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  • David B.
    Expired
    • July 31, 2004
    • 15

    headlights

    Last Friday evening while driving home from a car show I lost my headlights on my 59 corvette. The tailights and dash lights still worked but no high beams or low beams. I noticed when I reached for the emergency brake that it was quite warm around the switch area. I let it sit in the garage over night and started to trouble shoot the following Sunday, but than they worked fine. Its hard to find the trouble when everything works. The manuals say that they are protected by a circuit breaker which I beleive is built into the switch. On fri eve I also snapped the dimmer switch a couple of times to no avail.

    I have replaced a couple of headlamps over the years. Do you guys think its possible that I have too large of wattage for the circuit breaker? Also there are no ground straps on the car, could this be the problem? Matbe its looking for a ground in all the wrong places.
  • Edward J.
    Extremely Frequent Poster
    • September 15, 2008
    • 6942

    #2
    Re: headlights

    Dave, it sounds to me like your on track, if you got halogen replacements in car it maybe to much for the circut breaker in a older switch , it wouldnt hurt to try the oe style lamps, then run them for awhile to see what happens. also maybe check the headlamp switch wire harness connector for signs of to much heat from the normal current draw of the lamps, sometimes the wire connector get so hot it melts the plastic connector on the harness and the brass connector with spread open the the heat.
    New England chapter member, 63 Convert. 327/340- Chapter/Regional/national Top Flight, 72 coupe- chapter and regional Top Flight.

    Comment

    • John F.
      Extremely Frequent Poster
      • March 23, 2008
      • 2409

      #3
      Re: headlights

      I thought I lost my headlights one day, but I had been messing with the dimmer switch wiring and never pushed the harness on all the way. I would check the wiring on the dimmer switch. On the engine side of the firewall down near the clutch linkage.

      John

      Comment

      • Michael L.
        Expired
        • July 31, 2005
        • 562

        #4
        Re: headlights

        I just posted a thread about this on this and another forum. My '55 headlights would "strobe" and then go out. I would shut off the switch, turn them back on and within minutes they would flash and go out.

        The car is freshly rebuilt, new M&H harness, new switches and new headlights. My switch would overheat, the breaker would trip. I could not find the correct wattage bulbs, my case 45/35. So, I wired in two relays with power coming off the battery and a 30 amp fuse in the fresh 12 gauge wire. I spliced into the harness and no more problems.

        First, find the correct wattage bulbs for your car, try those it may solve the issue. If not, check your switch and dimmer switch for shorts, then your wiring. Make sure your grounds are good. On a correct car, the last resort would be relays... Mine is a driver, I like having 100% of the voltage needed to power my headlights. I like driving at night on hot days....

        Comment

        • Jack H.
          Extremely Frequent Poster
          • April 1, 1990
          • 9906

          #5
          Re: headlights

          I think you'd be reporting different failure symptom(s) IF the problem was in your HL switch and/or too high of a current draw on the switch...

          As you mentioned the HL switch has a circuit breaker to protect in the event there's excessive branch circuit current draw. You'd see the HL's go off, stay off until the bi-metal in the HL switch circuit breaker cooled down, then the lights would return for a short period of time until the circuit breaker once more overheated and opened up.

          Over 10-20 minutes of driving, you'd see the cycle repeat SEVERAL times and you're NOT reporting that... So, I'd start first at the HL dimmer switch.

          The early version of this Delco Remy switch had mounting tabs toward the front of the switch body resulting in the switch's body & harness contact connections being located OUTSIDE the cockpit exposing them to dirt, grease, Etc...

          Comment

          • David B.
            Expired
            • July 31, 2004
            • 15

            #6
            Re: headlights

            Thanks for all your help guys. Looks like I have some work to do.

            Comment

            • Francis F.
              Very Frequent User
              • April 1, 1978
              • 420

              #7
              Re: headlights

              Originally posted by David Bauer (42361)
              Last Friday evening while driving home from a car show I lost my headlights on my 59 corvette. The tailights and dash lights still worked but no high beams or low beams. I noticed when I reached for the emergency brake that it was quite warm around the switch area. I let it sit in the garage over night and started to trouble shoot the following Sunday, but than they worked fine. Its hard to find the trouble when everything works. The manuals say that they are protected by a circuit breaker which I beleive is built into the switch. On fri eve I also snapped the dimmer switch a couple of times to no avail.

