cjsdad

If you cut into a wiring harness without reason, you are mutilating a static object that is probably not at fault. If the wiring has not been violated in any way it cannot go bad. If it has been working without fault (pun intended) for 47 years, how in the name of Lucas can it go bad?

I do! Trust me, as the last person to work on the vehicle, and working around the courtesy light wiring, it will prove out to be a problem due to the headliner installation. As a very good installer I still managed to cause problems with vehicles now and then, not matter how careful I was. It happens!

oldcutlass

I don't like to point fingers without proof. If I were the headliner guy I would not pull the headliner unless I knew for a fact the wire is shorted in that area. Now if the OP was willing to pay for the labor and materials to perform that service if it proves that the issue was somewhere else, that would be a different story.

Fun71

Hey now, this is an AMERICAN car!

cjsdad

I've worked on waaay too many Jags to let that one pass. Jags, Triumphs, MGs, you name it. They are always a special treat to work on because you almost always have to repair them first.

jc1671

Good news!! CJSDAD/OLDCUTLASS the darn lights are working now.
I took both of your advices;
I traced the wires again from the jamb switch making sure there was no interference from the door jamb all the way to the actual headlight light switch. Now, I have to be frank and say that part of my trace to the headlight switch was done using my fingers b/c there was no way for me to see the wires without tearing up the dash but at least the wires seemed secured so I taggled them a bit just to make sure nothing was loose.
I then removed all of the courtesy lights (dome & side panels). I pulled on the wires to make sure they were not being pinched. As I screwed the dome light back on I noticed 1 of the screwa was slightly catching one of the wires, it did not rip through the wire but it was definetelly catching so I made sure the screw did not touch the wire as I put it back in place. I added the fuse and the courtsy lights worked.
So it seems that it was the wire being pinched on the dome light OR it's the actual headlight switch going bad b/c when I turn the headlight switch all the way to the left sometimes it makes the clicking noise as it's being turned off and sometimes it does not so it could have been switch going bad. In any case the lights work now, in all it was about 10-12 hours trying to trace wires and figure this thing out and I could not have done without your help.
Thank you both very much and everyone else on this thread for your help!!

oldcutlass

Glad you got it fixed. The 2 most confusing circuits in old cars are the courtesy lights and wipers because they both source a ground to operate.

cjsdad

Glad to hear they are working again. Hoist.gif Hoist.gif Hoist.gif