ICQ>

Well, Michael, if your new found rear fog lights excite you that much then you might like this little trick. I've been saving it for just such a thread.

I've always feltd that 240 brake lights are not as visible as many other vehicles. Wagon tail lights in particular have a small reflective area (this applies to 700's too). To make matters worse, the reflective coating dulls over time. The advent of 3rd brake lights improved this, but only later years had them. I've always thought it was a huge waste to drive with those rear fog lights doing nothing 99% of the time (unless you live in London). Some years ago when I got bumped in the rear end by an inattentive driver for the third time in as many months, I grabbed for my soldering gun, waved it menacingly in the air (okay, gimme a break, handguns may not be legal here, but soldering irons still are...) and dug out the wiring diagrams.

With two common 60+ watt diodes (about $1 each from your local electronic supply house), a few crimp connectors and a bit of wire I was able to achieve the best of two worlds: fog lights that became extra brake lights for normal driving while still being functional as fog lights when needed. Haven't been bumped since.

In case anyone's interested, here's how to do it:

Join the two diodes into a "Y" with the bases up and out (so +volts can only come out the bottom tail of the "Y"). Take the *switched* wire off the back of the foglamp switch (the wire that goes to the foglamps -not the one that supplies power from the headlight switch) and connect it to the tail of the "Y". Wire one branch of the "Y" back to the now open spade on the foglamp switch. Connect the other branch of the "Y" to the switched side of the brake light switch at the brake pedal (it will be the wire that goes to the bulb integrity sensor). Insulate with tape or shrink tubing and, viola!

This won't upset the bulb integrity sensor. With the right connectors, you shouldn't even need to cut any original wires. If your vehicle is equipped with front fog lights or uses a fog light relay then check for proper connections on a wiring diagram. If you don't have a wiring diagram or you're unfamiliar with electricals then verify your work with a multimeter as you go.

Here's a crude attempt at a schematic:

(+) --- (HdSw) --- (FogSw) --|Diode>---\

....................................... ===-------> (Rear Fogs)

(+) -------------- (BrkSw) --|Diode>---/

......................... \

.......................... \

........................... --- (BIS) ============> (Brake Lights)

(hope that aligns, the dots are an attempt at spacing)