              I have replaced a couple of headlamps over the years. Do you guys think its possible that I have too large of wattage for the circuit breaker? Also there are no ground straps on the car, could this be the problem? Matbe its looking for a ground in all the wrong places.
              Dave,
              I have a" 60" car with a similar problem,my low beams are fine no cycling
              on/off,but when I go to the high beams the flickering begins.
              The lamps have not been replaced since 1976.I started byinstalling a
              new Hi/Lo floor switch,no change.Then a new dimmer switch,no change
              still flickers.Then I put my hand on the switch while it was doing this
              it was discovered the new switch was warmer than it should be,
              I tried imersing the plug in connection in a vinegar bath/an attempt
              to improve the electrical connection..no change.My next step will be
              to take each wire out (one @ a time)and clean/resolder each one.
              I'll advise you of results.Hope this can save you a few steps
              Francis

              Comment

              • David B.
                Expired
                • July 31, 2004
                • 15

                #8
                Re: headlights

                Francis
                Thanks for your help. Last night I had a little time so I checked it out again. This time no lights in the front of the car at all even no parking lights. This is with the switch cool to the touch. I checked the headlamps and two are halogen one high beam and one low. I then set up a old mirror in the front of the vehicle so I could see what was going on and started messing with the harness and when I tapped the switch they came back on. So the problem is at the switch or the connections right at the switch. Some of the guys feel the halogen are too big a load on the circuit breaker so I either burned it out with those bulbs or the 50 year old switch is just tired. I am tempted to take the switch apart and see if I can clean up the contacts but maybe this is not the time to be tight. I understand those fiberglass bodies can create quite a blaze.

                Dave

                Comment

                • Michael L.
                  Expired
                  • July 31, 2005
                  • 562

                  #9
                  Re: headlights

                  Dave, I believe your switch is different from mine, but be ready when you open it to have a look, mine had springs and contacts they popped out and the grease inside to keep it free from corrosion makes for a fun rebuild. Make sure you open it slowly and note where everything goes.

                  Comment

                  • Francis F.
                    Very Frequent User
                    • April 1, 1978
                    • 420

                    #10
                    Re: headlights

                    Dave,
                    Go for the new switch,don't think rebuilding
                    old switch is a good idea when you consider
                    the cost vrs possible new problems...

                    would likeyou to keep me up dated w/ your
                    findings.
                    Francis

                    Comment

                    • David B.
                      Expired
                      • July 31, 2004
                      • 15

                      #11
                      Re: headlights

                      Francis
                      Finally got the new switch installed and so far it seems to have solved the problem. Thanks again for your help!

                      Dave Bauer

                      Comment

                      • Francis F.
                        Very Frequent User
                        • April 1, 1978
                        • 420

                        #12
                        Re: headlights

                        glad that did it for you,my new switch did not solve
                        the problem,I'll have to keep looking.Perhaps an AMP
                        check next.
                        Francis

                        Comment

                        • Francis F.
                          Very Frequent User
                          • April 1, 1978
                          • 420

                          #13
                          Re: headlights

                          David,
                          you didn't mention ,did you change the head lamps?
                          ie lower wattage???
                          Francis

                          Comment

                          • David B.
                            Expired
                            • July 31, 2004
                            • 15

                            #14
                            Re: headlights

                            Francis
                            Yes I did replace the halogen bulbs. When I saw how hot one of the terminals had gotten on the old switch I thought I had better do everything possible to alleviate the problem. Our local NAPA store had one high beam in stock and did not seem real interested in ordering the low beam for me(thats where I got the switch $53.00). Napa also felt that no way could halogens draw thar much more current. I then went to Auto Value, he had one of each in stock, a little dusty but he had them(4.19 ea).
                            He also felt that halogen would draw a great deal more current but could not give me a number on wattage. Our owners manual and service manuals have the wattage of the regular bulbs.
                            Good luck on solving your problem.
                            David L. Bauer

                            Comment

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