HarrySlother

What works:
passanger side door light
the hot light when cranking
blinkers and running lights

what dosent work:
windshield wipers
heater
headlights both
not sure fore rear lignts because bumpers not on( does the bumper ground?)
No power from light switch to dimmer switch
all fusses have power Except the 4A fuse which I don't think it's getting power

ask any questions

joe_padavano

Have you looked at the wiring diagram in the Chassis Service Manual? Do you have a test light or VOM?

Look, there are MANY possible causes for these problems. They may or may not be related. The fact that the car is partly disassembled (bumper not on, for example) will DEFINITELY affect this (yes, the bumper is the ground), so without knowing the EXACT state of the car, we'll all just be shooting in the dark.

texxas

Start by cleaning the contacts on all the fuses and the fuse box. I've bought many old cars that have sat for extended periods of time and corroded connections at the fuse box are common.

joe_padavano

The headlight circuit doesn't go through the fuse box, so that likely isn't the primary problem.

HarrySlother

The front lights are grounded. There is no power going from the light switch to the dimmer switch. I didn't change the resistance wire for the hei when I converted it but I'm going to do that. I have looked at the wiring diagram several times and have tested lots of things. So just ask anything.

joe_padavano

This is troubleshooting 101. Have you verified power INTO the headlight switch? Do you get power OUT of the headlight switch at the connector? Is there a break in the wire from the headlight switch to the dimmer switch? This is a pretty basic circuit. It has to be one of those three things.

HarrySlother

there is power to the headlight switch but there is no power from the headlight switch to dimmer switch. The headlight switch works for everything else. And there is no damage on the wire anywhere.

Gary M

Well, back to what Joe said. Power in and out of switch? No power out of switch sounds like the switch. My 72 switch has a button with a spring on the switch body that you press while the switch is in the on position to remove the **** and shaft. Good luck. Ask more questions if you need to.

joe_padavano

Have you verified that there is or is not continuity between the power in and headlight out terminals of the switch when the switch is on? Remove the switch and test across these two terminals.

HarrySlother

no I have not done that because getting the switch out and in seems like a nightmare. ill try that and get back to you with the results.

texxas

Uhh, OP says MORE than just the headlights don't work. That's not the only problem apparently, I would start by checking and cleaning the fuse holder connections and I guess OP has checked this since just one fuse has no power.

joe_padavano

Yes, but again the headlights DON'T go through the fuse box. Fix one problem at a time. Clearly there are multiple, likely unrelated problems. This is still Electrical Troubleshooting 101.

HarrySlother

I took the switch out and the prong was bent, got it bent and now I have power at the dimmer switch. I have two dimmer switches and both do not work. Is there a switch that I could get to replace the dimmer. A switch that will give power to the low beams when I pull the head light switch. And then when I flip the other switch the high beams will come on.

joe_padavano

So NEITHER the high beam nor the low beam terminals on the switch have power when there is power in from the headlight switch? Did you check for continuity across the terminals on the dimmer switch with a VOM?

HarrySlother

yes neither work because I hot wired it to test the lights and they work. So the issue was the dimmer switch

joe_padavano

Again, have you tested the switch for continuity? Going 0-for-2 on replacement switches isn't unheard of but suggests that there is another problem. If you jumper directly from the power input wire to the low or high beam wires in the dimmer connector, do the lights come on?

HarrySlother

No I haven't checked the dimmer switch for continuity. yes the headlights work of I jump it that way.

joe_padavano

It's PROBABLY the switch, but it could also be a loose terminal in the connector that isn't making proper contact.