Parking light problem

[SgtSteve]

Just installed my new front bumper on my 66 Nova II and reinstalled the parking lights. For some reason, the parking lights will not come on. The headlights, taillights, instrument panel all come on okay. Also the turn signals work okay ??
I checked the fuses, all look okay...I unplugged the wiring harness from the park lights and check the connector there...no voltage. What I supsect is that I have a bad headlight switch?

Any ideas, or similar problems??

Sgt Steve

[lt1s10]

Originally posted by SgtSteve
Just installed my new front bumper on my 66 Nova II and reinstalled the parking lights. For some reason, the parking lights will not come on. The headlights, taillights, instrument panel all come on okay. Also the turn signals work okay ??
I checked the fuses, all look okay...I unplugged the wiring harness from the park lights and check the connector there...no voltage. What I supsect is that I have a bad headlight switch?

Any ideas, or similar problems??

Sgt Steve

make sure you got good grounds and then the next place to check would be the sw. if there is voltage coming in and going out of the sw. i'll be somewhere in between, if not, its the sw. do the rear p/lights work? there is a 1 hot wire for the park and 1 hot wire for the head lights going into the sw. so dont check it and think 1 hot wire is all you need.

[SgtSteve]

I forgot to mention that they did work at one time. I haven't tried turning on the headlights in awhile, because there has never been a need to, and I haven't driven it at night. I remember in the past, the headlights didn't come on and I had to jiggle the switch a little before they would come on. I do have a simplified wiring diagram in one of my manuals, and it shows two different color power wires, one going to the rear taillamps, and the other to the front park lamps. I tried checking for voltage at the headlight switch, and couldn't detect any voltage on the wire supposedly going to the park lights. I did measure voltage on the other 3 wires ??

[lt1s10]

Originally posted by SgtSteve
I forgot to mention that they did work at one time. I haven't tried turning on the headlights in awhile, because there has never been a need to, and I haven't driven it at night. I remember in the past, the headlights didn't come on and I had to jiggle the switch a little before they would come on. I do have a simplified wiring diagram in one of my manuals, and it shows two different color power wires, one going to the rear taillamps, and the other to the front park lamps. I tried checking for voltage at the headlight switch, and couldn't detect any voltage on the wire supposedly going to the park lights. I did measure voltage on the other 3 wires ??

on the supposedly p/light wire use a jumper. if you' ve got 3 hot wires coming in then that should be all you need. i cant tell you what color wire goes to the park so youer on your own there, but with every thing on all of the wires in the switch should be hot,(except the ground) if not take a jumper wire and jump to the wires in the switch until you find the parks lights wire. if you cant get the p/lghts to light up with a jumper then the problem is between the sw. and lights.

[SgtSteve]

look if you had problems with the switch before, what on earth did you expect ?...that after a paint job it would go away?....can you say.....Cole-herse?...they make new switches and should be availiable at your local Advance or Auto-zone....$30.00 bucks ?....

I try to live by the saying, if it's not broke don't try to fix it !
The headlight switch appears to be operating, as the headlights are working okay, but maybe a contact has gone bad?

Thanks for the help LT1S10, I will try to jumper the wires when I get home from work. Should have thought of that...

[SgtSteve]

I can understand what you're saying...but I would like to know the cause. If I do buy a new switch and then have a problem, then what?? Not trying to waste anyone's time, and whats wrong with someone trying to help another out? For all I know, the switch could have been replaced already...just because its 40 years old doesn't make it bad. If that was the case, I'd be replacing every single original part on the car.

[lt1s10]

Originally posted by csf03716
mike, if he had an existing problem (i had to wiggle it to make it work) before hand, then all the diagnostic/ troubleshootin ain't gonna fix an internal problem with the switch!...comon the thing is 40 plus years old, and after bein "jerked and pulled" for 40 plus years it's tired!....and nothing short of a new switch is gonna solve the situation.....cause its gonna be a constant variable in the circuit...sometimes its good sometimes it ain't...why even risk this for the love of $30.00 and eliminating one big IF....more time will be wasted trying to figure out what the problem might be ...time over money well spent?

that's called parts replacing, it can be diagnosed. i like to know what the actual problem is and then i can give the customer the choice of just fixing what's needed or fixing what's needed and replacing the old switch(it might not be the sw.), but it would be his choice.

