68 headlights
 

Howdy all!

My bottomless pit of teething issues continues.. hot start 'just about' resolved with a new starter, new earth and wrapped header... albeit it's still a struggle to start when hot! (Need to replace main cable, but can't bring myself to do it yet!)

next problem... Took it for a 150 mile round trip in the dark.. fine... until the way home, when my standard beam lights wouldn't work!

My high beams, however, did work.. so I drove home (god knows they will not blind anyone!)

25 miles from home... high beams started to flicker and occasionally stop working briefly (Not ideal on small dark road through Forrest).. 15 miles from home, I pulled into petrol station and tried to tinker with it, hoping for a loose connection.. tried to start it again.. no lights, at all.. had to come home on a tow truck (again)

I'm guessing this is a switch failure? Have not pulled car apart yet to test... but is there anything else I should check first? (Before pulling dash apart.. again..)

thanks for thoughts!

The light problem may just be the high beam switch going bad. I had the same issue and a new switch solved it. IF that doesnt do it I would try the llight switch itself looking for a loose wire. That switch is a pain to get to and a hassle to replace. If it has to be replaced I had good luck with Lectric Limited headlight switches.

For the hot start issue, try a 1/2" Phenolic spacer between the carb and intake. That solved my hot start issues

I think hot start is slow crank, not boiled away fuel.

I had some similar issues and replacing the floor mounted hi low dim switched solved them. The switch is cheap ($8) and is very simple to swap out.

On old Chevys just about any time I have headlight issues I swap out the floor mounted hi low switch as they have a bad habit of corroding inside.

ok - thanks for the steer guys..

I've ordered both switches from rockauto... more or less because I can't abide the wait if it turns out I need the dash mounted switch (I'm UK based - postage costs the earth, and takes forever!!).

With any luck, i'll only need to swap the floor mounted switch - in which case the other can go into my parts bin..

This test won't cost you anything and might help you to pinpoint the problem:

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...bae959a030.jpg

nicely done!!!! i am saving that!

Soo.. I suspect the problem has been correctly identified.. thanks for the steer gents!

next question.. where can I obtain a new plug? I can probably get it running again just swapping out the dimmer switch, but I'm not sure that plug is fit for purpose much longer ;)

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...a7ee83ce5e.jpg