The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Headlights quit working

Hello -

I recently put on a new starter switch on my starter on my '51 Chevy 1/2 ton. All is great with it. I hardly ever drive my truck after dark, but this evening I was checking all the bulbs etc, and discovered that my headlights and front parking lights are not coming on. I put in brand new bulbs, and still no headlights or parking lights. All my other lights work (dash guages, tail lights, brake lights, dome light). The hot line running from the new starter switch into the fire wall is carrying about 6.25 volts (I'm still a 6 volt system). I'm assuming this wire then runs to the light switch on the dash. I know that there is a breaker in the switch, but, it is my understanding that if the breaker is out, NO lights will work at all. I tested the bolt posts out on the wheel well where the wires run to the headlights and parking lights, and there is no power there. So, the power is lost somewhere between the time the wire runs into the firewall, and basically the headlamps.

Any ideas?? Maybe just a bad light switch??

THANKS!!

If I remeber correctly the main power goes thru the amp meter and then to the headlight switch. Since you have dash lights I am speculating that the head light part of your headligh switch is bad. This could be checked by moving the wire to a different lug and seeing if the headlights work.

Good luck

Have you checked to see if you have power going down to the dimmer switch? If the dimmer is out...you won't have light even if the headlight switch is good.

Joe

Check the circuit for resistances and propers grounds.. basics first

I got it fixed! It WAS the dimmer switch Chevy1 !

Thanks for the great advice. I also went ahead and took out the switch and cleaned it real good while I was working on that particular project.

THANKS!