12/'71 240Z Headlights and More

[micjman]

Hi, I've been repairing a 240Z and have finally gotten around to working on the electrical system. I was told the head lights worked fine until some how the battery fell over and then they shorted out? not sure about this, In any case I bought new head lamps and pluged them in, they do not work on high or low beam, though the running lights and side marker lights do work. Originally I would get a tiny blue light to come on the dash when I engaged the high's, and now this is no longer comming on. I checked all the fuses, and they are fine, ran a volt meter at the head lamp plug and got no Volts. After reading through a couple of threads I hear most people talking about checking the fusible links? but I either don't have them or can't figure out where they are. I really should have a color schematic but I don't, just a black and white one from a haynes manuel and it is poorly done. I took apart the protector on the the steering collum and looked at the two switches there, not so sure how to test them, but I don't see anything broken. One thing I did find was a highout put capasitive device that was wired in below the fan assembly on the passenger side, the engine has been pulled out since it was used and the wires no longer attach but are there disconnected. My Fan also didn't seem to work but I have found that the reason for this is because the red positive wire that pops out a little below the fan switch has been disconnected, I can't seem to find where it plugs into, it has a male-like crimped end and looks like it should fit into the rubberish green/clear sleve of another wire. In any case, the small red positive that comes directly from the fuse box is also without a connection, they are different grad wire sizes, so I doubt they are suppose to go together however touching them together does make the fan run...

thanks for anything you know about these issues,

Mike

[Reddog929]

http://www.colorwiringdiagrams.com/ Best $20 I've spent in a long time. Color and large! You have two wires that give power to your lights at the headlight plug one for each side. Red wire for the right side and a red/yellow on the left, these are the B+ wires. The other two are for high and low beam (red/Blk) & (red/wht). The switch at the collum is a grounding switch. With your key to the Acc and the light switch on you should have power to the light B+ wires. There are lots of people on this sight that are good I just thought I would give you a foundation to start on.

[Zs-ondabrain]

just a quick insite on every 240Z, the key does NOT have to be on for the lights to operate. New cars-Yes. 240Z's-No.

If the steering column cover is off, the white/red or the red/white 12 gauge wire should always have power, flip the headlights on and the other wire should get power. Anyways, the turn signal stalk is for switching the HI and LO beam (ground wires). The headlights each have a fuse in the fusebox in the upper right corner of the fusebox.

Reddog929 was correct in the color of the wire for the headlights. The parking lights and sidemarkers, as well as the dash lights are all on the same circuit. and have almost nothing to do with the headlight circuit. Other than the fact that the combo switch controls them.

Just make sure that the combo switch is getting power and the fuses are ok in the fusebox. Check the connections on the passenger side kick panel. The headlight wires are the only ones of the colors mentioned earlier in the upper passenger dash area.

Start with the fusebox, then the combo swith, then the red and red/yellow wires at the headlight plugs in front of the radiator, also check to make sure that the hi/lo switch is getting a good ground and distributing that ground to the white/red and white/black wires on the white switch case on the T/S switch.

by the way, the fusable links, if there are any left from the previous owner, are located on the starter to the large white wire going to the engine harness. The other should be on the alternators power output bolt to the other large white wire going to the engine harness. They should be about 5 inches each, and should both have a ring terminal and quick disconnect terminal (male or female) in a clear or blackened (by heat) rubber boot, to connect to the white power wire.

hope some of this helps, It's late and I'm tired so I might have goofed, but I doubt it.

Dave.

[het976]

I just got through installing my dash and steering column. When I was done, the lights did not work. The problem was in the column, there is a white/red wire that is tucked under the column, right where the wheel bolts on and it was not connected. It was easy to miss as it is kind of hidden under there. I doubt it is your problem, but worth checking since you have the cover off.