Ok, I would beleive it's a grounding issue, but where to look. I played with the dimmer switch, and played with the wires on the headlight themselves. It's a CMC car. so now where.. Also, does VW have a reverse light switch on the tranny, or elsewhere (1970 tranny) The reverse light is just wired into the running lights?
Thanks.
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With a CMC, it can sometimes be hard to tell where the wires go.
Remove the headlight and there should be a ground wire connected to a screw lug at the bottom of the light. Follow it back to its source and then clean that connection to bright and reassemble. If both lights are the same brilliance but only on one beam ( hi or low ) then I would suspect the dimmer switch before the grounds, especially if it is one of those cheap, floor mounted dimmers.
The backup light switch is mounted on the nose cone of the tranny, passenger side. Should be two wires coming from it. One goes to keyed hot (goes out when the key is off) and the other goes to the backup light. The other side of the backup light goes to ground, somewhere in the back.
Gn
Did that solution work for you Mr Mom?
Speedster "D" still learning?
My tranny nose cone didn't have a place for a switch. I have one installed on the back of the speedometer.
ok, the dimmer switch is good, (Continuity test) and the headlight switch is good (Continuity test again). Now, when the hi beams are on, the little blue light is on on the dash. when clicked down to lo beam, the blue light is still on, just slightly dimmer. As for the reverse light, That's on the back burner for now.
Sounds like a miswired dimmer relay.... I've come across two over the years..... Some body (Gordon where are you?) should have the pin / tab numbers and their purpose / destination..... My .02....
sounds like my muffler bearing is bad too... LOL There is no "Dimmer Relay". Fuse box to light switch to dimmer switch to lights. I have the CMC book. Any other ideas?
If your car uses the combination turn signal/ Hi-Lo beam type of switch then there will be a relay.
I know this sounds weird, but try switching the high and low beam wires at the dimmer switch (if you have no relay) to see if then the low beams come on and not the highs. I suspect the dimmer switch or relay is mis-wired. As a way to shot gun it, find the low-beam wire(s) coming back from the headlights and attach another wire between them and the "+" terminal on the battery to see if they light up. If they don't, bad bulbs. If they do, then I would suspect the dimmer circuit/switch.
There is NO relays on this wiring harness. I did swap the wires. Now I plan on pulling the bulbs, they are H4. and there may just not be enough power for them on Low, and the highs are being the lows.. now, I have these small bulbs in with the headlights, are they to turn on with parking lights, and off with headlights? They stay on all the time. and bright too? Try that.... LOL
Put in some relays and you'll get brighter lights.
That's my next project. I got the directions on line.. Thanks.
Could you please say what and where you got the instructions on line. I'm an electrical klutz and need brighter lights too. Thanks.
David,
I'm not sure where Mr. Mom got his diagram but this link gives you a pretty good "step by step" plus a diagram.
I'll throw in a few schematic/reference sites:
http://www.danielsternlighting...h/relays/relays.html (relays; 2nd schem down)
and
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/arc.../wiring/bug_7071.jpg
and
http://www.shoptalkforums.com/...hp?f=54&t=125985
Hope it is helpful, Mom.
Thanks for the leads on the wiring diagrams, Lads. I got the relays installed for high and low beams and what a difference it makes. I took the time to measure voltage before and after the conversion and right at the lights it went from 9.2V to 11.88. I used Bosch "double 87" relays at about $5 each.
