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Topic: Whadidi Do?!?!

in Forum: C3 Electrical


Whadidi Do?!?!

Posted: 8/15/06 8:38pm Message 1 of 14
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HOWELL, NJ - USA
Joined: 5/18/2004
Posts: 6812
Vette(s): 1979, Targa Blue (72 Color), Pace Car rear spoiler, L88 hood, Dark blue factory interior, 525HP 406, HD 700R4, 370 gears,Steeroids, composite rear spring, TT IIs wrapped in T/A Radials.

Alright. Restored the headlight hardware, all new hoses, headlights go up and down like silk. While I was at it, I cleaned up some crappy crimp work from the prior owner. Problem is, now I've got no lights!!

The owners manual mentions that the headlight switch itself has a breaker in it in order to prevent electrical fires and that the switch could shut down the headlights totally.

Question is, would the switch blow like a fuse and have to be replaced? Or is it more than likely something else. There are no switched wires and the headlights were working before I started this endeavor.

Any help is greatly appreciated for this dilemma....

Paul

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Whadidi Do?!?!

Posted: 8/15/06 9:12pm Message 2 of 14
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Duncanville, TX - USA
Joined: 11/8/2003
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Vette(s): #1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/ Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight" #2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas
The headlight switch has a "breaker" circuit in it. It will open if the switch overloads, such as a short. Once it cools down, it will re-set....usually. Sometimes they will just burn out completely, and then the switch would need to be replaced. If the lites were working before, that is probably not your problem now.

Do any of the lights work? tail/front parks?
It is possible that the fuse-link for the headlights has burned. This would be the link by the stater with the red w/white stripe wire. Check that there is 12v+ on both sides of the fuse-link. If there is 12v+ on the starter side, but not on the other side of the link, the link is no good.

What wires did you have to repair?


Joel Adams
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Whadidi Do?!?!

Posted: 8/15/06 10:21pm Message 3 of 14
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HOWELL, NJ - USA
Joined: 5/18/2004
Posts: 6812
Vette(s): 1979, Targa Blue (72 Color), Pace Car rear spoiler, L88 hood, Dark blue factory interior, 525HP 406, HD 700R4, 370 gears,Steeroids, composite rear spring, TT IIs wrapped in T/A Radials.

Right behind the headlight sockets. Possibly I may have mistaken an old fusible link for a crimp....

 




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Whadidi Do?!?!

Posted: 8/15/06 10:57pm Message 4 of 14
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Are you sure you didn't cross any of the ground wires for the headlights? I agree with Joel, cause that would burn up the fused link by the starter. There are no fusible links except the 2 at the starter, nothing up front by the lights.   Mike


Whadidi Do?!?!

Posted: 8/16/06 5:40am Message 5 of 14
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HOWELL, NJ - USA
Joined: 5/18/2004
Posts: 6812
Vette(s): 1979, Targa Blue (72 Color), Pace Car rear spoiler, L88 hood, Dark blue factory interior, 525HP 406, HD 700R4, 370 gears,Steeroids, composite rear spring, TT IIs wrapped in T/A Radials.

Did them 1 at a time and they were working previously. The parking lights work, also. The PW work so I think that rules our the curcuit breaker that controls the headlights and windows...

Would a lot of other things or the whole system shut down if there is a blown fusible link by the battery? Is this only for the headlights?Sounds like that protects a lot of the wiring. I'll check as Joel recommended tonight.

Thanks

Paul

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Whadidi Do?!?!

Posted: 8/16/06 9:55am Message 6 of 14
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The 2 fusible links are basically: (1)for the lights, ALL of them, and (2)everything else. If only the headlights are out it probably isn't the link at the starter. Look around for some plastic "connector" looking things. For instance along the wire to the underhood light. That's also a link. There are a couple more of them under the hood but unlikely one of those would blow. Are you sure the headlight grounds are good. There are other grounds for the rest of the lights so they wouldn't be affected. Good luck!  Mike




Whadidi Do?!?!

Posted: 8/16/06 5:35pm Message 7 of 14
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Duncanville, TX - USA
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Vette(s): #1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/ Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight" #2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas
The fuse-link for the headlights is only for the lights, nothing else. If the park lights work, that is not gonna be the problem. That wire feeds from the pos. terminal on the starter, to the headlight switch, and it is the only power for the lights(head/park).

Could be a grounding problem, like Mike says. You might try running a jumper from a good ground to the black wire at the lights directly, to check for a ground problem. If they light up then...
The ground for the front lights is up front somewhere, but I'm not sure exactly where. Should be on the frame there.


Joel Adams
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Whadidi Do?!?!

Posted: 8/16/06 5:45pm Message 8 of 14
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HOWELL, NJ - USA
Joined: 5/18/2004
Posts: 6812
Vette(s): 1979, Targa Blue (72 Color), Pace Car rear spoiler, L88 hood, Dark blue factory interior, 525HP 406, HD 700R4, 370 gears,Steeroids, composite rear spring, TT IIs wrapped in T/A Radials.

Thanks gents - going to the garage now to work on this.

 

Paul




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Whadidi Do?!?!

Posted: 8/16/06 9:19pm Message 9 of 14
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HOWELL, NJ - USA
Joined: 5/18/2004
Posts: 6812
Vette(s): 1979, Targa Blue (72 Color), Pace Car rear spoiler, L88 hood, Dark blue factory interior, 525HP 406, HD 700R4, 370 gears,Steeroids, composite rear spring, TT IIs wrapped in T/A Radials.
No dice - ground looks good, no power at any of the wires going into the headlights. Parking and signal lamps still work...I'm near convinced it's the switch....


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Whadidi Do?!?!

Posted: 8/17/06 1:45pm Message 10 of 14
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HOWELL, NJ - USA
Joined: 5/18/2004
Posts: 6812
Vette(s): 1979, Targa Blue (72 Color), Pace Car rear spoiler, L88 hood, Dark blue factory interior, 525HP 406, HD 700R4, 370 gears,Steeroids, composite rear spring, TT IIs wrapped in T/A Radials.

Still no lights   But here's the update. All grounds cleaned and in tact. No wires crossed. Fusible links good by starter. Took headlight switch out of the dash.

No juice at the heavy red guage wire - which if i understand correctly, should be eventually fed by the fused wires coming off of the starter (meaning battery). So, if this is correct, that wire has to be bad somewhere between the switch and the bulkhead?

 

Any thoughts/recommendations on how to proceed without taking the wire loom apart under the dash? Not the job I most look forward to....?

Appreciated as usual.

Paul

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in Forum: C3 Electrical


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