Slant *        6        Forum
Home Home Home
The Place to Go for Slant Six Info!
Click here to help support the Slant Six Forum!
It is currently Sun Nov 16, 2025 6:00 am

All times are UTC-08:00




Post new topic  Reply to topic  [ 13 posts ] 
Author Message
PostPosted: Wed Mar 20, 2019 10:41 am 
Offline
3 Deuce Weber

Joined: Sun Jun 07, 2009 2:20 pm
Posts: 54
Location: McKinney, TX
Car Model:
The other morning I looked outside and the headlights only were on. I went out and pulled the headlight switch and then pushed in back in and they went out. Later that day I went out to check them and pulled the switch and all the lights came on except the headlights. I hit the dimmer switch and the high beams came on, but no low beams. I replaced the headlight switch, but no change. I checked the bulbs and they are good. About 5 or 6 years ago I rewired the headlights and put in line fuses and relays and haven't had any problems until now. I had the battery checked and it is at 12.6 volts, but the generator checks bad. Any suggestions


Top
   
PostPosted: Wed Mar 20, 2019 1:36 pm 
Offline
SL6 Racer & Moderator
User avatar

Joined: Sat Oct 19, 2002 12:06 pm
Posts: 8968
Location: Silver Springs, Fl.
Car Model:
Without knowing how it is wired up, it sounds like it might be a bad relay.

_________________
Charrlie_S
65 Valiant 100 2dr post 170 turbo
66 Valiant Signet 170 nitrous
64 Valiant Signet
64 Valiant 4dr 170
64 Valiant 4dr 225


Top
   
PostPosted: Wed Mar 20, 2019 10:54 pm 
Offline
3 Deuce Weber

Joined: Sun Jun 07, 2009 2:20 pm
Posts: 54
Location: McKinney, TX
Car Model:
I replaced the relays and the headlights still do not work. I have rewired the headlights so that each side has an inline fuse and 30 amp relay. I have not had any issue with the headlights since I rewired them 6 years ago. The low beam headlights just all of a sudden came on and I went out and pulled the headlight switch and then pushed it off and they went off. It was a couple days later that I went out and pulled the headlight switch and all the lights came on except for the headlights. I hit the dimmer and the high beams came on but no low beams. I have replaced the headlight switch and the relays, but still no headlights


Top
   
PostPosted: Thu Mar 21, 2019 6:08 am 
Offline
Turbo EFI
User avatar

Joined: Mon Aug 02, 2010 7:36 am
Posts: 1207
Location: Rome, GA
Car Model: 1963 Dart 270, 1980 D150
Perhaps the dimmer switch is the problem since the high beams work but not the low beams.

_________________
“Buy the ticket, take the ride.”
― Hunter S. Thompson


Top
   
PostPosted: Thu Mar 21, 2019 10:04 am 
Offline
Board Sponsor
User avatar

Joined: Fri Feb 29, 2008 10:49 pm
Posts: 1547
Location: Salem, Oregon
Car Model: 1984 D100 Shorty Custom
Quote:
Perhaps the dimmer switch is the problem since the high beams work but not the low beams.
Yup. I'd bet that's the issue!

~THOR~

_________________
1984 D100 Shorty Custom
Certified Auto Appraiser - RevItUp Classic Appraisals
President - Cherry City Bombers CC
Part of Tyrde-Browne Racing


Top
   
PostPosted: Thu Mar 21, 2019 12:08 pm 
Offline
SL6 Racer & Moderator
User avatar

Joined: Sat Oct 19, 2002 12:06 pm
Posts: 8968
Location: Silver Springs, Fl.
Car Model:
Quote:
Quote:
Perhaps the dimmer switch is the problem since the high beams work but not the low beams.
Yup. I'd bet that's the issue!

~THOR~
If there is more then one problem. How would a bad dimmer sw turn on the head lights with the headlight sw in the off position?

_________________
Charrlie_S
65 Valiant 100 2dr post 170 turbo
66 Valiant Signet 170 nitrous
64 Valiant Signet
64 Valiant 4dr 170
64 Valiant 4dr 225


Top
   
PostPosted: Thu Mar 21, 2019 3:43 pm 
Offline
Board Sponsor
User avatar

Joined: Fri Feb 29, 2008 10:49 pm
Posts: 1547
Location: Salem, Oregon
Car Model: 1984 D100 Shorty Custom
I should have clarified:

If the lights work only on high beam, it's typically the dimmer switch that has failed. It would not cause the headlights to be on. In my mind, the only thing that would cause the headlights to remain on when the switch is in the off position would be a sticking relay, or a failed headlight switch; though in this case I would be leaning toward failure of the relay.

