Headlight Circuit breaker

[William]

I have a 76 wag that I cant get the headlights to work on it. I tried the dimmer switch on the floor and also replaced the switch. The chilton says there should be a 25 amp circuit breaker for the headlights for 70-79 wagoneers, but I cant locate it anywhere, and the wiring diagram isnt much help. I removed the headlight and put a meter on the plug and its not getting any power. All the running lights, turn signals, break lights etc. work just fine. The panel dims just like it should with the new switch, just no headlights. Any advice?

[andy d]

on the headlight plug, 1 of th leads is a ground. p'raps its bad. put your meter between the low beam socket and the neg post of the battery. if you get 12 volts , then the ground is bad. BTW, the ground cable from the battery should have a 10 gauge pigtail running to the fender. If that is bad or missing that could be the trouble.

[Crazy_Jeepman]

The 25 amp breaker is in the headlight switch itself. If it fails replace the switch.

[William]

I have already replaced the switch yesterday, and asked NAPA and they said as far as they know thats not the CB that the Chilton is referring to.

[Crazy_Jeepman]

They do not know far enough then LOL. It is the only CB in the circut.

[William]

Is it resetable. Like I said, I just replaced it yesterday with a brand new switch, and the headlights still dont work. Everything else with that switch works(running lights, console lights with dimmer). Is there some way I can tell which is the hot coming into the plug so I can rule out the switch?

[Crazy_Jeepman]

Check and see if you have power at the Dimmer Switch on the floor, (in and out), if so then pull the firewall plug off the fuse box and check for bad conections there and check for power. Basically check from where you do have power till you reach the point you do not have any. There would be the problem, also as mentioned, be sure the ground is good.

[William]

could the dimmer switch on the floor go bad? Would that cause both high and low beams not to work. Ill get the meter after it when I get home today. We worked to 11 last night trying to figure it out and got nowhere. Hopefully well have better luck today. Thanks for the help.

[Crazy_Jeepman]

The Breaker in the headlight switch resets itself as soon as it cools off. Then it will turn the headlights back on untill it gets hot again and then it will shut them down. You would be able to hear the clicking of this happening. It does not sound like this is the problem. I think you are up against a bad conection, bad ground, bad dimmer switch, or a broken wire.

[Crazy_Jeepman]

Originally posted by William:
could the dimmer switch on the floor go bad? Would that cause both high and low beams not to work. Ill get the meter after it when I get home today. We worked to 11 last night trying to figure it out and got nowhere. Hopefully well have better luck today. Thanks for the help.

Yes the dimmer switch will and could kill both high and low beams, and is mostly always the cause of no headlights at all.

[William]

EUREKA!! I knew that dimmer switch looked like it was up to no good. I told my buddy last night I thought it might be the culprit. That things history when I get off work. Time for a parts run. [img]smile.gif[/img] Thanks for your help a whole bunch.

[William]

Thanks so much for the help on that. I replace that floor dimmer switch when I got home and all is well. Headlights work like a charm. Sweet Success [img]smile.gif[/img]