81 - only 1 Hi beam on constantly
09-13-2014, 02:53 PM
#1
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
81 - only 1 Hi beam on constantly
Needs some troubleshooting help...
Car is an 81...has the following:
New headlight switch
New vacuum lines
New vacuum canister
New actuator's
etc...
the whole headlight system is basically new and has been working great..until now...
When headlights On for low-low beam (both are on)...pass side hi-beam is on...sort of "dull" as if it were on a dimmer...when I switch to hi-beam ...my low beams go to dull, again as if on a dimmer and pass side hi-beam goes bright...driver side hi-beam is not on
I replaced all 4 light connectors, I pulled the light green and tan and ground wires and traced them all for good ground and power...all is good.
** I also swapped around the hi-beams to ensure the bulb was functional..it is.
My lean at this point is the dimmer switch in the column ??!!??
Thoughts?
Car is an 81...has the following:
New headlight switch
New vacuum lines
New vacuum canister
New actuator's
etc...
the whole headlight system is basically new and has been working great..until now...
When headlights On for low-low beam (both are on)...pass side hi-beam is on...sort of "dull" as if it were on a dimmer...when I switch to hi-beam ...my low beams go to dull, again as if on a dimmer and pass side hi-beam goes bright...driver side hi-beam is not on
I replaced all 4 light connectors, I pulled the light green and tan and ground wires and traced them all for good ground and power...all is good.
** I also swapped around the hi-beams to ensure the bulb was functional..it is.
My lean at this point is the dimmer switch in the column ??!!??
Thoughts?
09-14-2014, 10:14 AM
#4
Team Owner
In the process of doing your work, you may have dislodged/broken a ground wire to the headlamp system. Things going 'dim' when more current is called for is a classic symptom of a bad ground in the wiring.
And, since you've changed the headlamp switch, you can't rule out that there could be some problem with that (internal mfg defect). Check out all of the visible wiring/grounding for the headlamps; verify the condition of the filament in the non-working bulb (there are two filaments in the low-beam lamps; only one in the hi-beams); then consider removing and checking out the integrity of the headlamp switch.
P.S. The quality of the aftermarket headlamp switches (for carrying high current for long periods of time, etc) is not good, compared to the original factory pieces. You might consider inserting a power relay in the light system...just so the switch will only 'trigger' the relay which would then carry the electrical load.
And, since you've changed the headlamp switch, you can't rule out that there could be some problem with that (internal mfg defect). Check out all of the visible wiring/grounding for the headlamps; verify the condition of the filament in the non-working bulb (there are two filaments in the low-beam lamps; only one in the hi-beams); then consider removing and checking out the integrity of the headlamp switch.
P.S. The quality of the aftermarket headlamp switches (for carrying high current for long periods of time, etc) is not good, compared to the original factory pieces. You might consider inserting a power relay in the light system...just so the switch will only 'trigger' the relay which would then carry the electrical load.
09-14-2014, 11:19 AM
#5
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
In the process of doing your work, you may have dislodged/broken a ground wire to the headlamp system. Things going 'dim' when more current is called for is a classic symptom of a bad ground in the wiring.
And, since you've changed the headlamp switch, you can't rule out that there could be some problem with that (internal mfg defect). Check out all of the visible wiring/grounding for the headlamps; verify the condition of the filament in the non-working bulb (there are two filaments in the low-beam lamps; only one in the hi-beams); then consider removing and checking out the integrity of the headlamp switch.
P.S. The quality of the aftermarket headlamp switches (for carrying high current for long periods of time, etc) is not good, compared to the original factory pieces. You might consider inserting a power relay in the light system...just so the switch will only 'trigger' the relay which would then carry the electrical load.
And, since you've changed the headlamp switch, you can't rule out that there could be some problem with that (internal mfg defect). Check out all of the visible wiring/grounding for the headlamps; verify the condition of the filament in the non-working bulb (there are two filaments in the low-beam lamps; only one in the hi-beams); then consider removing and checking out the integrity of the headlamp switch.
P.S. The quality of the aftermarket headlamp switches (for carrying high current for long periods of time, etc) is not good, compared to the original factory pieces. You might consider inserting a power relay in the light system...just so the switch will only 'trigger' the relay which would then carry the electrical load.
