hello need help with the dang healights on a 1975. Had headlights working then they slowly dimmed then went out. I have parking lights dash lights etc.. no headlights. replaced dimmer switch still no lights. red highbeam indicator is on in dash even if the dimmer switch is clicked.
Take a test light or voltmeter and check the voltage at the headlight connector. Check for a good ground as well.
ok now for another question how do I check voltage I have a volt meter and I hate messing with electric anything. but it seems that I am the only one willing to try. on the headlight connector there are three connections one with a red wire one black and one green. red hot? green and black high beam and low beam?
http://www.1bad6t.com/Maverick/repair/pdf/75maverickwiring.pdf Looks like black is ground, red w/ black stripe is low beam, light green with black stripe is high beam.
ahh thank you very much for the wiring diagram. okay next I set the voltmeter to 20 dc setting put the red test lead in said connector hole (red with black stripe) touch black test lead to unpainted metal part on car there should be no voltage with the headlight switch off? and then there should be voltage with the switch on?
You are on the right track; First connect the ground lead of the voltmeter to chassis ground and probe the low and high beam wires accordingly with the positive lead of the voltmeter. When low beams are ON, you should read approx 12V on the low beam wire. Likewise for the high beam wire when high beams are ON. Go ahead and check both passenger and drivers side, both high and low beams. I would then repeat the procedure, but instead of connecting the ground lead of the voltmeter to chassis ground, use the ground connector in the headlight plug itself. You should also get approx 12V with high and low beams, just as before, on both sides of the car. This checking to make sure the ground for each headlight is good, get it? This may seem like a lot of useless testing, but it will help you get comfortable checking electrical systems. Let us know what you find. EDIT: I forgot to mention, make sure your meter is working by checking the voltage directly at the battery terminals.
okay I'm baaack. battery checks out find across the terminals 12.36 volts. small amount of voltage without switch on. .04 volts both lights. With switch on grounded to chassis drivers side High beam 9.49 low beam 9.42 pass. side high beam 9.60 low beam 9.51 switch on. test lead in ground in head light connector drivers side High beam 9.64 low beam 9.54 pass. side high beam 9.61 low beam 9.50
Ok, since you did not have 12.36V at the terminals (with no load mind you, the headlight(s) is removed), looks like you have a problem with the positive voltage part of the lighting circuit. You should have about 12.36V at the terminals, not ~9.50. Also, both grounds showed the same results, I would say the ground is fine. I would move to the high/low beam switch, its the easiest thing to get to next. Check the voltage on the red with yellow stripe wire with the headlights turned ON (you can leave the high/low beam switch plugged in). On the schematic, its on the second page and labelled BEAM SELECTOR SWITCH. What you are checking for is a similar low voltage being fed from the headlight switch. If it is, then we will next check the voltage being fed to the headlight switch itself. Also, I am under the assumption that your car starts and runs, correct? That would tell me that the power and ground wires related to the battery, solenoid, etc are OK.
ok guess I found it. side marker light socket must have been replaced at one time. wires chopped off and another socket taped in no connectors just black tape. so I guess it was making the headlights short out. it would come on with the parking lights but would go out when the headlights were turned on. but it didn't do it all the time. well tomorrow I'm gonna clean up the ground connections and fix the side marker. On to the next project....why former owner put a switch in to turn on reverse lights
I must have been typing I found it reply at the same time you where typing yours Thank you very much for your help. I may require your assistance again. (major electrical gremlins besides the back up light toggle switch thing) The car does run it just will slowly drain the battery. think there is a short in the dome light somewhere too. replaced the dimmer switch and the headlight switch just to be on the safe side they where original.
