Headlight Problem
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 217
Likes: 0
From: San Diego, CA
Headlight Problem
I'm having some trouble with the headlights on my '66. The outer lights turn on correctly (I'm assuming these are the high beams since the red light on the dash lights up). However when I switch to low beam the lights just flicker and never get very bright. I replaced the hi/low beam switch on the floor but still have the problem. The way it flickers makes it look like a bad connection and I think I can hear the light switch on the dash clicking. The dash harness, engine harness and light harnesses are all only two years old and I've checked the connections so I don't think that's the problem. Could the light switch on the dash be the culprit or are there some grounds somewhere I should be looking for?
Thanks.
Steve
Thanks.
Steve
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 5,098
Likes: 1,351
From: New York New York
2024 C1 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2024 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C1 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Re: Headlight Problem (SteveS66)
On a four head light system the two outer bulbs are the low and high beam, that is why you have three wires going to it. One is a ground, one is low and one is high beam. The inner ones are high beam only, two wire, one ground and one power.
During low beam, power is sent to the outer beams only, during high beam, power is sent to all four lights.
There is a built in circuit breaker in the head light switch, it could be faulty or you could be drawing too much current.
What puzzles me is you say when the two outer light are on your high beam indicator is on. Shouldn't be.
Double check and post excatly what is happening.
During low beam, power is sent to the outer beams only, during high beam, power is sent to all four lights.
There is a built in circuit breaker in the head light switch, it could be faulty or you could be drawing too much current.
What puzzles me is you say when the two outer light are on your high beam indicator is on. Shouldn't be.
Double check and post excatly what is happening.
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 107
Likes: 0
From: Huntington Beach CA
Re: Headlight Problem (SteveS66)
I had good luck with brightness by pulling the bulbs and cleaning the contacts & the sockets. An electical spray cleaner and a brush worked well but would not help the high beam indicator issue.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 7,246
Likes: 21
From: Going too fast over the hill. Iowa
Re: Headlight Problem (SteveS66)
This stuff happens when the grounds are no good. Clean all headlamp contacts and run a ground from the headlight harness to the battery as a test.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 3,025
Likes: 12
From: Pleasant Grove AL
Re: Headlight Problem (magicv8)
The clicking you are reporting sounds like it could be the CB in the switch. Could be a bad switch, or you could have a wire that is getting grounded. I too would check all the grounds. You could test the bad switch theory with a new switch, but I would first rig up a test circuit with an ohm meter to be sure the low beam circuit doesn't have a partial ground. The red light with the low beams indicates a wiring problem. Don't have a diagram handy, but that's probably a separate issue.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 3,025
Likes: 12
From: Pleasant Grove AL
Re: Headlight Problem (62fuelie)
A corroded connection could also be causing high resistance in the low beam circuit and causing the exact symptoms you describe. Check not only the male/female connectors themselves, but also the connections of the wires to the connectors. Frequently these are hidden by the plastic connectors and can be loose or corroded. I replaced the headlight switch on my 52 only to discover that the real culprit was a loose wire inside the plastic connector block. Took me two years to figure this out because I probably improved the connection temporarily when I changed the switch. :D
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 217
Likes: 0
From: San Diego, CA
Re: Headlight Problem (SteveS66)
Thanks for all the ideas. I will do some more checking this weekend. Like I said all the wiring is new including the short harness into the buckets. I'll have to check and make sure everything is crimped tight.
Steve
Steve
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 217
Likes: 0
From: San Diego, CA
Re: Headlight Problem (SteveS66)
Well I found the problem, I had a couple wires crossed...Doh! After reading everyones responses and staring at a wiring diagram I convinced myself it had to be a short in the hi-beam circuit. After isolating the problem to the harness in the passenger side bucket I noticed that the two wires coming from the hi-beam bulb plugged into the harness individually not as a pair. I swapped the two wires and now the high beams work. As for the high beam light on the dash, it comes on bright when the high beams are on and comes on dim when using the low beams.
Thanks again for everyones help.
Steve
Thanks again for everyones help.
Steve
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 995
Likes: 0
From: Alhambra CA
Re: Headlight Problem (SteveS66)
High beam indicator should only be on while high beam lights are on..
Are you sure the headlights are as bright as they should be??
Sounds like the system is trying to find a ground..
Strange things happen when power is seeking ground..
I'd give it another look..
Tony
[Modified by pittsaj, 8:23 PM 4/15/2002]
Are you sure the headlights are as bright as they should be??
Sounds like the system is trying to find a ground..
Strange things happen when power is seeking ground..
I'd give it another look..
Tony
[Modified by pittsaj, 8:23 PM 4/15/2002]
