and get the switchback LEDs.

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