headlight switch plug
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Elder User
Joined: Feb 2007
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From: Mississippi
headlight switch plug
thanks to y'all, got the headlight problem solved losing lights at random times going down road. question i've got now is that when i pulled the connector off the switch and looked at it, it was kind of scorched/melted looking on the surface where it mated with the switch and when i hooked it to the new switch it felt like it was heating up. didn't unhook battery cable before starting this and am wondering if that's what caused the immediate heating or is this a sign that i'm gonna have to replace the connector next?????? at least y'all got me some reliable lights at night....well for now anyway. any thoughts on the plug being warm or did i do a bad by not disconnecting battery cable first??
speedrdr
speedrdr
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Joined: Dec 2006
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Speedrdr,
You'll want to replace that socket. It's a $5 part. You'll have to splice into your existing wires. I did the socket & light switch a few weeks ago. My socket was pretty smoked. I did disconnect the batts as there's hot-at-all-times wire in there. I did one wire at a time, snipped the old, stripped off some insulation, soldered & heat shrunk each wire while I was in there. You really need to do the relay mod. That heat you feel is what's burning up your switch & wires. Too much current for the size of the wire.
There's a full write up of the relay mod in the tech section here:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/article/...r_Brights.html
I went one step further when I did mine and added a relay for the parking lights. I tucked the relay up in the dash behind the light switch. My truck has the overhead clearance lights, running board lights, dually fender lights etc. I figured it was well worth the $5 relay to do it while I had it apart and could easily identify the parking light wire.
Here are a couple of pics of my socket:
and
Mike
You'll want to replace that socket. It's a $5 part. You'll have to splice into your existing wires. I did the socket & light switch a few weeks ago. My socket was pretty smoked. I did disconnect the batts as there's hot-at-all-times wire in there. I did one wire at a time, snipped the old, stripped off some insulation, soldered & heat shrunk each wire while I was in there. You really need to do the relay mod. That heat you feel is what's burning up your switch & wires. Too much current for the size of the wire.
There's a full write up of the relay mod in the tech section here:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/article/...r_Brights.html
I went one step further when I did mine and added a relay for the parking lights. I tucked the relay up in the dash behind the light switch. My truck has the overhead clearance lights, running board lights, dually fender lights etc. I figured it was well worth the $5 relay to do it while I had it apart and could easily identify the parking light wire.
Here are a couple of pics of my socket:
and
Mike
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Elder User
Joined: Feb 2007
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From: Mississippi
thanks mike. 
figured AFTER i had replaced it and was reading in the service manual that should have disconnected battery. looking at your pics, that's pretty much what my connector looked like, so wil be replacing it asap while it's on my mind. did you find connector at parts house or was it a ford item???
speedrdr
figured AFTER i had replaced it and was reading in the service manual that should have disconnected battery. looking at your pics, that's pretty much what my connector looked like, so wil be replacing it asap while it's on my mind. did you find connector at parts house or was it a ford item???speedrdr
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Joined: Dec 2006
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Speedrdr,
I actually ordered it from Ford because I thought it would be factory only....they dinged me $10 for it. It was in a "Pico" brand bag....my local parts store (Knecht's) sells Pico stuff. Next time I was in the store I checked and it was on the shelf. $5.
Oh well, at least it was only a $5 stealer tax and not something more obscene.
Mike
I actually ordered it from Ford because I thought it would be factory only....they dinged me $10 for it. It was in a "Pico" brand bag....my local parts store (Knecht's) sells Pico stuff. Next time I was in the store I checked and it was on the shelf. $5.
Oh well, at least it was only a $5 stealer tax and not something more obscene.Mike
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Elder User
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From: Mississippi
yeah, i understand whatcha mean. gonna have to try a different parts store than i usually go to (car quest) cause they ain't got it and say they can't order it either. all i've got left is auto zone napa and advance. maybe one of them has it. i have gotten rather adept at removing connectors and taking spade type terminals and just making jumpers to fit the switches and just eliminating the part altogether. (i DO keep the old part with a bit of wiring on it just in case i've got to reinstall one later) LOL thanks for the heads up on it being something that isn't just a stealership only item.
speedrdr
speedrdr
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From: Mississippi
Originally Posted by Oregon-Mike
Let me know if you can't find it at one of those places. I can get the PICO part # for you so the other outfits can find it/order it. Hell, I could mail you one for about $7 if nobody can find it for you 
Mike
Mike
thanks mike, needed that encouragement. sometimes i think the parts guys wake up in a new world every day around here.... have been so busy can't get to parts place to even ask them yet. if i ever get there to ask them and they don't have it may take you up on the offer.
speedrdr
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Elder User
Joined: Feb 2007
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From: Mississippi
Originally Posted by gbeach
i have same melted conn. I was wondering if i could get that pico part #
thanks
Greg
thanks
Greg
speedrdr
Mountain Pass
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 170
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From: New York
does anyone know if these pico/ standard/ ac delco part numbers would be the same for a 1985 F250? TIA
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