81 headlight harness
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
81 headlight harness
Does anyone have a picture or diagram of where the harness from the alternator conects with the forward lamp harness,mine is missing and the wiring diagram doe's not show it all my othr lamps work fine but no headlights. Thank's
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,853
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Before you go that far are you sure you have power at the dimmer switch at the bottom of the steering column? Check there first, your problem may be as simple as a defective switch.
The headlamp system wires run directly from the dimmer switch. Lt Green and Tan to the fuse panel, out the connectors and directly to the headlamps.
If you have power in to the switch, operate it and see if it switch's from the green and tan wires.
If it does, the turn off the power and test continuity from the switch to the firewall connection. If you are good there, then ping the wires from this connection to the headlamp bulbs.
If I remember correctly the red power wire from the alternator runs to the firewall and jumps to the starter. There should be two fusible links in place, one at the starter and one at the firewall. Once power passes through the fuse link, it then goes inside the car at the bulkhead and powers up things like the gauge fuse, the clock, lamps and just about everything in the dash of the car. I doubt this is your problem.
If you need more help, just post again.
The headlamp system wires run directly from the dimmer switch. Lt Green and Tan to the fuse panel, out the connectors and directly to the headlamps.
If you have power in to the switch, operate it and see if it switch's from the green and tan wires.
If it does, the turn off the power and test continuity from the switch to the firewall connection. If you are good there, then ping the wires from this connection to the headlamp bulbs.
If I remember correctly the red power wire from the alternator runs to the firewall and jumps to the starter. There should be two fusible links in place, one at the starter and one at the firewall. Once power passes through the fuse link, it then goes inside the car at the bulkhead and powers up things like the gauge fuse, the clock, lamps and just about everything in the dash of the car. I doubt this is your problem.
If you need more help, just post again.
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,853
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Ok.. I just double checked a schematic. At the dimmer switch you will find a yellow wire, tan wire and lt green wire.
The yellow is the power in to the dimmer.
The Lt Green is your high beam lamps.
The tan is low beam.
The power for the yellow comes straight from the headlamp switch. The red wire you are chasing is what feeds power to the headlamp switch.
So, it's possible to have a bad lamp switch.. but if the other lights are working.. again I'd have to say go to the yellow wire on the dimmer switch. If you have power there, then see if the switch flips the power from lt green to tan.
I'm doing you up a schematic to follow right now.. 1 minute.
The yellow is the power in to the dimmer.
The Lt Green is your high beam lamps.
The tan is low beam.
The power for the yellow comes straight from the headlamp switch. The red wire you are chasing is what feeds power to the headlamp switch.
So, it's possible to have a bad lamp switch.. but if the other lights are working.. again I'd have to say go to the yellow wire on the dimmer switch. If you have power there, then see if the switch flips the power from lt green to tan.
I'm doing you up a schematic to follow right now.. 1 minute.
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,853
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
This may help you even more...
The red wire.. I didn't show all the traces on it.. it actually goes to the starter and loops back to the headlamp, but you'll get the idea.
The red wire.. I didn't show all the traces on it.. it actually goes to the starter and loops back to the headlamp, but you'll get the idea.
