headlight trouble
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Freshman User
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headlight trouble
I'm having that on again/off again headlight trouble again. Numberdummy, I replaced that dimmer switch like you said (do you remember I said that my oil lamp was flickering against my headlights? Hi beam indicator and oil lamp were simply do-si-doed in the instrument panel. not by me! ) There's bit of moisture in the cab around the switch. Is that switch shorting to ground right there? Here's the thing. Hard to nail down the problem b/c it only happens when i've been driving for half an hour or so. Turn the truck off for a while and the problem goes away, temporarily.
Seems like I could circumvent that switch for diagnosis but a jumper between connector terminals isn't lighting anything up. Anyone have an idea about this? Dignostic tips? I'm pretty new at this game.
PS- what's a bulkhead connector?
Thanks.
Seems like I could circumvent that switch for diagnosis but a jumper between connector terminals isn't lighting anything up. Anyone have an idea about this? Dignostic tips? I'm pretty new at this game.
PS- what's a bulkhead connector?
Thanks.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 3,565
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From: Sun River St. George
Bulkhead connector is the square plug on the firewall (2) that pass the wires through to the engine and lights. These are known for causing problems. You can clean and inspect them. I eliminate them on my trucks and go with a new harness and a rubber grommet alowing the wires to go through the firewall. Any connection in the headlight circuit will cause the on/off again you refer to. The bimetal circuit breaker in the switch is heating up and switching off. Then it cools and switches on again. Check the plug at the switch for burnt connectors and use plenty of bulb grease after you clean them with electrical parts cleaner and a brass wire brush. I use a wire tie to hold everything nice and snug. Then clean up the bulkhead connectors using the same procedure. Next clean up the plugs at the headlights. and use plenty of bulb grease on all of these. And finally you can do the relay install in the technical articles and give that 40+ year old switch a break! Whiter whites and brighter brights!
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Oh, thanks William. That was my hunch, that something was getting hot. Both switches are new. The dimmer replaced by me, the main dash switch by the previous owner. I suspect he was having the same trouble and never really managed to hit the bullseye. I wanna switch it all out for one of those relay jobs and the hot dog halogen lamps, probably wait a while til I can get home from work w/o headlights. Meanwhile I'll focus on that bulkhead connection.
BTW, which of these switches has the bimetal spring?
BTW, which of these switches has the bimetal spring?
