Azclouds

olzed Good info. That's creative. P.S. My husband brought it to my attention that in my previous post I had some *** for a word I used. It was not the "F bomb" !! The word I used was apparently something the program edits. Eeek!! It was not a **@!!& word...honestly, it really wasn't :stupid:

Zed Head, Yep! I agree with ya. The guys I take my cars let me go in to the shop with them and I never, never leave any of my cars with anyone. Some people say I'm picky with my cars......nah...I just love my cars!!!!!

I forgot to give Zed Head kudos on his correct answer!!!!! Anyone with problems might want to get this guy on your team!

EScanlon, Yes, I noticed when the guy looking at my car was checking out the connections he took a small Q tip looking thing and where ever he sprayed anything he took extra time to make sure everything was exceptionally clean. He didn't leave any goop anywhere and told me much the same thing...make sure everything is super clean.

As promised I am posting the end result to my ‘no headlights’ problem. First of all, I tried to find out where the power to the headlights was being lost. From the headlight switch on the steering column to the fuse box it tested hot (‘hot’ is the term I use when the power is reaching where I am testing. I am not an electrical wizard and I probably don’t use all the proper terms, so anyone reading this…don’t ‘rip me a new one’ for my terms ) From the fuse box to the fusible link it was still hot, and from the fusible link to the headlight was also hot. I really could not find where the power was lost. I got out the wiring diagram in my book and followed everything and retested everything, but as far as I could tell nothing was wrong. From here I took the car to a local shop where I trust the mechanics and they have a guy who really, really understands all the electrical workings of cars. All of the areas I had tested he retested and got the same results. He looked at the wiring diagram and noticed the high beam switch box. Pic below. This shot is from the driver-side window. It is the metal box part with the black high/low beam lever sticking out of it and the white connector on the back. When he tested the connector coming out of the box it was not hot. Well, long story short, we discovered the button clicker-switch-type-thing inside was malfunctioning. Basically the changing of low beam to high beam was stuck in the middle and would not let the power through to the headlights. We took the two small screws (accessible from the back towards the dash) out, opened the unit up, and cleaned up the connections with QD electric cleaner spray, put ‘er all back together, and Viola!! it worked fine. Now when the lever is pushed back and forth it activated the button/plunger or switch (whatever you want to call it) . I figured it was a switch somewhere but I did not want to try to keep changing things until I finally replaced the right switch. Besides, I would have never thought of what it really ended up to be. I would have probably replaced 5 other things before I got to that low/high beam thing! To have him locate exactly where it was failing was faster and cheaper than replacing parts until I got to the right one. Luckily these guys know me and they let me go in to the shop and we fix things together. Helps to learn, that’s for sure!! I am not a great writer or descriptor with words, so if any of this does not make sense please tell me and I will try to say it in another way so it does make sense. Sorry this took so long to post but I had to go out of town with my husband for a few days. Yes, I’m a girl ! who has worked on cars since high school. I was the only girl in auto shop! Again, thanks to all who helped.

Wade; I truly understand your post 'stomping' me, but you assumed I had a car that was spliced and Mickey-Moused' up. I said in my original post this car had been with a car collector and had never been ****ed around with. It has only been to certified mechanics and I have the receipts (and incredible original car) to prove it. I also said everything under the column cover "looked like new". Things that have been spliced and worked on by the 'guy down the street' don't look like that. I accept your apology and hold no ill will towards you, but I doubt it was for my own good but was in fact your frustration with ordinary people who screw up things and then ask someone who knows what they are doing to fix it. I don't like doing electrical work and I am not as good as a long-time veteran like yourself, but I am very conservative with my cars and take care of them like they were my children. People who know me, as you do not, would never doubt that I would do anything with my cars that I was not 100% sure of. All of that being said, I understand your frustration and I am in no way upset with you. Really, I thought it was kinda funny. I am away from home until this weekend, but when I get home I will take pics and post some details of what happened. If it helps anyone else, that would be great. P.S. Wade: Using the CAPITAL letters in cyber-talk means you are yelling and are mad (upset). You might want to slow down on the caps. Just a thought.

EScanlon; Whew! A little long winded aren't cha! But I do agree with you that cars do what they want to do, when they want to do it. I wasn't looking for Cyber-bully Wade to (as he put it) 'DAYS to walk through' fixing it with me. How he knows what I know and don't know is beyond me. But I guess I will take him at his word since the anonymity of posting things on websites gives him free license to say and think what he will. All of my other cars are American and I was looking for maybe something particular to a 78Z that I might not have thought to check. But when you think of it...how cool that you have Wade on your web site to help everyone. He seems to know everything about everything! Thanks for your insight. At least I enjoyed your feedback. BTW: it was the light switch which was my first guess and verified by the 'professional' at my local shop. Thank goodness. Easy fix. And thank you to all who helped me and posted pleasant and helpful tips.

After I tried what I knew how to do and did not find the answer I called a local shop and have an appointment for it. I never do anything I am not sure of doing. I tested what I could, did not find the answer, so I did what you suggested; called the experts. Thanks for your answer. Now go have a beer and cool off. I'm not going to ruin a car like mine:)

Thanks! I'm off to the garage to try the switch flipping now! I will post results. I have been reading stuff on the site and am trying things. I read to check the ground wire (have not found it yet ) and I am now trying to check to see if I get power to fuses. I hate electrical stuff !!!! I'm just not good at it!! Thanks for your help.

Just to add. I took the column cover off and looked at everything and it appears to be original and nothing looks worn or ....or... anything!! It looks like it is almost new. Thanks for any help anyone can give me on what to check. I also checked the fusible links (little while plastic box sort of by the struts) and everything looks ok.

I am hoping some one can save me a lot of time!! I have a 1977 280 that has never been modified. No re-wiring, no engine swaps, etc. It only has 47k miles on it and was owned by a car collector who kept it in a climate controlled garage. What I am trying to say is that the car has not been patched together. It has only been worked on by certified mechanics and has basically lived the equivalent of the life of luxury for a car!! Here is my problem..... Night running lights did not come on but headlights did. Even though the fuse looked fine I changed the fuse anyway and the running lights came on. Then a couple of days later I turned on the lights and they did not come on but the running lights were on. I changed the fuses for the lights (2 10A) and the lights still do not work. Looked at all the wires down the line to the headlights and everything looks like new. Both headlights do not come on. So I'm thinking the switch in the column. I looked up parts on the internet and the switch seems to be available but a little expensive. (But if that is the problem nothing is too expensive for my baby!! ) I just don't want to waste the price if the symptoms point to something else and someone can help me. Has anyone gone through this before and what did you find is the answer. I might be missing something. I appreciate the help, Jaye

5thhorsemann I am not sure if you are trying to be a wise a** or not with your response. If you are...you don't got no good cents of humor. There? I can be a wise a** back! If you must know "what I got for it" (which to me should be none of your business anyway), the buy it now price of 12.5k was what it sold for. Thanks for the nice welcome to the club with that remark. I'm gone from here. Play amongst yourselves. I've got several very nice Zs to play with. Jaye

You asked what I got for the car. I did not sell it. I bought it. Jaye

I spoke to Sam S. Melnick for about an hour yesterday and the plaque was made by a friend of his (who must not have known how to spell Yokohama !) . The car is a ZAP and has all the documentation with the car. Mr. Melnick is a very nice man and told me tons of stories and gave me information about the car. The car is sold on ebay...to me!