CJ Headlights - Passenger Bright, Drivers Dim?
 

OK - 1983 CJ7, essentailly stock as least in terms of the electrical &
wiring.

I took the grill and radiator out recently while replacing on the PS
gearbox which meant disconnecting headlights, turn signals and etc and
pulling the front harness.

All of the lights (headlights, turn signal and etc) were working
correctly before working on it.

But when I re-installed everything, the drivers headlight is very dim
(VERY dim) and the passenger headlight is pretty normal brightness.
Turn signals work as well as before --- that is to sday , they work
good.

The harness was left connected to the bulkhead connector while I was
working on the Jeep - which still starts and runs like it should

I'm thinking a bad or loose ground, but can't see any loose wires
or ??

Any suggestions on where to start? Diagnostics? Haven't tried
swapping bulbs side-to-side yet - but will when I get back into the
shop.

Thanks

Lynn in Vancouver WA

Re: CJ Headlights - Passenger Bright, Drivers Dim?
 

On Tue, 06 Feb 2007 21:48:26 -0800, lynnhowlyn@aol.com wrote:

> Passenger Bright, Drivers Dim


Well that's how the passengers see it. Drivers, of course, are of the
opposite opinion.
















<sorry!>

Re: CJ Headlights - Passenger Bright, Drivers Dim?
 

On Tue, 06 Feb 2007 21:48:26 -0800, lynnhowlyn@aol.com wrote:

> Passenger Bright, Drivers Dim


Well that's how the passengers see it. Drivers, of course, are of the
opposite opinion.
















<sorry!>

Re: CJ Headlights - Passenger Bright, Drivers Dim?
 

On Tue, 06 Feb 2007 21:48:26 -0800, lynnhowlyn@aol.com wrote:

> Passenger Bright, Drivers Dim


Well that's how the passengers see it. Drivers, of course, are of the
opposite opinion.
















<sorry!>

Re: CJ Headlights - Passenger Bright, Drivers Dim?
 

On Tue, 06 Feb 2007 21:48:26 -0800, lynnhowlyn@aol.com wrote:

> Passenger Bright, Drivers Dim


Well that's how the passengers see it. Drivers, of course, are of the
opposite opinion.
















<sorry!>

Re: CJ Headlights - Passenger Bright, Drivers Dim?
 

Step by step?

A) Swap the headlamp bulbs and see if the problem travels with the
bulb. This would also be a good time to upgrade to a new set of
Wagner Tru-View lamps, you will be amazed how much better they are
than stock plus they don't overload the stock wiring and switch!

B) If "A" didn't do the trick, take a Digital Multimeter (voltmeter)
and check the voltage at each headlight connector. Be sure to turn
on the lights and don't forget to switch them from "DIM" to "BRIGHT"
and check both circuits. Should be almost the same as checking
between the battery posts, without the engine running around 12.3 to
12.6 volts. If they check good voltage, check the resistance of the
Ground Circuit of the headllight connector using the "Ohm meter"
feature of the Multimeter, it should be virtually "0.00". Sometimes
each headlamp has it's own ground circuit, you may have loosened one
during your mechanical adventure so trace the ground wires to see what
you have.

Good luck, Bruce

Re: CJ Headlights - Passenger Bright, Drivers Dim?
 

Step by step?

A) Swap the headlamp bulbs and see if the problem travels with the
bulb. This would also be a good time to upgrade to a new set of
Wagner Tru-View lamps, you will be amazed how much better they are
than stock plus they don't overload the stock wiring and switch!

B) If "A" didn't do the trick, take a Digital Multimeter (voltmeter)
and check the voltage at each headlight connector. Be sure to turn
on the lights and don't forget to switch them from "DIM" to "BRIGHT"
and check both circuits. Should be almost the same as checking
between the battery posts, without the engine running around 12.3 to
12.6 volts. If they check good voltage, check the resistance of the
Ground Circuit of the headllight connector using the "Ohm meter"
feature of the Multimeter, it should be virtually "0.00". Sometimes
each headlamp has it's own ground circuit, you may have loosened one
during your mechanical adventure so trace the ground wires to see what
you have.

