New Electrical Issues!

[davery]

So after detailing the engine bay I have a few electrical issues. I have hi beams, but no lo beams. It looks like the grounds for the hi and lo are the same, so they must be OK. It also looks like each side uses separate fuses and they both look OK (but my eyes aren't as good as they used to be - I may have to pull them to check). That seems to put me at the lo beam relay, which of course has nothing to do with the engine bay. Next are the amber front side lights. I don't remember when these are supposed to be on, but they are not on. It looks like the front side lights power supply is combined with the front turn signals. The front turn signals work, although with one the parking light is not working. I assume this is a bulb issue. Could all this be switch issues on the steering column? The head light lever switch was bent when I bought the car and is sometimes difficult to get the lights on. It usually takes me a few seconds of rotating the lever to find the right spot to get the lights on. Suggestions?

[GeorgeT]

Your car didn't come with headlight relays so that can't be the problem (you should add them though). It sounds as if the column switch is bad, I would start there. When the lights are on the side marker lights should also be on.

[RRoller123]

How did you detail it? Power washer? Or by hand with hose? Or just by hand with spray bottle, etc? It may provide some insight into the root of the problem.

[klweimer]

davery,
While the high and low beams go to the same grounding pod, I think they each have their own connection point on the pod.
Kirk

[davery]

Actually, the 85 came with both a hi and lo beam relays. It could be the grounding pod, but it looks like they each side has a separate ground and it is for both hi and lo. I would think if it is both left and right grounds, the hi beam would not work. When I cleaned the engine bay I did not use a power wash, but did use the garden hose.

[ekstrandt]

The relays make a nice "click" sound when they engage. You should here it when you get the high beams to come on (same sound for the low beam). The parking lights come on with the first rotation on the light switch and stay on for the remaining rotation. The power for the markers is all or nothing. Meaning when the connection is made at the steering column all the marker lights come on. If individual bulbs do not work check connections and the bulb. If all the lights worked before cleaning I would think that water got into the connector or the grounds corroded. Good Luck.

[davery]

The relays make a nice "click" sound when they engage. You should here it when you get the high beams to come on (same sound for the low beam). The parking lights come on with the first rotation on the light switch and stay on for the remaining rotation. The power for the markers is all or nothing. Meaning when the connection is made at the steering column all the marker lights come on. If individual bulbs do not work check connections and the bulb. If all the lights worked before cleaning I would think that water got into the connector or the grounds corroded. Good Luck.

I hear the click of both the hi and lo beam relays. I'm beginning to think the issue is with the column switch, as it has never worked right. The headlight lever was bent when I purchased the car. I've kind of dealt with it over the years by fiddling with the lever to get the lights to work. Although looking at the wiring diagram, it looks like power goes from the ignition to the switch to the relay. I would think if the switch was bad, the relay would not click. I never noticed this before, but the lo beam relay connects to the hi beam indicator light on the dash. It appears both the lo and hi beams have a common ground, so I would think this is not the issue. I need to check both lo beam fuses again. I have been known to miss a blown fuse before. I doubt if two would blow at the same time, but it is possible. If the fusses are good, then I need to check them for power. If they have power, then the issue is between the fuse box and the light, in the engine bay.

[spider2081]

I think C23 is "hot all the time" and supplies power to the hi and t he lo beam relay contact 87. 87 is the normally open contact for mating contact 30. Contact 30 powers the fuses which in turn powers the headlight.
Terminal 85 on both relay is one side of the relay coil and is connected to ground. Terminal 86 gets power through the steering column headlight switch. If the switch is in the Lo beam position terminal 86 of the lo beam relay gets power and its terminal 87 connects to terminal 30 and the lo beams should light is fuses 5 & 6 are good. If the column switch is in the hi beam position terminal 86 of the hi beam relay is powered and its terminal 87 connects to its terminal 30 powering fuses 3 & 4. Fuses 3 & 4 power the headlight hi beams and the hi beam indicator in the tachometer. The steering column switch is powered from the ignition switch in the Start and run positions of the ignition switch. If the ignition switch is in the off position the headlights should not light. The parking lights can be lit with the ignition switch in the off position.

[davery]

So here is where I'm at on my 85:

Front Drivers Side
Hi Beams work
Lo Beams do not work
turn signal works
parking light does not work
Side Marker does not work

Front Pass Side
Hi Beams work
Lo Beams do not work
turn signal works
parking light works
Side Marker does not work

Rear Drivers Side
Tail Light Works
turn signal does not work
Brake Light Works
Side Marker works

Rear Pass Side
Tail Light does not Work
turn signal works
Brake Light Works
Side Marker does not work

Interior
Gauge lights do not work

Currently there is no fuse in circuit H, as it looks like there is a short, which includes (according to 1982 Diagrams):
Pass side Rear Marker Light
Pass side Tail Light
Pass side License Light
Dash Panel Lights
Lights On Indicator

Last night I removed the steering column switch. Tonight I found the hot wire to the steering column switch and began bypassing the switch by trail and error. The diagram codes I have from 1984 appear to be different than what is in the car. I could get the hi beams and rear drivers side marker to work (and the wipers), but either could not find the correct wire for the lo beams or the issue is not the steering column switch.

I am about past the point of my skill set. Suggestions?

[davery]

Update - I had a few minutes tonight and made a bit of progress (maybe?). There are two wires coming out of fuse H, where the short is. There is a yellow wire that goes to the rheostat before going to various interior lights. I removed the rheostat Yesterday in attempt to isolate the short. I disconnected this wire going to the rheostat and there is no short now. Since the rheostat has been removed, does this mean the short is between the rheostat plug and the fuse? Also, while now all the bulbs on both rear circuit boards are working, I'm still have an issue with the drivers side marker light. I switched the pigtails with the marker light bulb sockets and the issue seems to be with the drivers side circuit. I removed the pigtail and tested the current coming out of this board (where the pigtail plugs in) and it reads 10. The connected pigtail reads 10 at the socket. I've really never used a multi-meter before, does this sound right?

[ORFORD2004]

If you remove the rheostat and no more short, your problem is from the rheostat to the light. It should be 12 or more but check your battery. Maybe it's 10VDC not AC.

[davery]

If you remove the rheostat and no more short, your problem is from the rheostat to the light. It should be 12 or more but check your battery. Maybe it's 10VDC not AC.

On Tuesday I removed the rheostat and the short was still there. I'm assuming by removing the rheostat I am cutting off the power to the interior lights on this circuit. I started looking closer at the wiring diagram and noticed there were two wires coming from fuse H. One going to the exterior lights and one going directly to the rheostat and then on to the interior lights. Last night I disconnected the power supply to the rheostat at the fuse and the short was gone. Wouldn't this mean the short was before the rheostat? I'm not well versed in electrical and just started using the multi-meter. Is there any way to test the section of wiring that goes from the fuse to the rheostat?

[ORFORD2004]

You can check wire if you disconnect battery and put mutimeter to ohm. One probe on the body, the other one on wire and you should read 1 or infinite but not 0 for wire coming from the fuse.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4LGykZiRtY

[davery]

So I cleaned the ground in the trunk and replaced the bulbs in the rear side markers and now all the rear lights are working, except for the brake lights. When the lights are on and I hit the brake lights, all the rear lights dim. Ideas?