Running lights don't work

[Ktown]

Here are pictures of the wiring schematics Not sure how applicable it is. Might have to zoom in to see. I have a feeling the previous owner might have changed things around a bit

Turn signals, brake lights work. I am planning to go out today to get a multimeter. Will a clamp one work?

[Ktown]

Photos

[Blue~Go]

Okay, so that drawing is the same one I posted an excerpt of. That's a Ford paper, and is what Ford (at least in 1997) called Camper/Sketch Kit. A box came in my campervan with that giant paper plus about ten pigtails (to fit all the different connectors). Anyway, those two "schnozzles" -- the brown and back ones shown at the end of the frame rail -- are what Ford intended to be used solely to connect either a 4-way flat, 5-way flat, 6-way round, or 7-way round trailer connector (depending on what you would need and how many of the wires/functions you use). Chinook did use this to wire in a 4-way flat trailer connector. BUT...

On my vintage (early '99) and also many others I have read about, they ALSO used that wiring to power the Chinook's own taillights, turn signals, back-up lights, brake lights, and running (marker) lights. Thus a comically long back-and-forth wire run to the Chinook fuse block under the steering wheel ensued.

But it looks as though 1998 may not have that fuse block (or it may, but yours doesn't, not sure). So then the question is did they use that "trailer" wiring for the taillights, etc.?

But can you remind me what doesn't work on your Chinook? Is it ONLY the marker (running) lights? Is it all of them? Anything else?

[Ktown]

Yes all of the running lights don’t work. Brake and turning are fine

[Blue~Go]

What about the taillights?

So just to review:

Brake lights work fine
Turn signals work fine
Taillights.....?
Running lights don't work

[Blue~Go]

So I think this is what I'd do next. I'd want to know whether or not Chinook used that Ford trailer wiring for the Chinook lights. Here is something you could do:

Lie down under the rear of the Chinook on the driver's side of the rear steps. Look for those two "schnozzles" near the end of the driver's side frame rail. If they did use those wires for the Chinook lights (as they certainly did in later years), you will see all four wires from the brown connector going to the four-way flat trailer connector. BUT you will ALSO see them "Y" off and disappear up into the floor (whence they go to the taillights), in addition to ONE of the wires from the black connector.

Do you see that happening? I think key is knowing if yours is wired how most of the ones I know about are (using the Ford wires intended for the trailer lights) or some other way we don't know about. Then we will know where to look for issues (or it will help find the path anyway).

[Ktown]

No taillights either!

[Ktown]

Here are a few pictures of the wire back towards the hitch

[Blue~Go]

Okay, if you have no taillights and no marker lights -- and given that Chinook typically didn't make radical changes from year-to-year, I'm going to go on the assumption (unless proven otherwise) that they did use the Ford trailer wiring for the Chinook lights. Given that your taillights also doesn't work is another clue. Also, it looks like the wires in that last photo DO go over toward the floor by the driver's side taillight (and then up through the floor to that taillight).

So, again surmising here. There is going to be a fuse for that circuit. It's either going to be near the Ford fuse box (by driver left shin) or somewhere we don't know about. If it's 7.5 like most of us have, that's prone to blowing if any additional load is put on (trailer with incandescent lights). Or there are places those wires could develop a short or a crimp could fail. But I think finding and checking the fuse is the first/easiest step (slightly trickier since you don't have that fuse block, but still).

What is that red blade fuse (ATO style if you want to look up in image) that is in the bundle of wires you show under the dash near the Ford fuse box? Is it blown? Labeled? That'd be quick to check.

[Ktown]

Further update after juggling a bunch of wires I got taillight working on one side. I couldn’t tell you what I did though!

I just checked the bulb in the other and it seems okay. But still no lights.

The lights above the rear don’t work still (The ones up top)