Hello everyone.

I spent the day trying to get my headlights to work without success. When I started today, my instrument lights, headlights, and tail lights were out, but high beams did work. I pulled the dash apart and put in a new headlight switch. This resolved the instrument panel issue and the taillights.

I have 12 volts at the green wire in the headlight switch. There is a good dash ground, there are two good grounds near the driver’s headlights, and a good ground near the driver’s tail lights. My headlights do not use vacuum and the bulbs on the whole car are new.

Since it is a 1977 with the lever controlled high beams, would a faulty switch here be the most likely culprit?

Second issue that may or may not be related-

The turning signals work fine without the headlight switch pulled. When the headlight switch is pulled, the driver’s will flash a few times then the passenger’s will flash twice and it will continue that way, but it only does the opposite side flashing in the front. Is this because I have four lights going with the turning signals in front, but only two in the back?

Also, the left turn signal indicator light also stays solidly on when the headlight switch is pu

lled.

I would really like to be able to drive safely at night, if needed and appreciate any help.

Thanks,
Joe

 

Hey Joe-

Don't know if you or somebody else did the 4x6 headlights- but they are wired different than the 5 3/4" round ones-

See if this helps-

 

While you are messing with the headlights I'd seriously think about installing relays to control them and get the high current draw out of the headlight switch. That's if 77's don't already have relays.....I don't know.

 

I have a 77. they didn't come with relays. but that doesn't mean someone didn't install them when they did that headlight conversion. if so, problem could be in High / Low switch, wiring or a bad relay. most commonly people who add relays will put them on drivers side inner fender.

 

@Richard454 Thank you but the lights were working previously so I don't think that the plug is my issue.

@theandies and @4-vettes I definitely do not have any relays. My dad did the conversion back in 79 but I have gone through all the wiring doing my frame-off. I'll have to check on the highbeam switch in the column.

Thanks all.

 

I like the shop dog

 

I wouldn't rule out the plug- the symptoms you describe- indicates a missing ground on the front headlight(s). If the low beam filament burns out- it will lose the ground through the filament.

I'd at least look at the plug and make sure the black wire is at the top of the plug-

Richard

 

well on my 80 i had that square headlight deal in there, and they are wired differently from the old round flip ups, why i dont know i believe the ground is different on the square ones, once i figured mine out they worked fine, ther is a brown and a green wire they are the high and low start with 1 headlight at a time begine on the drivers side and work tward the passenger, do the out side lights first then the inside lights, even though there are 4 headlights the low beams are dual element so the stay on when high beams are on, then when i put the flip ups back in the headlights were afu again, two wouldnt work 1 half lit, and one normal, and the ground was a different pin location, so i started with the proceedure above and they all work great now.

 

I completely forgot about about the 4x6 head lights being wired differently.
I did the 4x6 square change some 40 years ago on my 75 with the kit from The Vette Shop, i just dug out the instructions and it says --The Brown & Green wires-- and has picture of it. Thanks for reminding me.