Headlights are frustrating me, Just want them to work correctly Options

[Rhodes71/914]

I've tried to work this out, I've done searches, but i'm still stuck.

Headlights work fine on low-beam. Click to high-beam and nothing. I can hear clicking at the relay which has been switched out and I don't think is the problem. Fuses are all good. Indicator light on the speed-o only come on when just the parking lights are on (knob pulled out one click}

Could this be the headlights themselves? or do i just have some f-ed up wiring. Things look pretty normal at the fuse board.

[Series9]

This may save you some time.

I recently helped a friend with a car that had non-functioning brake lights (both sides).

Since it appeared to be a total failure, I started by doing EVERYTHING but checking the bulbs. I didn't cross my mind that they could both be out.

They were both burned out. Replaced them and the problem was fixed (after about an hour of troubleshooting). (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/headbang.gif)

[SirAndy]

QUOTE (Rhodes71/914 @ Mar 16 2005, 10:07 AM)

Indicator light on the speed-o only come on when just the parking lights are on (knob pulled out one click}

that is normal ...


i agree with joe, check the bulbs first before you start digging too deep.
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/cool.gif) Andy

[Root_Werks]

Yep, check those bulbs. If you have a test light, you can check before buying new ones. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/wink.gif)

[Mike D.]

(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/blink.gif) - That is the EXACT description of what my headlights do. It's been like this sense I bought the car 10 yrs. ago, and I have changed the bulbs. I asked two mechanics to check it out while working on other things, back when I used to take it to someone, and niether did anything.
If you ever figure it out, share it with everyone! (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smile.gif)
-Mike D.

[solex]

I have a similar problem except that my brights will go on if I hold the turn signal stalk back, but will not stay on.

I have done some research and it appears that it is either a bad ground (right above the fuse box) or the relay. I plan on looking at it tonight. Please keep us up-to-date on your progress.


Dan

[larryp]

Mike, Dan, etc. I had the same issue when I installed James' new fusebox and replaced some relays. (Note to self: never change two things at once). James was kind enough to babysit me through checking out the wiring (and, by the way, swapping wires would result in each of your problems) but for me, it turned out that the #$%^%@ Auto Zone relay would only operate when vertical.

So try rotating the relay when operating the bright flasher and see what happens.

[merrill]

I had the exact symptoms with my previous car. It ended up being a poor ground. Good luck.

[Dave_Darling]

You can pull the headlight covers (you'll need a 90-degree offset screwdriver for the outboard mounting screws) and check for voltage between the high beam contact (yellow I think? Or white wire) and ground. If you get zero volts when the high beams should be on, then start chasing back through the wiring. The fuses should be next (two for high beam, two more for low beam), then the relay, then both the headlight switch and the turn signal lever/high-low switch.

Keep checking until you get power. The problem is between the last thing you checked that doesn't have power and the first thing that does.

...Or the problem could be on the ground side, so check resistance from the ground connection on the light to a known chassis ground. Do that first...

--DD

[solex]

Rhodes, hope you don't mind me butting in here but felt that we have a similar problem...

I pulled the relay and inspected in inside and out and all looks good. The relay clicks when I pull the turn signal stalk but the brights do not go on unless I hold the stalk back.

I cleaned all of the ground points I could see: the two in the engine compartment, one above the fuse box and the two on the headlight buckets, and still have the problem.

I guess I will look at the actual switch on the turn signal stalk tonight.

[rhodyguy]

there are 2 gremlins that may or may not help with your specific issues. when i first got my car running everything worked. i took the rear bumper off and on and the high beams fuse blew every time after that . the lead wires to the license plate lights were chaffed through and shorting to the body. the wire terminals are very close together and you need the check the insulation on the wire ends too. i had a nagging low battery after longer drives. the gen light never came on when the key was turned to the first position. bulb was bad. replaced it and all was fine. when you say the grounds at the buckets i take it you mean the multiple brown wire bundles on the back side.

k

[Rhodes71/914]

Well it wasn't the bulbs, went ahead and got new ones since they were only $10 each.

I'm pretty sure it's not the turn signal lever switch since I have changed the whole column out and it did this with the old one and the new one.

Ground wires at the lights have all been cleaned. Is there one spot for the grounds at the fuse panel? I can't seem to see it.

How do you get the light switch on the dash out?

[rhodyguy]

i hate to be redundant. since you removed the column, double check where the wire loom plugs into the ign switch. it may be misaligned.

k

[Dave_Darling]

You remove the headlight switch by unscrewing the knob, then unscrewing the "escutcheon" (basically a nut with no flats but that has two little slots in it to turn it with) and pulling it out forward (toward the front of the car) into the dash. I used a little flat-head screwdriver in the slots to push the escutcheon in the "loosen" direction to get it started, then spun it off by hand.

I strongly recommend doing the checks for voltage. If nothing else, check at the high-beam fuses! You can also do a resistance check from the fuse to ground with the lights off; it should show about (60W/14V) 4.5 ohms resistance or a bit more. That will check the path from the fuse to the light bulb to ground, at least for small currents.

--DD

[John]

If when you pull back on the stalk, you can hear the relay click, then the momentary contact at the stalk is working. When you pull back on the stalk, it is only supposed to toggle the dimmer relay to the "other" state.

It almost sounds like the dimmer relay will not stay "latched" in the high beam position.

"Solex" seems to be getting momentary high beams by holding the stalk back.

Do you get the same results?

Your low beams work correctly? Do they blink off when you pull back the stalk?

My thoughts keep going back to the dimmer relay. Is the relay wired correctly? I would try checking that.

I know that the relay needs to be wired in a specific manner or it will not "toggle" correctly.

I don't have my diagrams with me so this is where I will end my "suggestions".

Good luck to you.

[Rhodes71/914]

I do get a click when pulling the stalk back.

I do not get any high beam at all while holding the stalk back.

Low beams work correctly and go off when the stalk is pulled back and then come back on with stalk is pulled back agian.

When I changed the relay out I just wired it like the one I took out, could be wrong I'll check that.

Dave I'll also check your suggestions.

I'll report back.

[Rhodes71/914]

Got em fixed

Somebody had moved the the large white wire that supplied power at the fuses to a terminal on #9 fuse. Not sure why so I moved it back to where it was supposed to be.

After doing that I had the problem with the brights being on while holding the stalk in but then going off when letting go.

Like larryp said, the dimmer relay had to be in a certain position for the brights to stay on.

But now they work (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smilie_pokal.gif)

While I was messing around in the fuse are I also tried to track down an issue with the license plate light fuse blowing. Wandering if this could be related to my power drain. Maybe I'll start another thread.