since the motor rebuild i have no low beams and cant figure out why...
any ideas???

 

These are simple things but I gotta ask.
Is all of the wiring intact? I don't think you accidently disturbed this during the engine swap?
This may be coincedence that they quit working when you changed the engine, stranger things have happened. Can you hear the switch change states when you select low beams? (a clicking noise) if not the switch is either bad or needs adjusting I have experienced both cases. The switch is slotted to adjust for the correct throw of the turn signal arm. It's located on top of the steering column.
Also have you made sure the lights are not burnt out (High Beams)
It would not suprise me if the switch is bad it's made out of plastic with metal contacts and carries a pretty high amp drawn during use, the heat generated tends to deform the switch or the contacts get burnt and will stick together wich could also be the case (stuck on low beams)
Check the easy things first .
I hope this helps IETEK :D

 

"Is all of the wiring intact? I don't think you accidently disturbed this during the engine swap?"
the wire from the headlights goes straight to the firewall harness pretty much uninterupted...there dosnt seem like much there TO disturb...so i dont really think thats a problem...(exception-see below)

"This may be coincedence that they quit working when you changed the engine, stranger things have happened."
true but ive still gotta find the problem...

"Can you hear the switch change states when you select low beams? (a clicking noise) if not the switch is either bad or needs adjusting I have experienced both cases."
yes...it clicks and feels normal...
i should point out that they worked fine when i laid it up for the rebuild...

"Also have you made sure the lights are not burnt out (High Beams)"
oh yes...all 4 seal beams work fine (4 brand new halogyn lamps)...
right now i have the "highs" unplugged so i can drive it at night without ticking anybody off :)

"It would not suprise me if the switch is bad it's made out of plastic with metal contacts and carries a pretty high amp drawn during use, the heat generated tends to deform the switch or the contacts get burnt and will stick together wich could also be the case (stuck on low beams)"
i agree but i hope this MIGHT be the problem...

"Check the easy things first"
YUP! i always try that 1st :)

"I hope this helps"
thanx IETEK!

there IS one thing im thinking of now...
when i disassembled the radiator support etc to paint that area i saw (and had to remove) a ground wire at the base of said support...
maybe i didnt scrape the paint there good enough when i replaced the screw?
i dont know what it grounds but if grounds the headlights, i would doubt that it would ground just the low beams...
hhhmmm???
anybody know what that wire grounds???

 

Are you saying you have 4 lites on brite and no lights on dim? I am guessing you might have a ground problem of some sort if only the brites light up. You say you have all halogen, are they too poewerful for wireing, I remember in the 60's that some of my buddies tried to put airplane landing lights in as brites and burned up their wires.

 

[QUOTE"Also have you made sure the lights are not burnt out (High Beams)"
oh yes...all 4 seal beams work fine (4 brand new halogyn lamps)...
right now i have the "highs" unplugged so i can drive it at night without ticking anybody off :)]

I just reread this and wonder if you somehow swapped the high and low bulbs in the sockets, I thinking the wireing would be different, but that might explain them on brite and not dim.

also my '72 wiring diagram does show a ground off the dim to a common point that has a 12 gauge black wire that could be the one a you rad support, it also grounds the parking lites, and then goes to the alternator as the 12 gauge black wire. Do the parking lites work?


[Modified by 72GACRZR, 12:13 AM 1/12/2003]

 

"Are you saying you have 4 lites on brite and no lights on dim?"
yes...

"I am guessing you might have a ground problem of some sort if only the brites light up."
i agree...

"You say you have all halogen, are they too poewerful for wireing?"
no...i dont think so...ive had them on the car a while...

"Also have you made sure the lights are not burnt out (High Beams)"
absolutely sure...

"I just reread this and wonder if you somehow swapped the high and low bulbs in the sockets?"
nope...like i said, they have been in there a while...

"also my '72 wiring diagram does show a ground off the dim to a common point that has a 12 gauge black wire that could be the one a you rad support,"
i am leaning towards this ground being the problem now...

"it also grounds the parking lites, and then goes to the alternator as the 12 gauge black wire. Do the parking lites work?"
i will check these things out tomorow when i get to the shop where the car is right now...

thanx a lot guys!


[Modified by 72GACRZR, 12:13 AM 1/12/2003][/QUOTE]