Head light mystery, help! (1 Viewer)

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red66toy

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Feb 25, 2003
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Location
Seattle, WA
My head lights are not working and I don't know what could be the problem. A little history first. A couple of months ago I noticed that I would have to hit the dimmer switch a couple times until the brights would come on and then hit it a couple more times for the lights to go back to the normal setting. Then a couple days ago I go and start up the cruiser and the headlights dont come on at all. Its getting late but not dark yet so I drive it to the store. When I get out of the store and back into the cruiser, the lights start working again! Then yesterday, the same thing, no lights. I replaced the dimmer switch but nothing. I made sure the light switch is getting power. One thing I found odd though. To see if the light switch was the problem, I connected the "hot" wire directly to the wires that go to the dimmer switch(by passing the light switch). Still no head lights and when I put an volt meter up the hot wire it now read that it had no power. As soon as I unconnected the hot wire, it showed power again! Any ideas what could be happening here? The interior lights dont work either. The fuses are fine and the break lights work. Thanks.
 
Have you looked at a wiring diagram? Perhaps that would help to make sense of things. I am not familar with that year, but I would tend to suspect a bad ground. Often the lights are turned on by connecting them to ground, rather than +12v.

Without the manual, what I would do is to turn on the lights and see if there is a good ground and good power by checking the voltage at the light and using the negative and positve terminals with the light connections.
 
Sounds like you have proven you have power past the fuse box.

Since you have troubles past the light switch (bypassing didn't help), I would next try bypassing the dimmer switch.

For one thing, they corrode and get yuckie. You also may have it wired wrong. And, if you still get no lights if you power the outgoing light wires (those going from the switch), then you know the problem is past there.

To the dimmer switch, the incoming power line is RW (Red with White stripe). RY are tail and headlights (running lights) and RG is the brights wire.
 
Thanks guys, I will check that stuff out and get back to you. The fuse block is super clean, I cleaned it a couple of months ago.
 
Alright, I took the new dimmer switch out and re-did the connections(kinda did a hurried job earlier) then turned on the lights and they worked! I turned them on a off for a while and they kept working so I thought great. Well then all of a sudden they didn't work again. So I got out the volt meter and started checking wires again(didnt change anything). I tried them again and they work. I turned them on and off a bunch of times and tested the hi/lo. I don't know what to think of this, I kinda don't trust them. Any thoughts?

Edit: oh, one thing, when the lights stopped working again. I tested the hot wire that came from the fuse block. When the light switch was not in the "on" position, the wire had 12 volts to it. When I turned the switch to "lights on", there was suddenly no power to the wire.
 
I had a bad ground in my harness, so I ran the ground straight from the light to the body. Then they worked. Try making a jump wire to so if you are having the same problems.

hth,
 
Red66toy, do you have the old rotory switch?

I agree that it sounds like you have intermittant ground. Your year would standardly have the connector strips on the fenders near the front/headlights. How's that looking for corrosion, loose wires, etc? The ground for my headlight attaches to one of the bolts that connects that panel to the fender.
 
Yeah, I have the old rotary switch. The panels don't look really corroded. The bolts look decently clean. The panel is bowed/warped though. I guess I should replace them and go from there. Althought it has been like that for a long time and the lights have always worked, but I guess that doesn't really mean anything. Can you still buy the panels new?
 
red66toy said:
Can you still buy the panels new?

Yes! But I'd just clean it up first.
 
print out the electic diagrams I scaned for an early cruiser, it should help

http://www.ih8mud.com/tech/40wiring.php


here is the dimer swithc

12.jpg
 
Keep on tracing the problem. Advise: install relays to take care of the laod in your circuit.
You should have had the problem I had a while back. My headlights would not work with the engine running but the moment I turned the engine off the lights started working again.
 
Thanks for the help guys. I will clean up the blocks tomorrow and let you know what happens.
 
"The panels don't look really corroded"

....don't let this fool you. They don't always look bad when making poor contact. Good luck.
 
very true, you can get new OEM fuse blocks as well as the fender mounted blocks from the dealer, like $20 and $10 each, a very good solution to old questionable fuse blocks.

ChuckD said:
"The panels don't look really corroded"

....don't let this fool you. They don't always look bad when making poor contact. Good luck.
 
Cool, I think I am going to call up CDan a little later and get some new blocks. The fuse panel looks fine to me. I took it out a couple months ago and cleaned it until if shined, althought a new one would be nice. :D
Edit: is the fuse block from a 69 FJ40 the same as my 65's?
 
red66toy said:
Edit: is the fuse block from a 69 FJ40 the same as my 65's?

It is not the same, but it will fit nicely in the same mounting holes. It's a 6 holer instead of a 5 holer.

Does yours have the cover? :cool:
 
no cover, I found one on ebay but didn't get it. does the new fuse block come with the cover?
 
Just to let anyone that cares know, the part number for the fuse block for a 65 FJ40 is 82610-20011 and the wire block number is 82670-30020. I don't know if they are still available or how much, I will post that later.
 
Update:
It looks like the fuse block(for a 65 FJ40) is not made anymore but the wire blocks are. I just went ahead and ordered a new fuse block( 69 FJ40) and two new wire blocks.
 

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