i have a 68 which I completely restored with new wiring harness , light switch , dimmer switch and T3 bulbs. The issue I have is all 4 headlights are on all the time. The high beam indicator on the dash flickers when you hit the dimmer switch. On low beam the lights are dimmer. I ran a test ground wire to the bulbs with no change. Let me know your thoughts !
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Re: 68 all four headlites on all the time
found the issue. the NEW T3 low beam bulb was shorted internally . over look the obvious thinking everything was NEW ! -
Re: 68 all four headlites on all the time
More and more I'm experiencing electrical pars straight from the box that are faulty. It destroys your confidence in your own diagnostic skills to replace a part that you believe to be bad only to have the problem persist.Comment
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Re: 68 all four headlites on all the time
you got that right !! This is the last resto for me ! I'm tired of dealing with these so-called "reproduction" and after market parts that are suppose to be the same as original. you would think with a 50 year technology lead on making the parts better than NOS !Comment
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Re: 68 all four headlites on all the time
The only worse thing that could happen is that the "replacement" reproduction T3.....
...would have the same fault!
It's getting so bad lately that you need 3 or 4 or whatever it is to get a good one. Ask me about Voltage Regulators. Temperature Sending Units? You need about a dozen of those.
RichComment
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Re: 68 all four headlites on all the time
Rich, I have been in the Auto repair business 40 years, I have been seeing the same with auto parts in general. China really does not have a quality control system that works very well. I know that in recent years we have beat this to death with repo parts for our Corvettes. But it does not look like there going to change anytime soon. I have seen many poor fit and function parts to this day for Corvette. This not only is a bad situation for us but also for the venders selling. If the venders would do a little better job inspecting the parts as they receive and putting it in there boxes it would also help them and us before we install them.New England chapter member, 63 Convert. 327/340- Chapter/Regional/national Top Flight, 72 coupe- chapter and regional Top Flight.Comment
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Re: 68 all four headlites on all the time
So true. I had just installed a new 58/59 reproduction T3 set on my '59 to prep for Judging. I've been running the same Halogens for 25 years, and I'd drive the car quite a lot a night in those 25 years.
In OPs at Kissimmee Regional 2008, one outer had a bad hi-beam filament, which I didn't notice when I tested them from the driver's seat the day before. Cost me dearly as it dropped me from 2nd to 3rd Flight. Along with a mishap with the wrong NOS Cigarette Lighter Element test I did en-route, I was doomed. It's a nice driver with a '61 Corvette 270 HP engine but I really thought a 2nd Flight would result. I went for fun and to learn the Judging process as a Entrant. Even though I was disappointed after I counted the points, I still left with a good feeling and went to have fun.
If either the Lighter failure(my own fault, wrong part, or the Headlamp failure didn't happen, LL fault/my fault for not properly testing), I'd have 2nd Flighted.
Joe, I agree, but for Judging the repros at least yield a better score. Like I did and also recommend, after Judging, the Halogens went right back on the car.
However, a caveat........ Most Headlamp bulbs today, and most other automotive bulbs, come from you know where.
RichComment
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Re: 68 all four headlites on all the time
[QUOTE=Richard Mozzetta (13499);80642
However, a caveat........ Most Headlamp bulbs today, and most other automotive bulbs, come from you know where.
Rich[/QUOTE]
Rich------
Yes, but if you buy a name brand (e.g. Wagner, GE, etc.), at least you are getting the benefit of the quality control they have in place. Like I've said before, many parts on new cars are sourced from China. However, they come out of the factories of first tier, OEM manufacturers. A believe a lot of the reproduction parts are sourced from "mom-and-pop" type, second rate (maybe third, fourth or fifth rate) operations. For example, iPhones are made in China and are fabulously complicated devices but we usually don't experience problems with them (except those of our own making). That's because they're not made by the kind of operations that make these "reproduction" parts. Apple wouldn't have that for a second.In Appreciation of John HinckleyComment
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Re: 68 all four headlites on all the time
Just a comment on headlights. Most - I think all - T3s are made by Wagner, regardless of who sells them. This is/was true for the single headlight 56/57 T3s. From talking with Lectric Limited customer service rep., he said that Wagner made a run of 5000 of them several years back, and LL had been running off that inventory.
But a couple of years ago the 5000 was consumed and Wagner would not make any more. He further said LL was working with another vendor to reproduce them. If that effort materializes, then we will still have a source - but the quality, well we will have to wait and see.
Not sure about the 4 headlight bulbs, but I expect a similar situation.
-Dan-Comment
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