Ok so 3days my drivers side headlight goes out and then last night starts working again and then this morning going to hunting everything working fine.
This evening my drivers side low beam quits working but when you switch to high beam the drivers side works and pass side quits if you go from high/low it looks like i have the zig-zag strobes???

Ive played around with the connections at the bulbs and played with the pul out switch that turns the lights on.

Any thing I can check is there any big fuses for headlights switch going bad?? I really dont think this is a problem with the bulbs.

Sorry for the long post but thanks for any help.

 

I would almost BET on bulbs. Too many times they can "weld" the filaments back together after burning out. What else could you try any cheaper than a set of bulbs? I have seen guys smack the headlight housing and the light "majically" come back on so they KNOW it has to be a connection problem! Try it.....what is the worst that could happen? A little different story.....had a customer come in and tell me all the parts they have replaced trying to get the headlights to work on low beams.......they both are out. They will work fine on high, mind you. 20 bucks later ( I didn't charge them labor ) after replacing both bulbs and almost arguing with the customer that it was fixed, they finally understood the concept that two bulbs CAN go out at the same time! They are on the SAME amount of time and all! I know yours is one low and one high, but stranger things have happened!

 

Well I got another set of bulbs(stock) these are silverstars(not really all that impressive) But can a bulb go out and then start working again?? Worked fine thismorning but wasn't 2nights before. Im going to put the stock bulbs back in the am. I guess I shouldn't overlook the simplest things first.

 

Check the headlight switch. Do you drive with your dash lights dimmed alot? And get some relays installed into your headlight harness. The relays will give you REALLY BRIGHT lights that I am sure you will love....

 

Could be headlight swith, plug could have melted that what I'm guesssing, maybe ground wire on headlight harness?

 

Yes, the filaments can "weld" back together for awhile. When there is power going to the filament and the filament bounces in the bulb, if it were to actually touch the other part of the broken filament, it can weld itself back together. I'm not saying that is defiantely it, but the most likely thing from the situation that you have described. It could be the switch as well, BUT the headlight switch doesn't power up the bulbs separately. They are powered on the same wire.

BTW -There is NO POSSIBLE WAY that adding a relay will make your headlight brighter! I'm sorry, but voltage is voltage and the factory wiring is more than ample to provide the amount of voltage and current that a headlight will draw. This would, however, take some of the load off of the headlight switch, but it really isn't an issue for 99% of the trucks.

 

VZDUDE,
You might want to check the thread on headlight relays... one of the guys checked voltage at the headlight (about 12 volts, engine running), then installed relays and heavier gauge wire to the lights and gets 14.7 (system voltage) at the lights. Lights considerably brighter too.

Dodge used small gauge wiring which acts as a resistance circuit. Resistance heats the wire, which makes resistance got up more, soon poof, melted connectors and a fried switch.

Mine fried the running light circuit, 23 lights on the circuit with the 5th wheel hooked up. System designed for 8 bulbs

 

Yeah, the headlight relays work. Volts don't make a difference. The amps do.

Thats like saying if touching 1 amp don't kill me, then ill go ahead and touch 40.

You cant expect to pull that much power through dodges small wiring! Its like a tunnel getting backed up. The bigger it is, the more that can fit through it. Also reduces the risk of fire and heat. Just a plus, Don't have to do it if you don't want to

 

Gotta disagree with ya here... there is an extreme difference( using the same bulbs) in teh output from prior to installing the relays..
the lights are MUCH MUCH brighter..

 

Yes, you are very correct, on the 1st. Generation truck for a fact Dodge found a way to save money by using light gauge wire, it is amazing.

Low beam uses 16-guage wire from the socket to the switch.
High Beam uses 14-gauge wire from the socket to the switch.
But the Ground is a 20-gauge wire from the socket to the body ground.

In addition to this they have to pass through the Bulkhead connector, another 2 contact connector directly behind that and then it connects to the Hi / Low switch and then on the light switch.

There is a lot of unnecessary resistance in this circuit and then give all of the vibration to loosen the connections and we get burning wires and melted connectors.

With the relay modifications I have made I now have full battery voltage AND an available 30 amps of current AT each headlamp.

It is much brighter than it was before I installed the relays, granted I do have a shorter bulb life but from what I understand this is also the nature of the lamp to get the higher output.

I am sure that if you check the schematic for your year truck you will find light gauge wiring for that circuit.

I believe that even the later 3rd. generation trucks with the relays would benefit from my modification.

The relay circuit is the same only the connection to the lamps will be different.


https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...d.php?t=176263

Jim

 

O.K. I'll admit defeat! LOL I guess I was imagining a perfect world with no corrosion or high voltage drop at connectors and all.

 

Thanks for all the replys but I changed out the drivers side bulb and bingo I have low beams on both sides now. After a good 30 min of the grunt/cuss routine I gave up trying to get the lock ring back on the bulb went inside to calm down for a few walked backoutside and got it on the first try. I called it a day after all my frustrations the pass side is going to have to wait a few days. Thanks for the help and I would of never guessed 2 bulbs can go out at the same time hopefully when I cange out the other one it will be as good as new.

 

Glad you got it sorted out!

The 3rd Gens also benefit from a few relays strategically placed in the OEM harness...