Wire Colors at Headlight Switch

[RJS]

My 71 Demon has no Brights, when you hit the dimmer the headlights go out.
Headlights replaced
Headlight switch replaced
Dimmer switch replaced
Traced cleaned re wrapped harnesses.

I noticed after looking at a 71 wire diagram that I don't have the Light Green wire at my headlight switch.
The spade is empty, is that normal because I don't have headlight delay or is that my problem???
Thanks Ron

 

[67Dart273]

Where is this 71 diagram, can you post it? I have 70 and 72, but no 71, and there may be differences

My first thought is if you have power to dims and no brights is the bulkhead connector

 

[RJS]

I forwarded the wire diagrams from this site that Abody Joe provided to my friend and my buddy sent me the pages I needed.

I checked everything on the bulkhead also.
When you have the low beams on one wire has power and then when you hit the high beams the other has power but not both.

 

[67Dart273]

OK, well look

The dimmer switch is a simple, one pole, double throw switch

Headlight power comes INTO one terminal

Power goes OUT one or the other terminal, and when you mash the switch, these two terminals reverse, IE the terminal which had power goes dead, the other terminal becomes powered

High and low beam power go from the switch, THROUGH the bulkhead connector

Power branches off from the HIGH beam wire before it goes through the bulkhead and goes up to the cluster "hi beam" indicator.

So if you have low beams, the light switch is OK, and at least 1/2 the dimmer is OK

If you have a hi beam indicator light in "high" beams, then the OTHER half of the dimmer is OK

If you have power on both high and low beam wires on the engine side of the firewall, then the problem HAS to be in the engine bay harness, grounding, sockets, or "it's possible" that the high beam filaments in both lamps are burned out.

 

[Robj]

If you have power on both high and low beam wires on the engine side of the firewall, then the problem HAS to be in the engine bay harness, grounding, sockets, or "it's possible" that the high beam filaments in both lamps are burned out.

I bought a '73 Satellite back in the '80s. I'd hit the high beam switch and no high beams. I thought, dang- bad switch. Nope, it was both high beams burned out.

 

[Robj]

OK, well look

The dimmer switch is a simple, one pole, double throw switch

Headlight power comes INTO one terminal

Power goes OUT one or the other terminal, and when you mash the switch, these two terminals reverse, IE the terminal which had power goes dead, the other terminal becomes powered

High and low beam power go from the switch, THROUGH the bulkhead connector

Power branches off from the HIGH beam wire before it goes through the bulkhead and goes up to the cluster "hi beam" indicator.

So if you have low beams, the light switch is OK, and at least 1/2 the dimmer is OK

If you have a hi beam indicator light in "high" beams, then the OTHER half of the dimmer is OK

If you have power on both high and low beam wires on the engine side of the firewall, then the problem HAS to be in the engine bay harness, grounding, sockets, or "it's possible" that the high beam filaments in both lamps are burned out.

That's explained as clearly as I've ever seen.

 

[RJS]

OK, well look

The dimmer switch is a simple, one pole, double throw switch

Headlight power comes INTO one terminal

Power goes OUT one or the other terminal, and when you mash the switch, these two terminals reverse, IE the terminal which had power goes dead, the other terminal becomes powered

High and low beam power go from the switch, THROUGH the bulkhead connector

Power branches off from the HIGH beam wire before it goes through the bulkhead and goes up to the cluster "hi beam" indicator.

So if you have low beams, the light switch is OK, and at least 1/2 the dimmer is OK

If you have a hi beam indicator light in "high" beams, then the OTHER half of the dimmer is OK

If you have power on both high and low beam wires on the engine side of the firewall, then the problem HAS to be in the engine bay harness, grounding, sockets, or "it's possible" that the high beam filaments in both lamps are burned out.

Your explanation is clear as day!!

But is there supposed to be a light green wire on the bare terminal I have at the headlight switch??

***Also I forgot when I was testing last week at the headlight terminals I have power on the Violet with low beam and then when I hit hi Beam it goes to the red wire. Does it need to be hot on both wires????

Both lights were changed last week also, and yes the Hi Beam indicator does come on in the dash.

I'll get the meter on the firewall connections today to see.

Thank you
Ron

 

[67Dart273]

"I don't know" what color." Between 70--71--72, and "different" sources of diagrams "out there" is some changing and or confusion of wire colors

I still don't know what diagram you are using. I don't have access to a 71 FACTORY diagram

The only empty spade on these switches is the "old" park light terminal. That's because when Mopar "went to" full time park lights, all they did was to move the park light wire from the park output on the switch to the TAIL light terminal, thus causing the park lights to remain lit.

They used the same switch that fit older models, thus creating an unused terminal

The only 71 diagram I have access to is the "MyMopar" diagrams

http://www.mymopar.com/downloads/1971/71ValiantA.JPG

http://www.mymopar.com/downloads/1971/71ValiantB.JPG

In the diagram which is chopped out of "B" above,

You have black at top left which is main headlight power coming in from the ammeter circuit

In the middle of the switch you have light green going out which is the hi and low beam headlight power going OUT of the switch TO the dimmer switch. THIS terminal HAS to be working if you have low beams

Top right terminal is yellow, and is the terminal which grounds when you twist the knob to the left for dome lights

The BARE terminal middle left is the old park light terminal

Middle right is pink and is tail / park / dash lamp power coming TO the switch from the fuse panel

Bottom right is dash dimmer controlled power going OUT to the instrument fuse, and then out of the fuse to the instrument lamps

Bottom left is black and is power going OUT to the park/ tail lamps