light switch hot

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Sep 25, 2006 | 05:49 PM

omc

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Joined: Feb 2006

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From: Sunnyvale Texas

light switch hot

I Have A 73 L48,ac,auto And My **** Is Gone On The Light Switch. My Concern Is That When The Headlights Are On For
Awhile I Can Not Hold On To The Switch Rod Because It Will Burn My Fingers. This Is No Joke. It Has Been Doing It Ever Since I Purchased It In Jan 06. Is This Normal Or Should I
Concerned? Should I Look At Changing The Swich Out? Has Anyone Had This Problem Or Is It Normal? I Know If The **** Was On I Would Not Have Ever Noticed It. Please Advise.
This Is My First Vett And I Am Also A Senior Citizen. I Do Enjoy The Ride.

Sep 25, 2006 | 05:53 PM

gerry72

Safety Car

Joined: Aug 2000

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From: San Antonio TX

Too much current going through the switch. Either clean all the contacts in that circuit or run the switch to trigger relays for the lights.

Sep 25, 2006 | 06:04 PM

onaqwst

Le Mans Master

Joined: Nov 2004

Posts: 7,186

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From: detroit area

sounds like they jumped a relay and wired hot to the switch

b

Sep 25, 2006 | 06:05 PM

Bruce C

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Joined: Mar 2006

Posts: 124

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From: Bowmanville Ontario

I don't think it should get hot enough to burn your fingers,either the contacts in the switch or from the wiring harness to the switch have to be dirty for it to get real hot and your lights can't be getting full voltage. The fact that the **** is gone tells me that the previous owner had problems with this and tried to remove it without knowing how.
For the price of a switch and the pain in the butt to remove part of the dash to get at the switch, replace the switch and clean the connector at the same time.I have a 74, and I had to reconnect the switch when I bought mine. (Label the vacuum hoses going to the switch, save yourself some time)

Bruce

Sep 25, 2006 | 06:17 PM

omc

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From: Sunnyvale Texas

Hot Switch

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruce C

I HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT BUYING ANOTHER SWITCH AND REPLACING IT, I KNOW THERE IS SOME WORK IN REMOVING THE DASH BUT I DO HAVE A "AIM" BOOK AND IT SHOW ILLUSTRATION AND THE OTHER BOOD I HAVE DOES TELL YOU HOW AND WHERE TO GET STARTED AT IN REMOVING THE DASH AND LOWERING THE STERING TO GET TO IT.
THANKS FOR THE HELP. BY THE WAY AT NIGHT THE HEADS LIGHTS ARE VERY BRIGHT, EVEN ON HI-BEAM.

THANKS AGAIN

Sep 25, 2006 | 07:06 PM

Chuck Gongloff

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Joined: Apr 1999

Posts: 10,866

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From: Beverly Hills/Pine Ridge Florida

Wonder if the shaft got so hot that the **** melted off???

Don't know why it's so hot, but it absolutely should not be hot at all. You're inviting a dash fire/wiring fire. Something isn't right, and I'd be very concerned about it. Chuck

Sep 25, 2006 | 09:42 PM

SIXFOOTER

Le Mans Master

Joined: Jan 2006

Posts: 9,192

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From: Boca Raton Florida

The switch is bad or it would not get hot. It is supposed to pass the current thru and not use it (makes it get hot). I would replace it immediately, its a fire hazard.
You don't need an AIM to do this job, its nice but not necessary. Drop the two bolts out of the bottom of the steering column, remove the screws from the edge of the dash and ease it back to get to the switch.

Sep 25, 2006 | 09:45 PM

Eddie 70

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Joined: Feb 1999

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From: Lenoir City Tennessee

Ci 6, 8 & 10 Veteran

St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15

Check out this thread for a great solution to the problem you are describing. It is a really neat solution and one that has been around for several years on the corvette forum.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1507911