1968 Dodge charger headlight issues

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68'barracuda

68'barracuda

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Okay here's my problem. I just put a new headlight switch and because the The old one went out a while back and I bypassed the switch and never had any problems with it. So I got the new switch, now the headlights come on and everything works....... except for after about 15 seconds to one minute the headlights turn off the taillight stay on the blinkers work brake lights work everything but the headlights work. On highs and lows?
You can turn the headlights off wait about five and put it back on and it worked fine for about 15 seconds so I don't know even where to start? Is there a headlight relay that I'm not seeing and my schematic?
 
No. No relay

Power for the SWITCH comes FROM two sources

Tail / park/ instrument lamps goes to the switch from the tail circuit fuse


Power ONLY for the headlights comes from the black ammeter wire, the "welded splice" which is up in the harness a few inches from the ammeter. THIS IS NOT FUSED. This feeds directly to the switch, but the switch has a BREAKER built into the switch

The main causes of this breaker tripping are.........

Bad connections at the headlight switch and connector, causing heat

Great Big aftermarket headlights installed, extra driving lamps, etc, causing too much current flow

A bad breaker in the switch.......Remember, "new" does not mean "functional." The switch could be defective.
 
read again what 67Dart273 wrote...

two power circuits.

1. headlights
2. tail, brakes, blinkers etc

Power ONLY for the headlights comes from the black ammeter wire, the "welded splice" which is up in the harness a few inches from the ammeter. THIS IS NOT FUSED. This feeds directly to the switch, but the switch has a BREAKER built into the switch

The main causes of this breaker tripping are.........

Bad connections at the headlight switch and connector, causing heat

Great Big aftermarket headlights installed, extra driving lamps, etc, causing too much current flow

A bad breaker in the switch.......Remember, "new" does not mean "functional." The switch could be defective.
Click to expand...

if i have to guess, your wiring around the headlights is shorted. drawing too much power.
could be bad connectors, bad wiring going to headlights, or you put high amperage bulbs, or "spliced in" fog lights or something
 
If you haven't inspected the plug at your switch, I'd suggest you do so. They look like a melted glob internally with not much exterior change. The wires and connections get fried right at the switch.

The other issue, the factory wiring is horribly undersized for what it's supposed to do.

Inspect the entire headlight circuit including grounds.
 
I'm assuming you looked at the harness connector when you replaced the switch.
My guess is a faulty dimmer switch or wiring at it. Most likely fault location anyway
 
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