71 Z Headlight Problem (left Light dim)

[rzola]

Both lights come on, but the left side is dim on hi and low beam. Fuses good, wiring pluged in corrrectly. Is there a seporate ground for the front ,lights? Please help:cry:

[24OZ]

yeah please help, my right one is dim as well!

[hmsports]

Try swapping the lights left to right and see if the dim moves. If it does, then it's your light, otherwise a bad ground may be the cause. Also check the plug, maybe it has corrosion or gunk in there - also check that the plug itself isn't sprung and making a loose contact. Sounds like it is something up front.

[Marty Rogan]

I had the same problem a couple months ago. It turned out to be a loose connection ar the fuse clamps. Take the fues out. Gently bend them toward each other until you get a tighter fit when the fuse is installed.

I learned this trick just before I started to tear into the wiring loom. Has worked fine since. Glad I dodged the wiring bullet.

Hope yours is this easy to fix.

Marty

[EScanlon]

All good suggestions so far, but no one has noted that you should do the good old clean out the contacts on the fuse box before you tighten the clamps. Simply twirl a piece of fine grain sand paper inside the clamp for the fuse to get rid of any corrosion that may be causing problems.

Check your wiring the same way, probably have a corroded plug someplace and that's what 's causing the problem.

As far as swapping the lights right to left and vice versa, if you haven't done it it is easy to recommend, if you HAVE done it, and you don't tell these guys what's involved, you're a sadist. (Sorry Rick, but you know what a b*tch it is to get to the headlight bulb and replace it, and to do it 3 times in succession........)

I would FIRST check the fuses, connections and wiring BEFORE I just willy nilly decided to swap the locations of my headlights JUST to check if one is not working properly.

2¢

[hmsports]

Boy, I'm bleeding from my nose after that one...

[EScanlon]

Hey Rick, no offense intended, I hope none taken.

What I meant is that for most people who have not examined what it takes to get to the headlights on the 240/260/280, it is a very rude surprise to discover what they have to do.

For the benefit of others, the headlight lamp comes out of the car from INSIDE the wheel well. Typically the screws (yes screws) have had the benefit of years of road grime, salt, splash hitting their heads and it is a major MAJOR Pain you know where to get the screws out. Then you have to contend with brittle wiring casings and rubber plugs and gaskets just to get the headlamp out.

Most of the time, in my experience, the problem with a DIM headlight is corrosion at the Headlamp Wiring Connection either where it hooks up to the wiring harness OR at the fuse box OR at the light switch OR at the grounding point.

So Rick, trust me, I did not mean to say your advice was off base, just that changing out the headlamps is more than just a couple screws, swap and replace.

Again, my apologies if it came out harsher than I intended.

[Royce]

I have known of at least three 240Z's that had a single "dim" headlight that was fixed by taking out the fuse and tightening the fuse holders by bending them together slightly. While your at it you may as well tighten the rest of the fuse holders too. If you are going to spend much time playing in your fuse box you should disconnect your battery, just in case, and be careful not to sqeeze them very hard. You don't want to break them!

If tightening the fuse holders doesn't work, I would replace the fuse. Remember how old they might be. Old fuses can look fine and still not work very well.

Then, disconnect the leads going to the light and put a test light or better yet a meter and see if there is a difference between the "good" side and the "dim" side. This will tell you if you need a new bulb or if the problem is up stream.

Remember start with what is easy and cheap and work from there.

Have fun!

[hmsports]

EScanlon,

It takes a heck of a lot more to offend me - I was just kidding with my remark -- as you should know from most of my posts -- sorry, I should have added a smiley.

Again, that's the great thing about this site is that there are a lot of folks with a ton of experience -- the Z is such a unique and incredible vehicle and each problem can be approached many different ways -- and there is always someone who has done it easier.

I'm just venturing into a street-able Z for the first time and I've learned a lot since joining this site. I'm just trying to do my part to return the favor.

Anyway, I'm smiling in St. Louis :classic:

[AxtellZ]

i had a dim left lamp on my 73- i spent 4 hours getting the bloody screws out the change the bulb and chase the wiring...in the end, it was an *almost* burnt fuse (under the endcap where it wasn't apparent):stupid:

Do try to clean tighten at the fuse block, and simpler yet, swap the fuses to see if the problem moves..

My 4 hour education was a 3 minute fix- go figure!:tapemouth

[24OZ]

All great suggestions however in my case it cant be a bad connection at the fuse end as both left and right lights are wired together. I guess I'll try swapping the bulbs and seeing if it moves to the other light.

Any other suggestions?

THANKS!

[hmsports]

Seeing as I was causing too much work yesterday, maybe you can save a little time if you buy one new bulb (you can always return it) and only take out the dim light. Hook up the new bulb and see how it looks.