~THOR~

_________________
1984 D100 Shorty Custom
Certified Auto Appraiser - RevItUp Classic Appraisals
President - Cherry City Bombers CC
Part of Tyrde-Browne Racing


Top
   
PostPosted: Thu Mar 21, 2019 6:10 pm 
Offline
SL6 Racer & Moderator
User avatar

Joined: Sat Oct 19, 2002 12:06 pm
Posts: 8968
Location: Silver Springs, Fl.
Car Model:
Quote:
I should have clarified:

If the lights work only on high beam, it's typically the dimmer switch that has failed. It would not cause the headlights to be on. In my mind, the only thing that would cause the headlights to remain on when the switch is in the off position would be a sticking relay, or a failed headlight switch; though in this case I would be leaning toward failure of the relay.

~THOR~

My thoughts, exactly

_________________
Charrlie_S
65 Valiant 100 2dr post 170 turbo
66 Valiant Signet 170 nitrous
64 Valiant Signet
64 Valiant 4dr 170
64 Valiant 4dr 225


Top
   
PostPosted: Thu Mar 21, 2019 6:25 pm 
Offline
3 Deuce Weber

Joined: Sun Jun 07, 2009 2:20 pm
Posts: 54
Location: McKinney, TX
Car Model:
Thanks for the help guys I will double check everything. I replaced the switch, and the dimmer switch and both the relays i installed in line. But I still have no headlights. Is there a relay in the fuse panel? By the way a bad generator/alternator would have nothing to do with the low beam headlights coming on by themselves right?


Top
   
PostPosted: Fri Mar 22, 2019 9:48 am 
Offline
Board Sponsor
User avatar

Joined: Fri Feb 29, 2008 10:49 pm
Posts: 1547
Location: Salem, Oregon
Car Model: 1984 D100 Shorty Custom
Quote:
Thanks for the help guys I will double check everything.
Sure thing! :D
Quote:
I replaced the switch, and the dimmer switch and both the relays i installed in line. But I still have no headlights. Is there a relay in the fuse panel?
No sir, there is not; however, there is a headlamp fuse, though I believe both high and low beam operate off of the same fuse. If you now have no headlights, I would verify the fuse is good, and that the headlamp switch is sending trigger power to the dimmer which will then send trigger power to the relays.
Quote:
By the way a bad generator/alternator would have nothing to do with the low beam headlights coming on by themselves right?
I would be very impressed if a bad alternator could be proven the cause of headlights coming on of their own accord. :shock:

~THOR~

_________________
1984 D100 Shorty Custom
Certified Auto Appraiser - RevItUp Classic Appraisals
President - Cherry City Bombers CC
Part of Tyrde-Browne Racing


Top
   
PostPosted: Fri Mar 22, 2019 4:58 pm 
Offline
SL6 Racer & Moderator
User avatar

Joined: Sat Oct 19, 2002 12:06 pm
Posts: 8968
Location: Silver Springs, Fl.
Car Model:
Actually, the headlight switch has a built in circuit breaker. It is self resetting. It cannot be serviced and If bad must replace the switch.

_________________
Charrlie_S
65 Valiant 100 2dr post 170 turbo
66 Valiant Signet 170 nitrous
64 Valiant Signet
64 Valiant 4dr 170
64 Valiant 4dr 225


Top
   
PostPosted: Mon Mar 25, 2019 4:18 pm 
Offline
3 Deuce Weber

Joined: Sun Jun 07, 2009 2:20 pm
Posts: 54
Location: McKinney, TX
Car Model:
Thanks for all the help guys. It turns out the dimmer switch I put in that I bought from Napa auto parts was bad. I took it back and got another and now they work. Thanks again for all the advice.


Top
   
PostPosted: Mon Mar 25, 2019 8:48 pm 
Offline
Turbo Slant 6
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jan 25, 2010 11:29 pm
Posts: 685
Location: Seattle, WA
Car Model: 75 Dart SE (2),75 Swinger, 74 Dart Sport,91 Ram RV
Thanks for letting us know what the successful diagnosis was! This is the way we all learn on this forum. :D

_________________
"Louise", a 1976 Dart Custom project, (now sadly reverted to being just an "organ donor" to our other project Darts.)


Top
   
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic  Reply to topic  [ 13 posts ] 

All times are UTC-08:00


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 4 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Limited