Why don’t I have Low beams?

[Hodence]

I’ve been working on the wiring in my bay window bus. And I got headlights to work! But only on one setting. I think it’s high beams (I honestly can’t tell, these old headlights are dim!) I tracked it down to that the white wire on my headlight plug doesn’t get much voltage (like 5mv) that went back all the way to my headlight switch. When pulled all the way out, it provides 12ish volts of power to the headlight dimmer relay and therefore, the headlights. But when pulled out only one stop, the black and white wire for the headlight dimmer only gets a few milivolts. That can’t be correct, right? Is it just a bad switch? Not sure and I don’t have much time to sort it out. I have an inspection coming up. Please help!

[ImAddicted]

Did you check your fuses? The low beam and high beam have separate fuses.
Does the relay click when you pull the lever to dip beams?

One click on the headlight switch is parking lights only. Also, if this is a North American bus, the headlights will not work if the key isn't in the run position. Disconnect the green wire off the coil if leaving the key on for more than a minute or two so you don't burn out your points.
_________________
1979 Transporter (sold)
KC1MUR

[vwwestyman]

Don't forget to rotate your fuses every once in a while.

At least half the time when I notice a headlight out, I just need to reach down and give the fuses a little spin which cleans up the contact a bit and they work again! This is true even after going in and polishing things up.
_________________
Dave Cook

President, Wild Westerner Club

1978 Champagne Edition Westy, repowered to '97 Jetta TDI
1973 Wild Westerner
My Thing

[timvw7476]

with the headlight switch out one click, that's parking lights only. The high beam relay should not be energized enough to click, as it's not powered up.
All the way out is when the beam relay is fully activated & responds to the dimmer lever.

[busdaddy]

12 ish volts can be solved by disconnecting and cleaning every electrical junction from the starter, to the fuse box and to all the switches and what they control, cleaning the grounds for them is also time well spent, those lights can be bright with a bit of work.

The trigger wire for high beams should be brown/white, where does that black/white wire come from? It also works by momentarily grounding the relay to change beams when the headlights are on (switch knob pulled out fully).
_________________
Rust NEVER sleeps and stock never goes out of style.

Please don't PM technical questions, ask your problem in public so everyone can play along. If you think it's too stupid post it here
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

Слава Україні!

[telford dorr]

[Tbob]

I just had this recently on my 73. the low beams(yellow wire at the headlight plug) was getting no voltage, and yet the relay was clicking. High beams worked fine, but when the relay clicked to the low beam setting no lights.
Took the cover off the relay and found a slight pit/burn on the low beam side of the relay points. Burnished it with a regulator points file(fine, fine cutting) and the headlights returned. Obviously, a new relay in in order, but it did diagnose the problem for me. By the way, the relay isn't made to be opened, but by carefully bending the tabs allowed me to get it apart.
_________________
1969 Deluxe, owned since 1973
1973 Westfalia, owned since 1983
1980 Westfalia, watercooled conversion
1985 Westfalia, stock!
1986 Westfakia, Audi I-4 conversion
A couple of trucks and a couple of Jeeps

[Hodence]

Thank you for all the responses guys!

Still a little confused. I might just be a dumba*s, but how do you actually turn on high beams versus low beams? On my light switch/pull-knob one stop is running lights and two stops is headlights on, but by what people said, thats only low beams. How do i turn on high beams? My bus is a 1974 if that makes a difference.

I didn't hear a click when i was last working on the headlight system, but i was also blasting Black Sabbath, so I'll have to be a little more attentive today

[busdaddy]

When the headlight switch is pulled to the second click high/low beam is switched by pulling back on the signal switch, the relay should click and lock in whatever mode you chose, next pull switches back to the last, etc...
_________________
Rust NEVER sleeps and stock never goes out of style.

Please don't PM technical questions, ask your problem in public so everyone can play along. If you think it's too stupid post it here
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

Слава Україні!

[ImAddicted]

The same lever you use to activate your directional also is the high\low beam switch… just like a modern car.
_________________
1979 Transporter (sold)
KC1MUR