My headlights are dimming and going out, then coming back on. I also noticed my instrument cluster doing the same but at diffrent times. I think its my headlight switch. and I think it is hard to remove. Any ideas?????
Has anyone used a starter wrap? I am having trouble starting when the engine is hot sometimes but not all the time so I do not think it is my timing. which direction should I move my distributor clock or counter to make it start if it is timing???
My headlights are dimming and going out, then coming back on. I also noticed my instrument cluster doing the same but at diffrent times. I think its my headlight switch. and I think it is hard to remove. Any ideas?????
Remove battery cable = pull headlight switch knob all the way out = reach under dash...on the bottom of the switch is a button = push it in = pull headlamp knob and shaft from switch = remove headlamp switch nut = remove headlamp switch.
1966/76 (before serial number C25,000) = D3ZZ-11654-A .. H/L Switch (Motorcraft SW-1245)
1976/77 (after serial number C25,000) = D7TZ-11654-B .. H/L Switch (Motorcraft SW-1382)
__________________ Bill / Retired Ford Parts Manager ~ 1962/1997
Part Number Research: Trucks: 1928/2002 / Cars: 1928/2003
1963 Galaxie 500XL / 1965 F100 / 2008 Fusion S / 2008 Edge SEL
Last edited by NumberDummy : 12-03-2007 at 11:52 AM.
The trouble could be your dimmer switch, the headlight switch, or a bad ground at one or both headlights. It has a ground wire bolted/screwed to radiator support.
Dim headlights and the starter not working when hot makes me think you either have a bad ground or the alternator is going bad.
I'd check the grounds first. If the grounds are good bring your alternator to a parts store for testing.
__________________
'75 Bronco- 5.0, c4 33" MTR's, etc.
'05 F250 SD 5.4- tow rig for the bronco.
I wheel my junk!
New Alternator and the ground from the battery is new. I just receintly had the headlights off and am not sure if I regrounded them. what about the instrument pannel dimming and going out??? Would the headlights not grounded cause that????
I'm thinking a bab ground somewhere in the lighting system. Probably the headlights.
My experiance with bad Headlight Switches is they do not dim the lights, they go out completely and then come back on.
Really no harm in replacing the 40 year headlight switch and dimmer tho....
__________________
01' F-350 4X4 SB CC V-10 Driver
76' F-250 4X4 428 Cruiser
68' Bronco Crawler
05' Explorer Wife's Driver
58 Fairlane 500 In progress
53 CJ3B off brand orphan
Little note about headlights, the old sealed beams required less juice to run than the newer halogens. There is a circuit breaker built into the head light switch, it may not be adequate for the newer headlights. I have had good luck with my old fords just by replacing the headlight switch with an aftermarket switch from your local jobber.
As for the starter problem, if you think the starter is getting hot, you can fab up a sheetmetal guard between the exhaust and the starter. If the cause is the timing you need to retard it.
On all engines regardless of direction the distributor turns, if you PULL on the vacuum line you will advance the distributor, if you PUSH on the vacuum line you will retard it.
You should check the connector that plugs into the headlight switch and the dimmer switch. If it is loose or the terminals are corroded, it could cause your problem.
When are the lights acting up? On bumpy roads? After they've been on a while? Do they dim just at idle? Does having them on high beam or low beam remedy the problem? Are both headlights affected? Turn the lights on and shake the wiring from the headlights all the way to the dimmer switch and light switch to see if you can make them malfunction. You can also get rig up a test light to the dimmer switch to verify whether it is a ground or power problem.
The circuits for the dash lighting and the headlights are separate, so you may be dealing with 2 different issues. The dash lights are grounded through the dash via the bulb receptacles. Are the switch and heater control illumination panels going out with the cluster lights (if they work)?
You shouldn't have any problem with an off the shelf replacement halogen headlamp, if your system is in good shape otherwise. However the more expensive, high wattage halogen h4's will cause a lot of problems without upgrading the wiring and adding relays.
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