stop lamp light issues

[ZenSunday]

I did a search on this and came up with some ideas that I'm going to try this weekend but I figured I might be able to get better direction by posting my complete symptoms.

 

Ok, since I have owned the car the stop lamp light has been on. I should say though that the first thing I did when I got the car was change a tail light because it had a busted one. I replaced it with one from a JY before I ever turned the car on so I don't know if the light was on before. here's the thing though, just starting recently sometimes (durring hard breaking, going swiftly around corners, going over bumps, etc) the light will turn off, and sometimes stay of for a while. Does anybody know what this would be? something loose and creating ground when it gets bumped or something? I'm an complete electrical newbie so I'm clueless.

 

The vehicle: 86 GL wagon.

[wintersubaru]

Did you put in new bulbs? I had that happen with an old bulb because the contacks in the socket were rusty and allso the contacks on the bulb were worn from being old. replaced with new cleaned socket and it never happened again.

[ZenSunday]

well I did some poking around my light and I think i found at least part of my problem. there was a wire spliced into one of the break light wires(I don't know if it was ground or power...) that was connected to.... Nothing! it was just dangling there with exposed wire on the end. So i removed that and electrical taped over the hole in the old wire and the Stop Lamp light went out! sort of...

 

So now the problem is that it is off most of the time and it comes on occasionaly relating to my break pedle, not car motion any more. now I figure I just need a new bulb for one of my break lights.