Headlight Won't Go Down, Seeking Advice Options

[andys]

The driver side headlight on my '75 914 won't go down when the switch is turned off. I tried probing around and found I can get it to go down by lightly pushing on the black sleeving that covers the green wire. I thought, ok, must be a broken wire, or a broken solder joint. I cut away the sleeving and I see what looks to be a capacitor (?).

I the accompanying photo, if I push on the capacitor lead adjacent to the motor terminal, I get nothing. If I push on the capacitor lead at the green wire, I get nothing. However, if I push on the capacitor lead close to its (black) body at the one o'clock side, the light goes down. I get nothing pushing on the seven o'clock side. Damaged capacitor perhaps?

I have a set of motors from a '72 or '73 (don't know if they work), but will I find the same capacitor under their sleeving? Would I be better off buying a new capacitor from the electronics supply? Does anyone know the value of the capacitor?

Thanks,

Andys

[Maltese Falcon]

Agreed, not a capacitor. Just out of curiosity have you checked the opposite side headlight motor green wire for a similar diode?
AFAIK, the diode just has a simple task of not letting the current flow back in the opposite direction. That being said, why not just try matching up a diode of like tolerance (if you can find a code on it) or match a similar 12v, rated at 30amp value diode for replacement. I'll check my 914 factory manual schematic and see what I can find.
Maybe Jeff B. will chime in here (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
Marty