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I posted this on the 8 forum but I think its probably better here:-

When I went to use my car last night only one headlight came up.
The left hand one was fine. so on the right one I unplugged the red plug and wound the light up manually so i was able to go out, when i stopped I turned the lights off and both went down in the normal way.

Any suggestions as to what i should start by looking at

Cheers

Ian


Ian Freeman
1979 TR8 DHC California car that never crossed the pond
1962 Triumph Courier

Just run them up and down a few times - probably just lack of use.

Lack of use? Ian? Gotta be kiddin right?! [:D]

If it was me i'd probably look at the relay or of that doesn't yield anything it might be an issue with the limit switch. Not sure....

The other thing that could happen is that if the motor is getting tired it might be able to muster the power to drop the headlight with the help of gravity but cant stoke up the torque to lift it?



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Ian, I don't use my Triumphs much at night, & before I had the
lights relayed, I originally had trouble with them not working when
required. I had to regularly clean that plug, with contact cleaner.

I started flicking the lights on & off once every time I used the
car, about 3 or 4 times a week, on the use it, or loose it
principal. This kept them working, when ever they were required,
except for when the switches failed.

So I believe you must use them more often, or relay them. I will
relay the lights on any old car I buy in future, except the Jap
ones, which happily come back to life after a holiday.

Hasbeen

Thanks Chaps,

As wayne has said, lack of use it cetainly isn't.

Im about to have a look at the relay - but im still not convinced that it isn't just the red plug so im going to have to have a really close look at that. Failing that the whole lots coming out and ill put a spare motor in.

Cheers

Ian

Ian Freeman
1979 TR8 DHC California car that never crossed the pond
1962 Triumph Courier

Sure it's not just the headlight switch? I doubt it but I also I wouldn't rule it out.

I regularly spray the whole headlight area (wiring, mechanicals and motors) with WD40 which seems to keep everything tip top.

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Most strange,

I changed the switch for a brand new one and had the same fault, I have changed the relays - same fault, changed the headlamp motor etc - same problem.
I put a meter on the wires and as far as I can tell I have power for up and power for down.

???????????????

Cheers

Ian


Ian Freeman
1979 TR8 DHC California car that never crossed the pond
1962 Triumph Courier

The headlight switch can be the culprit and its quick and easy to check. Even new old stock switches can have their problems.

I had a problem with my dashboard and sidelights not working, the headlights were lifting up and working fine. After removing the headlight switch I found the metal contacts smothered in a jelly like substance. Maybe the original grease or whatever a previous owner had put in it had degraded over twenty something years? Carefully cleaning it out restored all the lights.

The rheostat dashboard dimmer also went duff sometime or other. Cleaning up the contacts inside that as well brought back the dasboard lights.

Cheers,


Adam

Thanks for your comments Adam.

I made up a three pin lead and was able to power up and down the right hand side light from the left side supply, so I know that the motor side is good.

So what I need to do now is trace the power up side of the wiring for the right hand side back from the red plug back through the relay and on to the switch. I need to find my spare, spare light switch to see if the new one was duff.

All day playing with the "8" what fun!!!

Cheers
Ian

Ian Freeman
1979 TR8 DHC California car that never crossed the pond
1962 Triumph Courier

Must be the relay then - swap it for another and try again.

Don't forget the plug the relay plugs into. It could be corroded/oxided. That was the problem with my starter problem. Could be same thing for light.

TR7 Spider - 1978 Spifire - 1976 Spitfire - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra

Swapped the relays over (knowing the left hand one was good) this made no difference.

Spent the last hour or so taking apart a spare wiring loom to see how it works - so far i have decided that the published wiring diagrams are a little incorrect.

Unfortunately cant spend any more time playing today as I have to work but a mate of mine is coming over next Saturday, they say two heads are better than one!

Any more sugestions gratefully received.

Cheers

Ian

Ian Freeman
1979 TR8 DHC California car that never crossed the pond
1962 Triumph Courier

Now if you were to ask me to answer Paul W's thread on what do you call your car this weekend - my answer would be not for the faint hearted!!!!!!!!!!

Now I stripped the front of the car out - I took down the fuse board and swapped and replaced the relays - I stripped down a spare wiring loom to see if I could see how it worked - I took the master light switch out and swapped it for a new one - I took that out and tried another one - I took the top off the dash and pulled out the loom, unplugged the short loom and replugged it in again - Now what only one front side light and the opposing rear light and cruise light working - BAS***D(sorry again).

So pull it around again change to my original light switch.
Yipee Im all working again!

So what was the problem - buggered if I know - can only be bad connections, check then check again, then take it all to bits again clean what you just cleaned. Then give it a damn good wiggle.

So what did you do this weekend?

Thanks for all of your inputs,
Cheers

Ian


Ian Freeman
1979 TR8 DHC California car that never crossed the pond
1962 Triumph Courier