Headlight switch melted!

[CruxGNZ]

My left turn signal stopped working and the problem seemed to be the switch itself. I figured that it's been 30 years and a lot of crap has accumulated inside the switches. Yesterday, I pulled the turnsignal switch and headlight switch off the steering colum. I then disassebled the turn signal switch and sprayed electrical cleaner inside the switch to clean the crap out. Next I dabbed dielectric grease on the copper contacts. I did this with the headlight switch also. After paying close attention to how everything came apart, I assembled both switches. I figured that I haven't changed anything except cleaning the contacts so nothing out of the ordinary should happen. After installing the switches back on the steering colum, I tested each switch to make sure they worked and they did just fine. I thought I was done...

 

Later that night, I wanted to meet up with some Z guys at the dragstrip, so I jumped in my (still L6 powered ) Z and took off. About 10 minutes into the drive I smell something electrical is very hot. Next thing I know I'm seeing smoke! Holy crap, I have a fire in my steering colum! I pull over, shut the car off and check things out. With fire extinguisher handy, I couldn't open the plastic cover that surounds the colum, because I brought the wrong screwdriver. With the smoke clearing and feeling safe again, I notice that my running lights are out, but the headlights work. Taking a chance, I flew back home without running lights. Within a few moments of driving the steering colum starts smoking again. I made it back without fire breaking out.

 

After pulling everything apart again, I find out that the headlight switch has melted. The plastic inside the headlight stalk is melted along with those two springs and plastic caps (if you have pulled it apart, you'll know what I'm talking about). It's a mess. I finally gave up trying to fix it, because it's just to far gone.

 

I do have relays for the headlights installed and have had no problems in the past. Why would this part melt after cleaning it? It's hard to track the culprit when the switch is gone. How can I prevent this from happening to my next switch?

 

!M!

[spotfitz]

I've said it before when someone posts about melting head/running/ light switchs. Check the hazard switch. I just went through this with my '77. It was set up just like my early '74, factory wiring that is (I now have relays on the '74). The previous owner of the '77 had wired a toggle switch up for the running lights and once I pulled the head/running/ light switch apart I could see why. The plastic nubber with the spring had melted to the point it wouldn't throw the switch. I switched the nubbers around to see what else was wrong in the circuit. I had running lights, but the switch started getting hot and the fuse was getting very hot. I pulled the hazard switch apart, as this was the problem with my '74, and cleaned the connections. I no longer had hot switch or fuse, but I didn't have another nubber to replace the melted one. Got a another switch and cleaning it first everything was golden, until one night I lost my head lights. I had power everywhere needed it seemed, including to the head light itself, but no lights. After chasing/tracing all the wires it turned out the high/low beam switch had gone out. Got another and haven't had any problems since.(knock on wood)

Hope this helps