headlight problems...please help

[steve3564]

I am trying to get my '73 240z ready for mechanical safety inspection in Canada, and I have run into some problems with the headlights. When I flick the high-low beam switch, one light comes on and the other goes off...and when I flick it back, the other comes on and the other goes off. I have replaced the sealed beams...problem remains. Please, any suggestions?????

[george71z]

Most likely it's the headlight switch. Since they are positive-switching, there is an awful lot of current going thru those teeny-weeny contacts in the switch. They are more than likely corroded or burnt a bit. Replace the switch(can be cost-prohibitive) or dismantle and clean the contacts(patience and dexterity).

[MikeW]

or dismantle and clean the contacts(patience and dexterity).

... and a while back I wrote up and posted a writeup with directions and pictures showing how to do this. The old attachment, if you can find it, appears to be broken so I've just uploaded it again to the technical articles forum. Here's the new link:

http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17688

[steve3564]

Thanks for the tips guys...with a little patience and luck this will fix the problem!

[phil359]

If you can part with some $$ I'd look into the wiring harness that Dave has put together.

It's a harness that uses relay's to off load the huge current draw that is passing through the main head light switch, and through the fuses in your fuse block.

If it hasn't happened yet, you can expect the surrounding plastic thats molded around the headlight fuse clips in your fuse block to melt sometime in the future because of the current draw from the headlamps.

I just installed the harness, a few weeks ago, works like a charm, and you don't have to cut any part of your exsisting harness to install it..

Check out this thread it has all the info http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?p=109782#post109782

Now granted this probably won't help you for your current situation, but once that's been fixed, it's a cheap fix, and insurance so that it won't happen again.

-Phil

[GunnerRob]

When I flick the high-low beam switch, one light comes on and the other goes off...and when I flick it back, the other comes on and the other goes off.

Isn't the high/low beam selector on a 240z the same as on a 280z? If so, the selector is part of the turn signal switch and activated by pulling on it to select high or low beams. Now, I recall that a few weeks (or months) back one of our members gave an illustrated thread about how to clean and repair the turn signal/headlight switch but now I can't find it. :stupid:

Let me know if I'm off track here, please.

[MikeW]

Now, I recall that a few weeks (or months) back one of our members gave an illustrated thread about how to clean and repair the turn signal/headlight switch but now I can't find it. :stupid:

Look a few posts before yours.

[GunnerRob]

Steve3564 was asking about the high/low beam switch.

When I flick the high-low beam switch, one light comes on and the other goes off...and when I flick it back, the other comes on and the other goes off.

Your article is for the "combination" switch that turns the headlights on/off.

Repairing 240Z combination switch

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This is an writeup I posted a while back in a regular thread but it should really be here in the articles forum.

Edit: changed attachment from pdf to zipped pdf.

Attached Files Repairing 240Z combination.zip (735.3 KB, 19 views)

__________________

-Mike

So, are you saying the combination (on/off) switch contains the contacts for the high/low beam (turn signal stalk) switch?

Honestly,I'm not trying to be argumentative, I'm just trying to get this straight in my mind (man, I hate it when I get confused ).

[MikeW]

Steve3564 was asking about the high/low beam switch.

Your article is for the "combination" switch that turns the headlights on/off.

So, are you saying the combination (on/off) switch contains the contacts for the high/low beam (turn signal stalk) switch?

Honestly,I'm not trying to be argumentative, I'm just trying to get this straight in my mind (man, I hate it when I get confused ).

Perhaps I was confused. I don't recall seeing a writeup on repairing the high/low switch that is part of the turn signal. I assumed you were referring to what I had written up but obviously you weren't. It is still possible that the problem is in the combination switch. If it's starting to flake out the change in current between high and low might be exacerbating things. That doesn't explain, however, why the headlights seem to alternate in this case. For that particular problem, perhaps the low filament is burned out on one side and the high burned out on the other? Maybe there's a break in the high wire to one light and the low wire to the other? Maybe there's nothing at all wrong with the switch.

[jmanz6]

Check your grounds for the harness... That sounds like a grounding problem. Take a meter and measure at each light to see if 12V is even getting there, if not, trace back to where it is lost. Maybe a broken wire, but I bet it's a ground.

[steve3564]

Exactly right jmanz6!! A broken wire right in the harness. Thanks guys for all your tips...problem solved!