headlight issues -- 1970 GT

[OPELFIEND]

Driving down the road, all is fine, headlights suddenly go out. Ammeter gauge pegs to the left. Car continues to run fine. Stop, flip the lights over and back up, and they come on as they are supposed to. Once I get home, the lights won't go off! Flip them over a time or two, but headlights and all of the running lights stay on. Turn the car off, they stay on. Had to disconnect the battery. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.

[namba209]

Originally Posted by OPELFIEND Driving down the road, all is fine, headlights suddenly go out. Ammeter gauge pegs to the left. Car continues to run fine. Stop, flip the lights over and back up, and they come on as they are supposed to. Once I get home, the lights won't go off! Flip them over a time or two, but headlights and all of the running lights stay on. Turn the car off, they stay on. Had to disconnect the battery. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.

I don't have access to my DESTEC schematics, I'm outa state on vacation, but it sounds like you have a major electrical short at the headlight relay, or possibly in the headlight wiring harness in the engine compartment. A real common malady. Much as I hate to say it, best bet is to strip the gray sleeve off the wires in the engine compartment and look for the problem.

[jvandyke]

I know a bit more about the relays then I did two weeks ago.
Wouldn't this indicate one of microswitches in the buckets is stuck "on".
I'm not out of the woods on this one either, I realized yesterday that when I turn on my parking lights, my headlights come on, even though their down!

[OPELFIEND]

Thanks for the input on this. I don't know if this matters, but the turn signal indicators are both on, (double greenies), as is the high beam indicator.

[namba209]

Originally Posted by jvandyke I know a bit more about the relays then I did two weeks ago. Wouldn't this indicate one of microswitches in the buckets is stuck "on". I'm not out of the woods on this one either, I realized yesterday that when I turn on my parking lights, my headlights come on, even though their down!

Actually with the key off, there's not supposed to be any power to actuate the relay through the headlight microswitch. Which is the reason I suspect a bad harness in the engine compartment. But as I said, I'm in Kansas and my schematics are inSANe DIEGO, so I'm just going by memory right now.

For your specific problem, it could be the relay is not breaking contact with the contacts internally, so the parking lite switch is powering the headlights through the headlite relay.

[OPELFIEND]

Even with the parking light switch off? Man, what a hassle.

[OPELFIEND]

OK. I know that the switch that operates the high beams is bad; I am unable to switch to low beams and there is no click when I try. Could it be that the switch has came apart internally and is causing this problem? Are those switches available?

[namba209]

Originally Posted by OPELFIEND OK. I know that the switch that operates the high beams is bad; I am unable to switch to low beams and there is no click when I try. Could it be that the switch has came apart internally and is causing this problem? Are those switches available?

The dimmer relay is operated by a switch inside the steering column, that operates the dimmer relay, either the switch or the relay could be bad, or there could be a loose wire between the two. I do believe you have serious wiring problems in the front harness to the headlites. If you, or the PO, didn't change the wires going through the headlite rotating mechanism, your problem started there and probably will cause an electrical meltdown that will take out the whole wiring harness. Been there done that, twice. When your headlites went out and the ammeter pegged full left, that indicated a full blown short to ground. If you don't fix the reason for it and let it go, you will have to replace the entire electrical wiring for the car, including the power/fuse panel. OGTS has a replacement relay for the headlites, but I'm not sure about the dimmer relay. IMHO, don't even start the engine, get a DESTEC schematic, find and fix the problem. It will not go away by itself. Use the search button and find other's posts about the same problem and their fixes, be ready to do a lot of reading.

[opelwasp]

My high/low switcher is acting weird too. I have to move the selector, then if I pull on it, it goes high.

[namba209]

Originally Posted by opelwasp My high/low switcher is acting weird too. I have to move the selector, then if I pull on it, it goes high.

Could be the switch mounting screws are loose or the switch body is cracked. Gotta remember we're talking 30+ year old nylon block here.

[Killer Texas GT]

Ron I think you have hit it on the nail. With a dead short in the wiring harness section going to either headlight especialy through the roll over mechanism, this could soider the relay contacts in the closed position in both the light and dimmer relay as the two share the same wireing through jumpers, thus leaving no way to turn them off except to unplug the relay or battery. And this can leave the parking lights on also which does not require the key to be turned on, as they too go through the head light relay. FIND THAT SHORT!!! You may be able to free up your contacts once your short has been located then get an emory board and use it to resurface you contacts if pitted.

[OPELFIEND]

Thanks for all the help on this gentlemen. I will take your advice, not start the car, and figure out where the short is. Can't beat this forum!

[OPELFIEND]

It turns out I have about 5 feet of burned wires going to the headlights. My plan is to buy a new headlamp wiring harness from OpelJim at USAOpel. Does anyone out there have any experience with these harnesses? Is this a common issue and is this the reason it is recommended to change this wiring when buying a GT? By the way, Ron (namba209) thanks for the DESTEC schematic. Much appreciated

[namba209]

Glad to hear you got the schematic o.k. Changing the harness isn't that big a deal, other than time. You'll have to access the headlite plugs and remove the wires from them, there is a finger inside the plug you can depress and pull the female spade lugs out of the plastic connector, note the location of the three wires, after you have the new wires inside the rotating mechanism, you can push them in the connector and they should lock in place. Trace each old wire by color to where it starts and ends, then replace that wire with the one in the new harness. It's just about the same as changing spark plug wires, one at a time, so you don't cross them. HTH.

[OPELFIEND]

My concern is this: 1) Did this just happen because the wires were old, or did a short cause it? The reason being, we still haven't located a short. 2) Would these damaged wires cause the double greenie problem, or is that totally something else? It all happened at the same time with no warning. Talk about gremlins!

[RallyBob]

It happens because the wires are old, because they are rubber-insulated (instead of PVC), and because they are actively 'twisted' everytime you flip open your headlights. A recipe for disaster, since once the insulation dry-rots and falls off, flipping the headlights over causes the now-bare wires to short out. Almost all GT's need to have these wires replaced, it comes with the territory!

Bob

[ungermm]

While I was disassembling my ratty GT I found all 3 headlight wires were incredibly bad from the both headlights to the split inside the harness. Most of the wires fell apart with little effort. What was left of the wiring was extra crispy style. I'm glad I didn't try to turn the headlights on. Jerry

RattyGT 020.jpg

[kwilford]

Originally Posted by OPELFIEND 2) Would these damaged wires cause the double greenie problem, or is that totally something else? It all happened at the same time with no warning. Talk about gremlins!

Totally unrelated. Unless, of course, the double blink goes away when you repair the wiring, then the gremlins must have been evicted!