New, New Chat Thread

[trularin]

If you have a momentary switch in the column, you will need a relay to hold the high beam.

There should be a switch to turn on the lights, that is the middle and end filaments ( one being ground ) then a wire is run from the other filament to the relay which is a latch once on, latch once off or Flip Flop type relay. That should be your high beams.

Warren, how long has this been like this?

[Ron61]

Tru,

I may be wrong but I believe in another post Warren said he had already checked the relay and other wiring. I had rather do anything than have to tear into the darn steering collum.

Warren,

How about two 5 cell Mag lights with remote control mounted on the front.

Ron

[wtm442]

Ron and Tru
3 way Lucas switch on dash has been checked and working properly (connectivity). Off is OK. Middle position is the running lights which is part of the sealed beam lights, and it works OK. But when the switch is flipped to the third position, the low beams do NOT illuminate. But the running lights do stay ON.

But, when you click on the high beam switch, the high beam lights do come ON, but when you let go of the switch (which is built into the turn signal stalk), the high beams go out and you only have the running lights on.

The headlight relay switch has been replaced and all the fuses are OK.

I just have to time my cruise night to make sure I get home by 8:00 PM

Its been like this for about 4 weeks. I'm about to take the car to a friend of mine - "Mr. Wires". I'd hate to take the column apart.

[wtm442]

Ron
I'm registered in the "Not Enough Sex Registry. Hell, I could be the President of that registry.

[trularin]

It may be the switch itself.

[Ron61]

Warren,

If you are the president then I must at least be Vice President.

Tru sounds as if he may have hit on the problem. God, I hate tearing into the inside of any of those messes. Springs explode all over the place, small screws vanish into thin air, and I lost the steering wheel last time. I have a 3 way switch in my dash that I rewired, but it basically does what your does. That is why I started jumping around the collum until I found the bad connector as I did not want to get into it unless it was a last resort. And I added an extra relay that I can just plug into in a couple of seconds in case the other one goes bad.

Ron

[wtm442]

I'm leaning towards the fact that the high beam switch is defective. But I cannot find my owners manual with the wiring diagrams.

I'm wondering if a defective high beam switch in the turn signal stalk can result in NO low beams.

[wtm442]

Ron ... How the heck to you lose a steering wheel.

"Yes osifer, it was right in front of me, and now its gone."
"Put down the bottle and please get out of the back seat."

[Ron61]

Warren,

don't laugh. A steering wheel is small. I was helping a friend restore a 1957 Thunderbird and it takes two people to carry one of those huge front fenders and he lost one for two days. Had all of us looking for it. That fender was as big as my whole car.

Asfor the switch, almost anything can be caused by something in that mess in the steering collum. If something came loose it could be causing it to not make contact. You should be able to go to your relay, if it is in an easy place to see, and figure out which are the high beam and which are the low beam leads. Mine are all whiute and numbered and I hate them. Wish they had been color coded. That was why I put in an extra relay and used the spade connectors. I can just pull one off if I don't have the wiring diagram and put 12 volts on it and go see which lights light.

ron

[wtm442]

I have been told that its still the headlight relay that's bad, even though I just replaced it. I talked with Dennis Olthoff and he just had a customer with same problem ... changed headlight relay and it fixed problem.

Talked with guy at place I got the replacement relay and he said it has to externally grounded at the clip end. So I grounded it - no change.

So I just ordered a new one from local VW dealer rather than the web site I bought from last week (located in CA ... that must be the problem). It took UPS 8 working days to deliver the part!!!!!

Just finished supper - Chinese food!!!

Ah, I feel like conquering the world ... but for now, I think I'll just go iron a shirt!

[Ron61]

Darn Warren,

Does you car take a special relay? I just buy mine from NAPA. Never had a problem with any of them. They come with the relay holder or socket and terminals on the outside of it.

I still think that two mag flashlights taped to the top of the front fenders wouls solve your problem.

Ron

[wtm442]

Its a late 60's VW relay that costs about $35.

The flashlights are looking like a good idea, but I have $300 worth of new headlights waiting to be installed. They are new hi-intensity and the running lights will be the turn signals. Just waiting to fix my problem before I do the conversion. The existing lights are not too good at night, especially at speeds over 50 MPH.

Found a wiring diagram of the relay. Now I can go and check them, I hope!

[Ron61]

I hope the new headlights work great. I know what you mean about the stock ones. Mine aren't worth a darn for seeing very far, but since I don't hardly ever drive at night I just can't see going to the expense and bother to change them. I think everyone else around here that had cars changed theirs to the tri-bar type. I don't know of but one guy that went to the real high intensity lights and he has to be careful on the highway as they are so bright, yet they aren't any brighter than some that come in the new cars, so I don't understand why they told him his was to bright. Another of the great mystries I guess.

Ron

[wtm442]

I hope they are as good as eveyone says they are! I ordered them 2 days after I almost hit a deer on a twisty road at night.

Have to wait until Tuesday for new relay. Til then, I'm a day rider!

In fact, its 82 ºF outside .... time for a ride. Woke up at 11:30 AM. Tough life, but sombody has to do it other than Tru.

Hey Tru - finish your deck yet? Move 20 tons of stone lately?

[wtm442]

82 ºF at start of ride ... 73 ºF at end.

Forecast is for 65 ºF tonight. Guess I'll have some left over Chinese food, iron a shirt, and then go for another ride.

Byyyyyyyyyyyyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[392cobra]

Well, I'm back in Dallas after an abbreviated vacation.

The tempt difference between Dallas and Port Aransas is remarkable. 102* vs 87*

When I went to put my Levi's on for the drive back,it apppears that my belt had shrunk.
Must have been the humidity.

[Ron61]

Fred,

If that was an abbreviated vacation, be sure to let all of your relatives know if you ever decide to take an extended one. And also can I have you Cobra when you take the extended one?

Ron

Oh, yea, nice to have you back in the real world temperatures. My belts shrink a lot due to the heat and I just keep buying longer ones to compensate for it.

[hey,littlecobra]

hello. my front yard is full of toilet paper. I'm looking for the 'john'.

[Ron61]

Fred's Back !!!!

Ron

[392cobra]

No,it wasn't me.She has guns and will shoot.