Intermittent Headlight Problem in Baja Bug. Any Ideas?

[thefladge]

I’ve had an intermittent headlight issue with my 1957 Baja Bug for about the last year and I hoping someone will recognize the cause.

I wired the car myself in 1993 and hadn’t had any problems prior to this.

I currently run a 4 position headlight pull switch like many of the hot rod and buggy guys run. There is no headlight relay. Car is 12 volt. Gauge lights are not wired up.

When everything is working correctly…
Position 1: Off
Position 2: Front running lights, tail lights and license light.
Position 3: Front running lights, tail lights, license light and low beams.
Position 4: Front running lights, tail lights, license light, high beams and high beam indicator light on dash.

When everything is NOT working correctly…
Position 1: Off
Position 2: Front running lights, tail lights and license light.
Position 3: Front running lights, tail lights, license light. Low beams DON’T turn on. High beam indicator light turns on.
Position 4: Front running lights, tail lights, license light. High beams DON’T turn on. High beam indicator light stays on.

This morning I went out to check the headlights to see if they worked before driving the car. They did, but 10 minutes later after I loaded my gear in the car the headlights were not working.

It’s very frustrating. I replaced the switch last December thinking that was the problem, but that did not solve the problem.
_________________
1957 Vintage Baja Bug.
2110cc engine, 40 IDF Webers on Gene Berg manifolds, Engle 110 cam, Bugpack 40×35.5 Street Pro Heads, W8CC plugs, 12.5 pound Flywheel, Kennedy 1700 pound pressure plate.

[Big Al]

I would start by checking the headlight grounds.

Al

[liquidrush]

I second the grounds, if you still have a schematic of how you wired everything look for the common link between everything. I suspect they share the same ground.

[Dale M.]

Yes check grounds ....

Dale
_________________
“Fear The Government That Wants To Take Your Guns"
"Kellison Sand Piper Roadster" For Street & Show.
"Joe Pody Sandrover" Buggy with 2180 for Autocross (Sold)
============================================================
All suggestions and advice are purely my own opinion. You are free to ignore them if you wish ...

[mr_bill]

GROUNDS X 3......
_________________
see ya' on the trail........

"Mr Bill"
Dos Perros Motorsports
Orange, CA
1972 Class 11x/Stock Bug
'60's era "vintage" Tunnell-Buggy

"...no one here....get's out ALIVE...."

Motor = electric
Engine = internal combustion

www.facebook.com/groups/DosPerrosMotorsports
www.alrchapter132.org
www.DAV.org

[thefladge]

[Big Al]

[thefladge]

Back when I wired the car in 1993 I drew up wiring diagrams, but they were destroyed in a garage fire in 1999.

I checked the ground wire. It was bolted down to the back of a fender bolt and looked like a good ground.

Yesterday I removed the nut and bolt and replaced the rusty washers as well as the nut and bolt. The problem with the headlights went away, but since it was an intermittent problem I will need to test it over a period of time to know for sure if it has been permanently solved.
_________________
1957 Vintage Baja Bug.
2110cc engine, 40 IDF Webers on Gene Berg manifolds, Engle 110 cam, Bugpack 40×35.5 Street Pro Heads, W8CC plugs, 12.5 pound Flywheel, Kennedy 1700 pound pressure plate.

[rayjay]

If you used hardware store crimping tool and crimp on terminals on the original rewire then you might think about going around and giving all the terminals a good squeeze with the crimping tool. I had a Fiat autox car that had an intermittent quit running issue. Got out of it one day and when I closed the door it instantly died. Turned out one of the crimp terminals on the ign switch needed recrimping. These crimp connectors were on the car when I bought it as back in those days I soldered all by terminals.

[liquidrush]

That's a great point Ray. When I wired mine I soldered every single connection because even with the best crimper tools it's still just a crimp and subject to vibration and the elements and those two always seem to win eventually. I also used those shrink tube connectors with the soft solder in them. They work pretty good but you need a good heat gun and you need to flux your wire ends first or else the solder won't flow like it should.

[Dale M.]

Time to remind everyone to use best quality terminals (FLAPS ones are not best quality)... And ratchet type crimpers for quality crimps and dielectric grease on "connection" to prevent corrosion....

Dale
_________________
“Fear The Government That Wants To Take Your Guns"
"Kellison Sand Piper Roadster" For Street & Show.
"Joe Pody Sandrover" Buggy with 2180 for Autocross (Sold)
============================================================
All suggestions and advice are purely my own opinion. You are free to ignore them if you wish ...

[thefladge]

Update:

So far the headlight problem has not returned. The ground wire seems to have been the source of the intermittent problem.
_________________
1957 Vintage Baja Bug.
2110cc engine, 40 IDF Webers on Gene Berg manifolds, Engle 110 cam, Bugpack 40×35.5 Street Pro Heads, W8CC plugs, 12.5 pound Flywheel, Kennedy 1700 pound pressure plate.