Another lighting issue

[Dibly74]

Well for some time now when im driveing at nights my tail lights, coach lights, marker lights, and basically everything that comes on when you pull the the light switch to the first click goes out and back on again many times. My headlights stay on but they are on a different circuit. Anyone know what this might be, or have dealt with it before.

[MichiganTeddyBear]

does it do this in both the park light position (1st detent) or in headlight position??

if it does it in one but not the other, suspect the switch.
if it does it in both, suspect the switch 1st, but then we need to look elsewhere if the switch isn't the culprit.

the way the switch works mechanically is:

when you pull the knob, it moves metal contacts (different ones for different circuits) so that some are closed, and some are open (obviously). the stuff thats on in multiple positions have multiple contacts, or larger single contacts (depending on the circuit), and it is possible for one position to be worn/burnt, with another position being perfectly fine. this is why you may get normal operation in one position, but the same circuit does not work properly in another.

[Dibly74]

Sorry, I should have added the switch is new, less than a year old. NOS Ford, with autolamp, cost me a good bit to get the switch and controls for the autolamps. And it was also doing this before the switch was replaced. Anyone have this problem before?

[Dibly74]

One more thing I should be happy about but the automatic headlights started working again. So I wonder if the problem could be in that circuit instead.

When the problem happens the automatic headlights ARE off. All of the autolamp parts have been replaced from Lincoln Land. The variable resistor on the switch, the amplifier, the photocell, the "eye" under the hood, and the vacuum box have all been replaced. Hope this helps.

[Dibly74]

Well as of right now the lighting is actually working better that it ever has. And the autolamps are working right. The photocell even operates correctly in certian lighting turning the headlights on and off. The only thing I can think of is I moved the wires around that go into the fuse box, maybe something was touching and is ok now?

[Dereck]

Hi Dibly74

I seem to remember saying over 12 months ago when you started out trying to troubleshoot your lighting issues something like.....

Hi Dibly74

YEah I tried to troubleshoot the autolamps on my 79 Conti and gave up, then they started working all on thier own :)


:)

Regards

Dereck

[Dibly74]

Yes, thats true, and the lighting issue had gone away also but now all of the sudden driving home one night past two cops on the interstate they started cutting in and out again.

[ImTheJoker4u2]

Yes, thats true, and the lighting issue had gone away also but now all of the sudden driving home one night past two cops on the interstate they started cutting in and out again.
Sounds like murphys law run rampant!
What can go wrong, will go wrong, at the most inopportune time!

[Dibly74]

Update. I rarely drive the car at night but I did yesterday and it was acting up real bad. The lights were on and off about every 3 seconds. So I got under the dash board and messed with some wiring. I found a relay tied into the lighting system and wiggled one of the connectors around on it and it quit doing it. The connector wasn't loose. Let the car sit overnight and drove it tonight for about 45 minutes and it didnt act up once. Lets hope its fixed.