Headlight fix

[icehouse]

There was no sign of overheating at all, in looking at the break, I would suggest vibration finally took it's toll on a joint that maybe was marginal right from the factory. It was exactly like the one Andy ran into and it is still going strong the he re-soldered.

Are we betting for another dinner? Your car has an hour counter right?

[funwithmonkeys]

I have found on re-soldering pieces like this it is really important to remove ALL the old solder, clean off an residue and trim the wire back so there is no solder left on that. I bit of emery paper on the point you are soldering to right before you soldering so you are starting completely fresh. If you just heat up the old solder and add a bit of new stuff it will fail again quickly. I learned this from years of working on commercial two way radios.

[McShagger510]

Good info there Norm!

James

[510rob]

Oh...JEFF WINS!!!!

haha smartest man in the world!!!!!


Keith like I said earlier, I've never had a re-solder last, it seems as the switch ages the amount of resistance goes up, making the problem reoccur. I had one I re-solder only last one day! Maybe you will get lucky.

You win. I owe you El Gitano.

[Byron510]

You win. I owe you El Gitano.

My favorite stop in Mt Vernon! Thanks to Rob giving this heads up like 20 years ago - it's still a great place to plan around stopping for dinner!

Oh, and for those wanting to drop in - there is another El Gitano right next door in Burlington - it's NOT the same in case anyone is passing through.

The you want to visit the correct El Gitano, it is off the I-5 at 538 (E. College Way) exit headed east a couple blocks, then left (north) on Riverside Drive - it's half block down on your right. Big sign, can't miss it! And you'll definitely be happy you stopped!

Keith - glad you found your issue.

Byron

[bertvorgon]

I actually thought about putting some pig tail wires on the headlight wires and drop them down low under the dash. Should the joint fail again, I would then just be able to mount a switch to at least turn the headlights on, the running lights work just fine. Upper switch... running lights, jumpered switch... headlights, at least that would retain my stock, lit switch.

Hopefully I will get my headlight upgrade done and the current will not be so much through the factory switch.

[Byron510]

Hopefully I will get my headlight upgrade done and the current will not be so much through the factory switch.

Hint noted

Byron

[bertvorgon]

The light's fired up right away, bright and white. I kept my finger on the wire, as Jeff has scared the hell out of me that the joint will fail again...it just got faintly warm, why would it not with that sort of current running through it. Silly design really when you think of that power going to the fuse box and then lights. No wonder we cannot put higher wattage bulbs in there. When you actually look at how small that contact surface in that switch must be, it's amazing that any of these have lasted for as long, plus, they slide..how efficient is that!

I did not put my jump wires on, did not have any of those nice POSI-TAPS, but I am going to get some just because.

I used my meter on Robyn's switch and had the same ohm reading as my switch, for what that is worth. The couple of wires on Robyn's switch where quite hard, making me think of internal corrosion?! One wire on mine was "harder" but not the two in question.

The wire that broke (white/red) was the "tap"' wire from the white power wire and at the switch it turns into the RED/yellow to head off to the fuses for the headlights. I still do not understand why the running lights work(ed) as there is no jumper on the switch between those two.

I may just because, make a jumper setup that would take power right from the white wire and go to the fuse box, should the switch fail, you could just power up your lights if on a night trip. That's all the switch actually does.

I have studied the Paulo wiring diagram for hours, so if someone can explain to me how the running lights get power, I would appreciate that.

Byron, I will bring your wiring diagram on Sunday and maybe we could take 5 and go through that.

I fought that stupid hour meter/fan/aux.tank switch module for 20 minutes to try to get one silly screw back on, I don't know how or why I did it that way back in the 70's......and you thought the Rubix cube was tough....Cripes.

Going back over tomorrow to remove driver side half shaft for test fit.

[yenpit]

Following.........any luck?

I'm chasing no brake lights in a 72 Goon! I hate electrical issues.........

TJ

[bertvorgon]

Yes, I did get the lights working, it was "just" the failed solder joint, my post above does explain what happened.

Are your other tail lights working? Any power at the brake pedal switch?

[yenpit]

OOps, didn't realize this thread was 4 pages long!!

Problem is that the Wagon's have a completely different turnrsignal & hazard wiring system than the Sedan's. The brake light switch runs thru BOTH turnsignal & hazard systems. I am not getting full on power at the brake switch, but I am getting blinking on off on off power when I switch on the hazards! I replaced bulbs, checked all sockets, replaced both flasher relays, swapped out both the turnsignal & hazard switches (both are Goon only, not same as Sedan), I rebuilt the l'il crescent shaped switch on the turnsignal switch assembly (this cured a similar issue on two 240Z's recently!).........next is to pull the dash cluster out, so I can access the dash harness & the tail harness to check continuity, look for damage etc etc! Ugh

TJ

[bertvorgon]

I feel your pain.....I have a box of matches I can send you......

Maybe Robyn (RMS) will chime in, he has done lots of work on Goons

[yenpit]

ANY guidance would help! Again, I'm diggin' in deeper this weekend!

[icehouse]

OOps, didn't realize this thread was 4 pages long!!

Problem is that the Wagon's have a completely different turnrsignal & hazard wiring system than the Sedan's. The brake light switch runs thru BOTH turnsignal & hazard systems. I am not getting full on power at the brake switch, but I am getting blinking on off on off power when I switch on the hazards! I replaced bulbs, checked all sockets, replaced both flasher relays, swapped out both the turnsignal & hazard switches (both are Goon only, not same as Sedan), I rebuilt the l'il crescent shaped switch on the turnsignal switch assembly (this cured a similar issue on two 240Z's recently!).........next is to pull the dash cluster out, so I can access the dash harness & the tail harness to check continuity, look for damage etc etc! Ugh

TJ

I've fixed a few wagons. I'll have to check the diagram when I get home but if memory serves me correctly the power goes through the brake switch first. You could test the switch on the output side. My Sunny has a bad blinker switch, it's similar to the goon. Blinkers are for city folk though, so I've never fixed it.

[RMS]

and hand signals can be used to if the fuzz is about.

if it is a early goon without L plugs on the flashers you could have some mixed up wires. the brake light feed should not be pulsing with the hazards. are all those feed wires GB with a red nub on one ..... wheres that haynes manual .....