When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I have a 76' that they apparently had a recall on the headlight switch years ago... It would get hot and then all the lights would go out until you shut it off and let it cool down. Not something you really like to deal with when driving at night. They recommend relpacing the switch. About $40 from a dealer. I think that if it was your wires from the tail lights that it would blow the fuse more than likely. I had that problem with my ranger. Took me awhile to find the problem.
Originally posted by megeedavid It would get hot and then all the lights would go out until you shut it off and let it cool down.... I think that if it was your wires from the tail lights that it would blow the fuse more than likely.
These older pickups don't have a fuse for the headlights, there is a circuit breaker built into the headlight switch. A short or malfunction heats it up and it cuts the power until it cools (the same way your '76 was acting). So if the rear wires are shorting, it would heat the breaker and cut the power... thus causing an on/off blinking of the lights (that's how my '73 was acting with shorted rear wires).
I really doubt its the alternator. I have the same problem and have a brand new alternator. I'm thinking its related to the dimmer as some one stated above, Or a grounding issue. Why would one invest in a capacitor unless one had a specialized hi current draw circuit hooked up some where ( stereo,CB, or such).
A bright dim flicker usually means bad diodes in the alternator. It can even happen with a new alternator that was improperly rebuilt and/or used to charge a bad or dead battery (heavy load over a long period).
Gene, or anyone else, if I don't get back to answer a question in a thread it is usually because I don't see it because I read so many posts every day. Send me an email if you have a question about anything. I don't subscribe to many threads for obvios reasons
Any good parts store will usually test it for free, Snow. They can perform all the tests necessary on the bench. Easiest way to go if you don't have the tools or experience with this stuff.