Headlights not coming on '68
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 323
Likes: 4
From: McKinney Texas
Headlights not coming on '68
The headlights do not pop up or turn on when I pull the switch all the way out on my '68. The parking lights all come on.
There are several good vacuum threads to help me figure out why the lights are not poping up (if I manually push them up they go back down, so at least half the system is good), but why would the headlights not come on? Bad switch? Is there a fairly easy way to check without taking the lower left side of the dash off (again)?
Thanks.
There are several good vacuum threads to help me figure out why the lights are not poping up (if I manually push them up they go back down, so at least half the system is good), but why would the headlights not come on? Bad switch? Is there a fairly easy way to check without taking the lower left side of the dash off (again)?
Thanks.
Last edited by mandingo214; Aug 17, 2011 at 11:24 PM. Reason: spelling
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
And today I win the knuckle head award... I misread you post.
Last edited by Willcox Corvette; Aug 17, 2011 at 09:27 PM.
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
Go to the dimmer switch and with the lamp switch on see if you have power on the lt blue wire.. if you don't then you probably have a switch problem. Sorry for the confusion. 
The power to the dimmer switch is on this light blue wire.. from there the switch moves it
Brown controls the parking lamps and this is direct from the switch. So this explains why you can have the parking lamps working and not the headlamp.
Light Green and Tan control the headlamps. With Green being high and tan low beam.
I supposed one way to check would be to click the dimmer switch and see if the bright lamps lights up on the dash. The power feed to this lamp comes from the dimmer switch on a green wire.
But if you have power at the dimmer switch on the light blue wire then see if you are getting power coming out of the dimmer switch at the light green terminal or the tan terminal.
Willcox
The power to the dimmer switch is on this light blue wire.. from there the switch moves it
Brown controls the parking lamps and this is direct from the switch. So this explains why you can have the parking lamps working and not the headlamp.
Light Green and Tan control the headlamps. With Green being high and tan low beam.
I supposed one way to check would be to click the dimmer switch and see if the bright lamps lights up on the dash. The power feed to this lamp comes from the dimmer switch on a green wire.
But if you have power at the dimmer switch on the light blue wire then see if you are getting power coming out of the dimmer switch at the light green terminal or the tan terminal.
Willcox
Last edited by Willcox Corvette; Aug 17, 2011 at 09:43 PM.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
Go to the dimmer switch and with the lamp switch on see if you have power on the lt blue wire.. if you don't then you probably have a switch problem. Sorry for the confusion.
The power to the dimmer switch is on this light blue wire.. from there the switch moves it
Brown controls the parking lamps and this is direct from the switch. So this explains why you can have the parking lamps working and not the headlamp.
Light Green and Tan control the headlamps. With Green being high and tan low beam.
I supposed one way to check would be to click the dimmer switch and see if the bright lamps lights up on the dash. The power feed to this lamp comes from the dimmer switch on a green wire.
But if you have power at the dimmer switch on the light blue wire then see if you are getting power coming out of the dimmer switch at the light green terminal or the tan terminal.
Willcox
The power to the dimmer switch is on this light blue wire.. from there the switch moves it
Brown controls the parking lamps and this is direct from the switch. So this explains why you can have the parking lamps working and not the headlamp.
Light Green and Tan control the headlamps. With Green being high and tan low beam.
I supposed one way to check would be to click the dimmer switch and see if the bright lamps lights up on the dash. The power feed to this lamp comes from the dimmer switch on a green wire.
But if you have power at the dimmer switch on the light blue wire then see if you are getting power coming out of the dimmer switch at the light green terminal or the tan terminal.
Willcox
check the blue at the dimmer,no power on the blue and its most likely the HL switch or burned contacts at the switch.
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
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
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Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 323
Likes: 4
From: McKinney Texas
Great tips, and Wilcox I enjoyed the schematic. I was using the one from your site to check out the system.
The dimmer switch on my '68 is integrated as part of the headlight switch, so it sounds like I have to take the dash out again? The dimmer is working on the dash lights, if that makes a difference.
I'll read again in the morning as it is too late for me to think clearly.
Thanks for the tips.
The dimmer switch on my '68 is integrated as part of the headlight switch, so it sounds like I have to take the dash out again? The dimmer is working on the dash lights, if that makes a difference.
I'll read again in the morning as it is too late for me to think clearly.
Thanks for the tips.
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
The dimmer is not part of the headlamp switch mandingo....
It is mounted under the pedal... Just flip the pedal up and you can get to the wires.
But a easy way to see if you are getting power down there is to step on the pedal and see if the high beams light comes on. Assuming the bulb is good in the dash.
Then test..
It is mounted under the pedal... Just flip the pedal up and you can get to the wires.
But a easy way to see if you are getting power down there is to step on the pedal and see if the high beams light comes on. Assuming the bulb is good in the dash.
Then test..
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
Mandingo , the dimmer were referring to is the one you step on to go from low beam headlights to high beam.
Yes the headlight switch does have a dial rheostat that is used to dim the instrument lights in the dash but that won't effect the headlights.
Yes the headlight switch does have a dial rheostat that is used to dim the instrument lights in the dash but that won't effect the headlights.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 323
Likes: 4
From: McKinney Texas
Exact info I needed. The light blue wire had power, but it was only getting through to the other wires intermittently. New dimmer switch solved the problem. Thanks for the direction.
Now on to figuring out why the headlight doors do not open.
Now on to figuring out why the headlight doors do not open.
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
I get some time tomorrow I'll post it up again. It has pinch points and numbers..
listed that will help you, me and others get you to the problem.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 323
Likes: 4
From: McKinney Texas
Willcox, I read some of your trouble shooting process, and it has steps recommending one "pinch" the line to shut off vacuum. The lines on this car are so old they are like steel. Do you sell a vacuum line kit? I am going to replace all the lines to eliminate "bad hose" from the process.
I have other items I want to get ordered while the sale is still on, and would like to place them all at once.
Thanks.
I have other items I want to get ordered while the sale is still on, and would like to place them all at once.
Thanks.
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