[troy_cryer]

I don't understand what all the frustration is about...but nevertheless, I would want to know "why" before I replaced the part regardless of the cost. This certainly isnt the first post I have seen where learning why is more important than the solution. If we have this strategy, when does it change?....$100.00?...$200.00?

Light switches have caused more guys (and gals too) to drink than one would think. But they are very simple if you slow down and test them correctly.

First there is a power in...Make sure it is delivering solid power. Next, with the power only connected, measure the voltage on all the contacts. As you move the switch in & out voltage will move from contact to contact. As you measure the current, you will be able to identify which posts are designed for which purpose (headlights, parking, tailights, etc). If you find a faulty post (no current) then your switch is faulty and go spend your $30. But check it first...you may simply have a poor connection or wires connected on the wrong post. And that is what I would bet on given the "jiggle" comment earlier.

Remember guys, this is supposed to be fun with cars!

[SgtSteve]

I'll go buy a switch and install it ! enough already!
I really would like to know the problem though...I do not REPEAT do not have to wiggle the switch anymore in order for it to work.
You pull it and all the lights come on except the parking lights whether I wiggle it or not. It may be the switch or may not be and if it is the switch at least I learned something and I don't have a problem with spending the money for a new one.
Do you go out and buy a new watch because the second hand stopped moving, but still keeps good time?

[Thunderbucket]

It is my belief that you have a bad ground,,,unless you can isolate the proper circuit at the switch and prove otherwise i would look for bad Ground.

Also,,when you pull your switch to the on position, the first in circuit will be the parking lamps, i would unscrew the dash switch and hold it in by hand while having the junction block connected, and then pull to the first position and put a simple test light on the wires, or the contacts while keeping the junction block connected( you should be able to get the test lamp probe behind each spade connection.(Hopefully you have a wiring diagram for the head light switch)
Also your parking lamp circuit is on a whole different circuit from the head lights,,,your headlights are powered via the dash switch and then down to the headlight relay.
while your parking lamps are straight powered from the switch.
I also seem to remember the turn signal assembly in the column causing short circuits on those nova's.

[SgtSteve]

I remember in the past, the headlights didn't come on and I had to jiggle the switch a little before they would come on.

This is what I said....the keyword is past. And the parking lights worked at this time. I will pull the switch and check voltages this afternoon and that should determine if it's good or bad.
I do not believe it's a ground or loose connection, due to the fact I haven't disconnected any connections other than the parking lights themselves and tried unplugging and plugging them back in several times.

Steve

[Thunderbucket]

Then i guess it's the switch then

[lt1s10]

Originally posted by SgtSteve
This is what I said....the keyword is past. And the parking lights worked at this time. I will pull the switch and check voltages this afternoon and that should determine if it's good or bad.
I do not believe it's a ground or loose connection, due to the fact I haven't disconnected any connections other than the parking lights themselves and tried unplugging and plugging them back in several times.

Steve

the only reason i have worked on cars for the last 40 yrs. is WHY. i worked at UPS and we couldnt fix nothing, we had to replace, didnt like it at all. i built a good size bus. by fixing stuff and making recomdations, not replacing parts. charley you gonna bring me your car with no park lights and i call you at work later on and tell you im gonna put a sw. no it, but that might not fix it, but thats a good a place to start, and you going to say thats ok thats 40.00 anywway . i wish i would of had more customers like you over the yrs. life would have been a lot more simpler. if you understand a light sw. then it would take but a min to check, why not? and the wiggle test is more than likely a bad plug and the sw. wouldnt fix it no way . JMO

ps- it probably is the sw. but im gonna know.

[lt1s10]

Originally posted by csf03716
BINGO!

the only way you'er gonna get a light sw. put on that car by me, if its not bad, is tell me to put one on it. everybody dont think like you charley. if i had that car it wouldnt take but a few min to tell the man all he needed to know.

[Thunderbucket]

Couldna said it better myself,,,