Mike kZ Posted September 17, 2001 Share Posted September 17, 2001 I have a weird problem with my headlights. First of all, my parking lights, indicator lights and emergincy lights all work. When I turn my battery connect switch on, the passenger headlight comes on, even with the headlight switch is on off. If I flick my high beam switch on, the head light turns off.If I turn the headlight switch on, nothing happens until I turn off the high beam switch, and the passenger head light comes back on. I can't even get the drivers side to do anything? I'm guessing it's the headlight switch, but it looks sealed. Are the contacts under where the wires are connected? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLKMGK Posted September 17, 2001 Share Posted September 17, 2001 What year car? I'm only familier with the 240's and those I can assure you are NOT sealed. I had mine apart a few times fixing things inside. Do you have higher than stock wattage headlights installed? Did it ever work? New switches are available, you can often fix the old ones too. IF you've installed higher wattage bulbs or have a really badly abused harness then relays are in order. Relays make even stock lights noticably brighter since the juice no longer has to travel through the switch and harness before getting to th ebulbs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike kZ Posted September 18, 2001 Author Share Posted September 18, 2001 Yes it's a 240, I didn't take a good look at the switch, but you say it's fixable huh? I'll take a better look at it. I do have your tech writeup on the relays, which I might just do. I do have Lucus hologen lights.I'm not sure if the switch ever worked, this is the first time I have power to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drax240z Posted September 18, 2001 Share Posted September 18, 2001 I had a similar problem with my switch, and I assure you the 240 ones come apart! I ended up finding the worn out part (in this case a little nylon nub that was on the end of a spring) and made a new one using a lighter and a nylon zip-tie. Warning, you'll burn your fingertips a lot. If you find those little nubs to be the problem (worn down) I'd suggest putting a dab from a hot glue gun on them to build them up again or something similar. Also double check every wiring connection from the combo-switch to the wiring harness for corrosion, and good fit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottie-GNZ Posted September 18, 2001 Share Posted September 18, 2001 I have a spare switch if you think you need to replace it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
383 240z Posted September 19, 2001 Share Posted September 19, 2001 While you have it apart I would install a relay set the extra currant running through the switch is most likely the cause for damage incurred. Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike kZ Posted September 19, 2001 Author Share Posted September 19, 2001 Thanks Scottie, I'll check my old one first, to see if I can fix it.But I can't I'll let you know! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike kZ Posted September 20, 2001 Author Share Posted September 20, 2001 OK, I took appart the switch and cleaned the contacts, they didn't look too bad, and Drax the nylon nubs were in perfect shape.While I was at it I took appart the high beam switch and cleaned it too. Put everything back together and I have the same problem as above? .I looked at my Haynes Manual and noticed a red and a red/white wire that are connected at the speedo with the letters M.B. beside it. The red/white wire goes to both headlights and the red wire goes to the right (passenger) fuse for the headlights. Since I installed an Autometer speedo I thought I might have forgot to connect these wires, but I can't find these colors under the dash? . Does anyone have any ideas, I need headlights! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLKMGK Posted September 20, 2001 Share Posted September 20, 2001 Before hunting around like that check that you've got voltage at the switch. Do you have any lights at all right now? If you've got say only one light then track backwards from the one that doesn't work. Better yet if you've got one light you've got enough to setup a relay for that beam (low or high). Do some hunting around with the inputs for the headlight switch using a volt meter. If you cannot figure out where you should have voltage I can try pulling my cover and noting which has power etc. but not tonight If you can find voltage going in then try the various settings and see what doesn't output correctly. Been awhile since I fiddled with mine but I seem to recall it was somewhat intuitive when I had it apart. Little seesaw looking deals with plastic nubssliders activating them I think. Make sure there's no burn marks on the brasscopper contact points too. Hrmph, my headlights are too high and the darned adjusting screws are frozen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike kZ Posted September 21, 2001 Author Share Posted September 21, 2001 I did find out why my driver's side light was not working, the connector wasn't pushed in all the way. Now I have low and high beam on the drivers side, and just low on the passenger side(the high beam could be either the bulb, or corroded