No headlights

[IdahoKidd]

I have lost both high and low beams on my 77 280. There is no power to the fuse block. There is power through the fuseable link. I have read every post I can find and have tried everything I can come up with. If I heat up the fuse block, the lights do come on. Every other light works as it is supposed to. Near as I can tell, I am looking for a missed or bad connection between the battery and the fuse block. Am I overlooking something?

Thanks,

Leonard

[beandip]

I suggest that you start checking connections . Make sure all are clean and that you have a good ground. Someone else may come on with more info. You might have a relay that is acting up. I don't own a 280 , so don't have much experience with them . Sorry. Gary

[H4LIGHTS]

"If I heat up the fuse block, the lights do come on."

So, that kind of puts it back at the fuse box.

Bad connections, fuses, wire(s) into the fuse box.

Just out of curiosity, how do you heat up the fuse box?

[sblake01]

Yeah, I didn't get that either. I you have 'power through the fuseable link' as you say then the next stop on that trail is the fuse box. I'd test that fusible link to make sure you have power 'through' it rather than just 'to' it.

[IdahoKidd]

If I take a jump wire from a good fused power source and connect it to either the left or right headlight fuse, the light comes on when the switch is on. It tells me that there isn't power getting to the fuse block. I do have power on both sides of the fusable link, checked at the spade and not just at the end of the link (male side if that makes sense).

I just got home from work and will fool with it some more.

[lonrc]

I have the same problem, did you solve it. if so email me at lrchambless@hotmail,com

[Bruce Palmer]

Okay, the following has been posted here before but once more should not hurt......

Remove your fuse box and strip it of all fuses. immerse the fuse box in vinegar for a minute or so, remove, rinse, dry and reload with new fuses. This will clean all the contact corrosion buildup and with new fuses have all systems back in battery in relatively short order.

If all of you haven't done this and are chasing electrical gremlins, don't say you didn't know about this.

[lmcguffin]

If you have power at the fusible link but not at the fuses then the headlight switch is bad as it is located between the fusible link and fuses in the circuit. Bad design; all the headlight current is routed thru the switch. There are quite a few threads related to installing relays for the headlight, and I did so on the 78 280 that we restored (actually installed a relay box from a maxima to add relays for a/c, headlights, cooling fans, foglights, fuel pump, etc). My 74 260 project has the same burnt out headlight switch. Similar issue on the parking lights, however the parking light current tends to burn the molex connecter for the headlight switch as well.