trialsman
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| posted on 18/3/23 at 08:55 PM |
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Lost my high beam headlights
I was working behind my Locost dash board and some how did something to make my high beam headlight not work. The donor was a 1979 Escort Mk2 estate.
I've checked my Haynes manual and the wiring diagrams are too small for my 72 year old eyes to find the wire color at the stock high beam lever
on the steering wheel. Fuses are all good. Low beam works good but when you push the lever forward to get the high beam all the head lights go off.
Any idea what wire I should look for so I can track this down? Thanks, Russ
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gremlin1234
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| posted on 18/3/23 at 09:55 PM |
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does headlight 'flash' work?
to add
if I remember correctly, escort mkII used Lucas colours so it will be a blue wire with either a red or white tracer.
I suspect the switch itself
[Edited on 18/3/23 by gremlin1234]
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trialsman
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| posted on 18/3/23 at 10:20 PM |
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No the head light flash does not work. Lights go off when using it. Russ
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nick205
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| posted on 19/3/23 at 02:08 PM |
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Checked the bulbs?
May sound daft, but be sure the main bean filaments haven't failed.
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trialsman
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| posted on 19/3/23 at 02:12 PM |
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Both at the same time? Right after working on wiring under the dash? I'll check but highly doubt it.
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nick205
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| posted on 19/3/23 at 02:52 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by trialsman
Both at the same time? Right after working on wiring under the dash? I'll check but highly doubt it.
I know it's unlikely, but check and rule out the simple first. Got a spare bulb you can use.
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 19/3/23 at 03:20 PM |
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The most usual cause of electrical failure is a bad earth, but if the dipped lights are good then it isn't that.
If both high beams have stopped working simultaneously, then go back to the point where both wires merge.
If OK there, follow that single wire back to the next significant point (relay, switch or whatever). Go back along the circuit with a voltmeter (or
even a 12V bulb) until you see voltage when the high beam switch is set to on.
When I wired my car the high beams had a fuse serving both of them - does your car have the same? If there's a relay involved, is that seated
correctly? Is the connector for the switch seated properly?
Basically, think about what you may have disturbed when you were working behind the dash, or whether you may have accidentally loosened connectors,
moved wires so that they are shorting, and so on.
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JoelP
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| posted on 19/3/23 at 06:44 PM |
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Is it possible that a bad earth allows enough current for the smaller lights, but the demand of full beam means not enough current gets through for
any of the lights?
You'd probably smell smoke in that circumstance, but I can't think why it would stop other lights working unless it was something they all
share.
Beware! Bourettes is binfectious.
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trialsman
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| posted on 19/3/23 at 07:35 PM |
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Lucas, Lord of darkness!!!!!
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trialsman
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| posted on 19/3/23 at 08:03 PM |
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Lights, high and low beam both work when hot wired to the battery. So that's not it. There is a blue wire with a white tracer coming from the
stalk area but it is the smallest gauge wire coming from there. I see no loose or unconnected wires coming from the stalk area. Russ
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HowardB
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| posted on 19/3/23 at 08:32 PM |
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have you checked the relay?
Howard
Fisher Fury was 2000 Zetec - now a 1600 (it Lives again  and goes zoom)
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trialsman
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| posted on 20/3/23 at 01:16 PM |
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Trying to find it. I assume it is under the dash. I'm also looking for any additional fuses (other than the main fuses). I did notice when using
the stalk to turn on the high beams I don't hear a clicking of a relay. Russ
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HowardB
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| posted on 20/3/23 at 01:52 PM |
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It may be mounted in the engine bay, or even floating loose in the loom depending on who/how it was wired up.
Any pics?
Howard
Fisher Fury was 2000 Zetec - now a 1600 (it Lives again and goes zoom)
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trialsman
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| posted on 20/3/23 at 02:06 PM |
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Picture a "rats nest" and that's what it looks like behind the dash!!!!!
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nick205
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| posted on 20/3/23 at 02:32 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by HowardB
It may be mounted in the engine bay, or even floating loose in the loom depending on who/how it was wired up.
Any pics?
Spot on - each builder will have their own way of wiring up a car and placing fuses, relays and the like.
If it's a real mess of wires behind the dash does it give and excuse to rewire some of the circuits in your own way maybe?
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HowardB
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| posted on 20/3/23 at 04:06 PM |
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what you want to find in the back of all the wiring is one of these - linky if
it is missing - it is the thing to add to make life simple. Something for next winter?
Howard
Fisher Fury was 2000 Zetec - now a 1600 (it Lives again and goes zoom)
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trialsman
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| posted on 20/3/23 at 04:26 PM |
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wow, that's nice
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trialsman
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| posted on 20/3/23 at 04:48 PM |
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See if these pic's work. Is this the headlight relay? This relay could not have been in a worse place.
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trialsman
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| posted on 20/3/23 at 04:51 PM |
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Look in my folder for pic's?????
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obfripper
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| posted on 20/3/23 at 06:18 PM |
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That looks like an intermittent wiper relay if my german is right.
Are you still using the mk2 escort fusebox? The bullet fuses were always suceptible to corrosion, spinning them round in the holders was usually
enough to temporarily fix them.
My striker uses the mini/lucas glass fuses and i've had several fuses look fine but where the contact plating has delaminated they've gone
open circuit, this was only evident once the fuse was removed.
Dave
[Edited on 20/3/23 by obfripper]
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trialsman
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| posted on 20/3/23 at 06:45 PM |
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I assume it is the stock Escort fuse block and yes it has the bullet fuses. The contacts are clean and coated with dielectric grease. I know the relay
next to this one is the emergency flasher one because I feel it clicking when the flasher is on. Replaced the relay with another one and still no high
beam. I'll check to see if the windscreen wipers work without that relay. I assume the high beam relay is not actually in the high beam stalk????
Russ
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trialsman
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| posted on 20/3/23 at 07:29 PM |
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I have high beams!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! New relay did not fix the problem. Got looking at the bullet fuses again and one had
no resistance across it. Element still looked good but just a little blue when all the other ones have an aluminum color. And that was it. The element
was not broken. Hours of work by me and you guys down the drain. Can't believe it. Thanks for everything guys. If you are ever in the Kansas City
area I'll buy you a beer!!!! Russ
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HowardB
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| posted on 20/3/23 at 07:32 PM |
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Great news!
Time to look at owning the wiring on your car - keep an eye out for a complete unit like the CBS one and plan it for winter.
Modern blade fuses and relays all in one place
Howard
Fisher Fury was 2000 Zetec - now a 1600 (it Lives again and goes zoom)
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nick205
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| posted on 21/3/23 at 02:38 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by trialsman
I have high beams!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! New relay did not fix the problem. Got looking at the bullet fuses again and one had
no resistance across it. Element still looked good but just a little blue when all the other ones have an aluminum color. And that was it. The element
was not broken. Hours of work by me and you guys down the drain. Can't believe it. Thanks for everything guys. If you are ever in the Kansas City
area I'll buy you a beer!!!! Russ
Fantastic to hear it's sorted and you've got high beam working again.
The help and chat is what Locostbuilders is brilliant for. I suspect it's helped many of us build our cars and solve general life hassles
too.
Enjoy, ask and contribute - it's a forum 
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 21/3/23 at 09:16 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by nick205
The help and chat is what Locostbuilders is brilliant for. I suspect it's helped many of us build our cars and solve general life hassles
too.
Enjoy, ask and contribute - it's a forum
When I was building my car (and some time after) I asked many questions here, and got many answers. Even when I ignored the answers and did it my own
way, my solution was the result of my thinking processes being stirred up and/or inspired by the ideas given here.
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