connection) But... all this is working with the headlight switch off!! I checked the continuity of the switch, and its working right. Somehow I'm getting power to the lights, that's bypassing the switch. . I do have voltage to the switch. [ September 21, 2001: Message edited by: Mike kZ ] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLKMGK Posted September 21, 2001 Share Posted September 21, 2001 Hrm, this will be harder to checkout then. Do the lights go out with the ignition turned off? If so somone has tinkered with the harness Otherwise this is going to be a PITA to check. IF it's got power all the time I'd try disconnecting the switch and using an Ohm meter to check continuity. It's possible the switch is simply shorted passing voltage all the time - if you use an Ohm meter on it you can figure that out... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike kZ Posted September 21, 2001 Author Share Posted September 21, 2001 No the lights are on with out the key in the ignition. I did check continuity of the switch, it was working the way it should. On the Parking Light side, Parking had continuity, Headlight,and Off..none. On the Headlight side, Headlights and Parking had continuity, Off.. none. [ September 21, 2001: Message edited by: Mike kZ ] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike kZ Posted September 22, 2001 Author Share Posted September 22, 2001 Well I think I found out why my headlights are on all time. I replaced my stock bulbs with Hologen cases and bulbs. I read an old post that I copied from zcar.com in 98 that said hologen cases are grounded! Since a Datsun switch is hot all the time, but turns On when it goes to ground, thats my problem. The case is acting as the ground so the headlights are on all time!! I guess it's relay time! Thanks for the help trying to figure this out, but by George I think I got it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike kZ Posted September 22, 2001 Author Share Posted September 22, 2001 I decided to test my ground theory, with the lights on I pulled appart the ground wire between the high beam switch and the light switch. By doing so if the cases were grounded, they should of stayed on. Well you guess it, they turned off . So for now I wired in an on/off switch in that wire, at least for now I can turn the headlights on and off. . Pete, have any ideas?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyZ Posted September 23, 2001 Share Posted September 23, 2001 Mike, were you using the Painless harness, or is your system pretty much sucky stock? Davy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike kZ Posted September 24, 2001 Author Share Posted September 24, 2001 Pretty much sucky stock! But I'm still suspect of the Halogen cases. I've also heard that the negative pin on the halogens are grounded to the case. If that's the case, all I'll have to do is put in relays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted September 24, 2001 Share Posted September 24, 2001 Mike, The 240Z headlight wiring goes something like this: -the power comes into the car on that big white or white/red wire, -then to the head light on/off switch, -then splits out to the headlight fuses (left and right) -then to the common on the headlights, -then the high beam filament side of both headlights are tied together back to the high/low beam switch (one pole) and the low beam filaments side of both headlights are tied together back to the other pole of the high/low beam switch. -The arm of the high/low beam switch is then grounded. So make sure that you have the hi/lo beam switch hooked up right. This is one area that the designers of the 240Z REALLY screwed things up. That has got to be the stupidest headlight circuit I've ever seen. HTH, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted September 25, 2001 Share Posted September 25, 2001 Sounds like you have a sneek circuit through that relay for the hi beam light. You might try a diode in series with that relay to let it only get a signal (ground) from the hi/lo beam switch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLKMGK Posted September 25, 2001 Share Posted September 25, 2001 Heh, try this on for size Pete... When I click on my high beams I trigger a relay to light an LED. However when I click OFF my high beams the LED often stays lit?! urning my lights off and then back on turns off the LED. Worse, a couple of times I've noticed that my high beams are on when I've NOT clicked them on! worst of all - I actually spotted my high beams clicking on by themselves the other night! I don't think I had this problem before I did my tinkering to get the the high beam LED wired up. I've not yet tried putting a meter on the relays up front either to see if it's a badsticking relay or if it's actually getting juice from the switch up front. With the other issues I'm working right now this is low on my list but it sure is a PITA! With Hella H4s I'm sure other drivers aren't too happy with me and my adjustment screws are frozen too so I've not been able to lower my beams down. It's always something..... P.S. I picked up another set of Hellas on E-bay for $55. Their Euro spec and have city lights too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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