Good luck, Bruce

Re: CJ Headlights - Passenger Bright, Drivers Dim?
 

Step by step?

A) Swap the headlamp bulbs and see if the problem travels with the
bulb. This would also be a good time to upgrade to a new set of
Wagner Tru-View lamps, you will be amazed how much better they are
than stock plus they don't overload the stock wiring and switch!

B) If "A" didn't do the trick, take a Digital Multimeter (voltmeter)
and check the voltage at each headlight connector. Be sure to turn
on the lights and don't forget to switch them from "DIM" to "BRIGHT"
and check both circuits. Should be almost the same as checking
between the battery posts, without the engine running around 12.3 to
12.6 volts. If they check good voltage, check the resistance of the
Ground Circuit of the headllight connector using the "Ohm meter"
feature of the Multimeter, it should be virtually "0.00". Sometimes
each headlamp has it's own ground circuit, you may have loosened one
during your mechanical adventure so trace the ground wires to see what
you have.

Good luck, Bruce

Re: CJ Headlights - Passenger Bright, Drivers Dim?
 

Step by step?

A) Swap the headlamp bulbs and see if the problem travels with the
bulb. This would also be a good time to upgrade to a new set of
Wagner Tru-View lamps, you will be amazed how much better they are
than stock plus they don't overload the stock wiring and switch!

B) If "A" didn't do the trick, take a Digital Multimeter (voltmeter)
and check the voltage at each headlight connector. Be sure to turn
on the lights and don't forget to switch them from "DIM" to "BRIGHT"
and check both circuits. Should be almost the same as checking
between the battery posts, without the engine running around 12.3 to
12.6 volts. If they check good voltage, check the resistance of the
Ground Circuit of the headllight connector using the "Ohm meter"
feature of the Multimeter, it should be virtually "0.00". Sometimes
each headlamp has it's own ground circuit, you may have loosened one
during your mechanical adventure so trace the ground wires to see what
you have.

Good luck, Bruce

Re: CJ Headlights - Passenger Bright, Drivers Dim?
 

Swap the bulbs first of course. Then dig out an ANALOG multimeter, much
better at finding intermittant problems and diagnostic work.

The easy way is to turn on the headlights, see the dim bulb. Check the
voltage to a good ground (battery terminal if possible) on BOTH sides of
the bulb with the lights on. A good system will read 12 volts or a bit
less on one side, 0 volts or a bit more on the ground side, 10 to 11
volts across the terminals. If you get less than 10 volts on the high
side, start looking for a bad terminal block or frayed wire. If you get
several votlts on the low side, bad ground. The bad ground can either be
on the wire from the socket to the body or the ground strap from the
body (on the firewall) to the back of the engine

Highcountry wrote:
> Step by step?
>
> A) Swap the headlamp bulbs and see if the problem travels with the
> bulb. This would also be a good time to upgrade to a new set of
> Wagner Tru-View lamps, you will be amazed how much better they are
> than stock plus they don't overload the stock wiring and switch!
>
> B) If "A" didn't do the trick, take a Digital Multimeter (voltmeter)
> and check the voltage at each headlight connector. Be sure to turn
> on the lights and don't forget to switch them from "DIM" to "BRIGHT"
> and check both circuits. Should be almost the same as checking
> between the battery posts, without the engine running around 12.3 to
> 12.6 volts. If they check good voltage, check the resistance of the
> Ground Circuit of the headllight connector using the "Ohm meter"
> feature of the Multimeter, it should be virtually "0.00". Sometimes
> each headlamp has it's own ground circuit, you may have loosened one
> during your mechanical adventure so trace the ground wires to see what
> you have.
>
> Good luck, Bruce
>