Headlights and parking/turn signal lights issue

[69FJ40NJ]

My 40 has a SBC and aftermarket gauges in it installed by the PO. Over the last two weeks, I have slowly and painfully have pulled out 40 to 50 feet of wiring that was not connected to anything.

Before starting, I know my headlights and parking lights worked. While tracing wiring, I unhooked the high beam switch (which was missing the push button) at the plug just to get it out of the way. After that the headlights didn't work at all.

Now for the weird.

With the high beam switch unhooked, parking lights only work when the light switch is pulled all the way out to the headlight on position.

New high beam button installed:
With the high beam switch installed with a new high beam button, Parking lights do not turn on when switch is put in the parking lights position. Pull to headlight position, parking lights only come on, no headlights.

Pushing the high beam button as if turning on the high beams. Parking lights do not turn on but the head lights do turn on, when switch is put in the parking lights position. Pull to headlight position, parking lights and head lights come on.

Note: bib parking light is also the turn signals.

Any ideas...

 

[South Texas 97]

Grab your circuit diagram for your year and the make some copies. On one of the copies sketch in any changes you have made. This might point you to the logic issue. The light switch has a bunch of connections.

 

[charliemeyer007]

I had my wiring diagram blown up to A4 size. Then on the back I wrote all the torque specs, should have wrote part numbers too then had it laminated. I had 2 made back in the 90's still work great.

 

[69FJ40NJ]

thanks!

 

[fjwagon]

Their are schematics out there that are that have been color color coded. If you perfer to mark your own by tracing out the circuit. Some circuits will share the same grounds so look for that. Work in sections. Make sure have the lamps. Verify the part number. I had one where the put the wrong lamp but look like the original. "Turn signal" only worked when engine was running.
Look for cold solder joints where you are at it. And just because a continuity tests good does mean you have good solid connections. A continuity may check good, however, once you put a load...you may get a huge voltage drop. At that point you make want to ohming it out. Look for bad connections....reseat the connector. Cleaning the terminals with a wire brush. It's easy but effective. Do a visual check, look broken wire strands. Broken strands may or in some cases will hurt the integrity of a circuit. Look for corrosion. Don't get discourage, if you hit a speed get back mud and do a search though google. Good luck.

 

[45Dougal]

Sounds like you've got the parking light and headlight wires crossed at the headlight pull switch.

 

[6f40j9]

Scroll till you find the appropriate diagram. It has saved me more than a few times.

Coolerman's Electrical Schematic and FSM File Retrieval

 

[69FJ40NJ]

Update: Headlights turned on all by them selves at 2:23AM this morning, LOL. I had to disconnect the high beam switch to get them turned off.

 

[45Dougal]

Maybe worth checking your grounding points at the headlights too in that case.

When you pull the headlight switch fully out, and only the side lights come on; are the headlights actually off, or are they glowing very very dimly?