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Re: Help - Headlights Not Working

To: roadster68 <roadster68@shaw.ca>
Subject: Re: Help - Headlights Not Working
From: Pat Horne <pjhorne@mail.utexas.edu>
Date: Sun, 11 Jun 2006 21:24:11 -0500
Larry,

Got it. I made a mis-statement that the front parking lights should go 
off when the headlights come on. They behave that way on the low 
windshield cars.

The light switch you describe is one that is used on 69 and 70 cars. 
Check out the wiring diagram for them on 311s.org and you will see. You 
should be able to use the switch you have by running a jumper between 
one of the pins that you refer to as "bottom left and bottom middle" and 
the power in terminal. Check to see if one of these two pins does not 
make contact to the wiring harness connector and, if so, use that pin as 
the hot lead. Your other option is to replace the switch with the 
correct one. Early cars used 1/4" quick disconnects on each wire, so it 
is easy to swap wires around (for good or bad!). With multi-pin 
connectors you may have to either live with the pin out that the factory 
intended, or remove pins or rewire the switch to work. Whatever yo do, 
don't change the wiring on the harness side of the plug, as that will 
make for a real headache for whoever puts the correct switch in.

The reason that the headlight contacts are separate from the others is 
that on 69 and 70 cars the headlight circuit has been changed. The 
common pin on the headlight goes to +12V, instead of ground on almost 
all other cars. The switch contacts connect ground to the headlight 
relay connections that are switched to the headlights. On all other 
vehicles I know of the headlight switch is in the power lead to the 
headlight relay.

If this doesn't make sense to you please let me know.

Peace,
Pat

roadster68 wrote:

> Hello Pat,  Yes when I turned the switch clockwise, I found that the 
> top left and middle pins are in contact.  I designated the top left 
> pin as the main power supply (red) and the top middle pin as the fog 
> light (red green) wire.  I believe that this switch turn position is 
> actually the wiring diagram position #3.  Top right pin hole is 
> empty.  When headlight shaft is pulled out to the first position, I 
> found that the top left pin was in contact w/ the bottom right pin.  
> My wiring diagram indicates that the park lights, signal lights and 
> dash lights should be on at this position.  I therefore labelled that 
> bottom right pin for the green white wire.  No other combination of 
> pins at this shaft position were in contact.  At the second and final 
> shaft pull position, I found the same two pins in contact.  I also 
> found that the bottom left and bottom middle pins were in contact but 
> only w/ each other.  My wiring diagram is the "6" fuse one.  It would 
> indicate that the parking, signal and headlights should all be on at 
> this position. It is not possible if the two sets of pins are not 
> getting power from the red wire.  What am I missing?  I would still 
> like to know if I have the wrong headlight switch or if the wiring 
> diagram is wrong.  I believe that the signal switch also pulls back & 
> pushes forward to move from high and low headlight beam.  It is hard 
> to tell where the actual switch is on the diagram.  I am wondering if 
> the one labelled head lamp relay is one and the same.  Does not seem 
> to be so because there are actual wires out on the passenger inner 
> fender.  If only I were an electrician!!!  Thanks for your help so 
> far.  Larry.
>

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