Witchboard Posted November 6, 2020 Share Posted November 6, 2020 I'm needing a replacement headlight dimmer switch. Confirmed mine is bad using an ohmmeter. No continuity on high beams. Everything I've found they are wanting to sell the entire stalk, which I'm not needing. Everything else functions as expected. Anybody know of a source? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitley_280z_2+2 Posted November 6, 2020 Share Posted November 6, 2020 (edited) I broke mine during assembly and searched for a while to try and find one. I couldn't find any sources for a stock switch like that. I tried to retrofit an existing switch from a different car or just any random switch off the internet but I couldn't find anything the right size that had the correct switch routing. So I ended up getting a push button switch that had a double throw with a common pin and mounting it on the dash. Had to do some magic with the wiring but it worked out in the end and I don't think it looks half bad. Obviously not gunna work if you want the stock look but hey thought I would share what I did. I'm sure you could get a custom switch made or even 3D print something if you want to get real creative and retain the stock feel. Edited November 6, 2020 by Whitley_280z_2+2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Witchboard Posted November 6, 2020 Author Share Posted November 6, 2020 Thanks for the response. I may just split it apart and see what's up. Likely contacts are burned up. I plan on doing a relay conversion for my headlights anyway, so who knows what I'll come up with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewZed Posted November 6, 2020 Share Posted November 6, 2020 People have taken those apart and cleaned them up with success. The contacts don't burn up they just get gummed up. Many people, myself included, have fixed them just by spraying large amounts of contact cleaner in to the assembly and working the mechanism. Not lying. Many people who buy a Z that has sat for years find that they don't have headlights or they only have high or low. It's probably just a light film of corrosion and a weak spring in the mechanism that can't push through it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Witchboard Posted November 6, 2020 Author Share Posted November 6, 2020 I tried that, but I can do it some more. Worse case scenario I guess I can desolder it, pull the pin and try to remove the board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miles Posted November 6, 2020 Share Posted November 6, 2020 Old school floor mounted dimmer switch: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Witchboard Posted November 6, 2020 Author Share Posted November 6, 2020 I thought of that too. Thank you for the part numbers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miles Posted November 6, 2020 Share Posted November 6, 2020 33 minutes ago, Witchboard said: I thought of that too. Thank you for the part numbers. New floor mounted dimmer switches for vintage cars are available from several sources. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Witchboard Posted November 12, 2020 Author Share Posted November 12, 2020 Figured I had nothing to lose. Cracked open that switch and it was full of green oxidation. Cleaned it all up and put it back together and now it's working like a champ. My plastics were old and brittle so I ended up using a couple of zip ties to secure it together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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