Engine dies when I switch headlights on? (1 Viewer)

[John Goodyear]

I just recently finished up a head gasket job on my '97 1FZ-FE. It's all flushed out now and running great, however, every time I try to switch the headlights on, the engine immediately dies, no matter what RPMS it had been running at. It won't start back up until I flip the switch off again either (endlessly turns over). The parking lights (first click) do work, so it's just the main headlights (2nd turn of the switch) that is causing me problems.

My only thoughts on it were that I forgot to hook up a ground wire or something when putting everything back together after the HG job, but i can't seem to find anything hanging out of place. For what it's worth, the headlights do not turn on at all when the key is in the Acc. or ON position in the ignition either. Any ideas on what could be causing this?

Thanks

 

[greentruck]

I haven't had the pleasure of hovering over my engine bay that long, but makes me wonder if the headlight harness was pinched and shorted during the repair?

And I wonder if the fusible links are all correctly connected on the positive post? Wouldn't think it would even start or run without that, though.

Just random thoughts about what might have happened during the HG repair.

 

[nukegoat]

I agree - sounds like a short somewhere. Can you measure your battery voltage when the lights are off and then again when on? Also - did the harness itself get damaged during the if job?

 

[blkprj80]

Sounds like an open ground. I believe the coil is grounded by a wire, not mounting.
Do you have a big ring lug connected to your front engine lift bracket?
There are also several ground wires under the vapor canister area, one of which you may have left off.

 

[John Goodyear]

I haven't had the pleasure of hovering over my engine bay that long, but makes me wonder if the headlight harness was pinched and shorted during the repair?

And I wonder if the fusible links are all correctly connected on the positive post? Wouldn't think it would even start or run without that, though.

Just random thoughts about what might have happened during the HG repair.

I agree - sounds like a short somewhere. Can you measure your battery voltage when the lights are off and then again when on? Also - did the harness itself get damaged during the if job?

While I was putting everything back together I replaced both the radiator and the AC condenser + dryer, so the headlights were removed and moved around for a while. It's very possible I could have damaged something during that process without realizing. I'll try running a volt meter on the battery and get back with what I find.

Sounds like an open ground. I believe the coil is grounded by a wire, not mounting.
Do you have a big ring lug connected to your front engine lift bracket?
There are also several ground wires under the vapor canister area, one of which you may have left off.

I checked both of the areas and it looks like I am properly grounded. Anywhere else I should give a look?

 

[greentruck]

While I was putting everything back together I replaced both the radiator and the AC condenser + dryer, so the headlights were removed and moved around for a while. It's very possible I could have damaged something during that process without realizing. I'll try running a volt meter on the battery and get back with what I find.
SNIP

Yeah, did my radiator awhile back and had that all apart myself so suspected that could be involved with your work with the HG. I've also got a big fat cable going across from the battery to the winch in there, so had to pay close attention getting things back together there. It wouldn't surprise me if you've pinched something as would be easy to do.

 

[blkprj80]

Ground wire for your igniter is EC in a triangle (EWD).
That wire is on the back of your intake chamber.
I wonder if you left it disconnected...

 

[John Goodyear]

So I messed around with it this morning, and realized my DS turn signal was out too. This lead me to beleive it was a pinch of some sort in there. While I was taking the headlights off to check everything out, I noticed the small ground wire next to the battery was spinning as if it was loose. I sprayed some electrical contact corrosion blocker on it and tightened it down, and sure enough the headlights turned on and off no problem after that... I guess in my haste to out everything back together, i had just kind of finger tightened the bolt and forgot to make another pass with a ratchet.

I attached a picture or two of the ground wire I'm talking about. It appeared fine at a glance, was why I hadn't noticed it when scanning for anything that still needed to be connected, but I guess it just wasn't giving sufficient ground to allow the lights to function properly.

Anyway, thanks for the quick responses and advice guys!

 

[Dave 2000]

Did a similar thing years back, lost two days looking for the fault!

Glad you got it sorted

regards

Dave

 

[nukegoat]

Sweet. Thanks for following up on the solution too in case others hit the same problem