Re: CJ Headlights - Passenger Bright, Drivers Dim?
 

The ground tags for the headlights are on the back of the grill. I
would be thinking one of these wires got damaged or is loose.

Or a loose plug on the back of the light...

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

lynnhowlyn@aol.com wrote:
> 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?
 

<lynnhowlyn@aol.com> wrote in message
news:1170827306.277337.237830@h3g2000cwc.googlegro ups.com...
> 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
>

Check for a bad ground on the dim headlight.

Re: CJ Headlights - Passenger Bright, Drivers Dim?
 

<lynnhowlyn@aol.com> wrote in message
news:1170827306.277337.237830@h3g2000cwc.googlegro ups.com...
> 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
>

Check for a bad ground on the dim headlight.

Re: CJ Headlights - Passenger Bright, Drivers Dim?
 

<lynnhowlyn@aol.com> wrote in message
news:1170827306.277337.237830@h3g2000cwc.googlegro ups.com...
> 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
>

Check for a bad ground on the dim headlight.

Re: CJ Headlights - Passenger Bright, Drivers Dim?
 

<lynnhowlyn@aol.com> wrote in message
news:1170827306.277337.237830@h3g2000cwc.googlegro ups.com...
> 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
>

Check for a bad ground on the dim headlight.

Re: CJ Headlights - Passenger Bright, Drivers Dim?
 

CJ headlights are individually grounded via a pair of #10 screws and nuts,
one on each side of the back panel of the grill, 1" below the center screw
hole for the cold air induction flange (on the left, and the same space on
the right). You have to pull the headlight bucket to see the actual
connection. They just serve the headlights, the parking/signal lights use
the sheet metal for the ground path and have no seperate ground wire.


On Wed, 7 Feb 2007, billy ray wrote:

> Assuming the lamp itself is good it appears that you have a circuit
> grounding problem.
>
> You will need to get in there and manually clean (and coat with dielectric
> grease) the ground connectors and connections. Perhaps another Jeeper can
> give a specific locations to check, I'll just say take apart and clean every
> connection you can find.
>
> FWIW.... I had a '68 Rambler American with the same problem which occurred
> at some very inopportune time so I temporarily added an additional ground to
> the circuit by tinning both ends of a section of 14g house wiring and using
> it as a jumper from the ground side of the dim headlight to a bolt on the
> grill. I drove that Rambler for a number of years before giving it to my
> baby sister who drove it until 1986...... with that temporary fix still
> doing its job! (Not that I recommend you do this bit of hillbilly
> re-engineering)
>
> <lynnhowlyn@aol.com> wrote in message
> news:1170827306.277337.237830@h3g2000cwc.googlegro ups.com...
>> 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
>>
>
>
>
>

--
"We began to realize, as we plowed on with the destruction of New Jersey,
that the extent of our American lunatic fringe had been underestimated."
Orson Wells on the reaction to the _War Of The Worlds_ broadcast.

Re: CJ Headlights - Passenger Bright, Drivers Dim?
 

CJ headlights are individually grounded via a pair of #10 screws and nuts,
one on each side of the back panel of the grill, 1" below the center screw
hole for the cold air induction flange (on the left, and the same space on
the right). You have to pull the headlight bucket to see the actual
connection. They just serve the headlights, the parking/signal lights use
the sheet metal for the ground path and have no seperate ground wire.


On Wed, 7 Feb 2007, billy ray wrote:

> Assuming the lamp itself is good it appears that you have a circuit
> grounding problem.
>
> You will need to get in there and manually clean (and coat with dielectric
> grease) the ground connectors and connections. Perhaps another Jeeper can
> give a specific locations to check, I'll just say take apart and clean every
> connection you can find.
>
> FWIW.... I had a '68 Rambler American with the same problem which occurred
> at some very inopportune time so I temporarily added an additional ground to
> the circuit by tinning both ends of a section of 14g house wiring and using
> it as a jumper from the ground side of the dim headlight to a bolt on the
> grill. I drove that Rambler for a number of years before giving it to my
> baby sister who drove it until 1986...... with that temporary fix still
> doing its job! (Not that I recommend you do this bit of hillbilly
> re-engineering)
>
> <lynnhowlyn@aol.com> wrote in message
> news:1170827306.277337.237830@h3g2000cwc.googlegro ups.com...
>> 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
>>
>
>
>
>

--
"We began to realize, as we plowed on with the destruction of New Jersey,
that the extent of our American lunatic fringe had been underestimated."
Orson Wells on the reaction to the _War Of The Worlds_ broadcast.

Re: CJ Headlights - Passenger Bright, Drivers Dim?
 

CJ headlights are individually grounded via a pair of #10 screws and nuts,
one on each side of the back panel of the grill, 1" below the center screw
hole for the cold air induction flange (on the left, and the same space on
the right). You have to pull the headlight bucket to see the actual
connection. They just serve the headlights, the parking/signal lights use
the sheet metal for the ground path and have no seperate ground wire.


On Wed, 7 Feb 2007, billy ray wrote:

> Assuming the lamp itself is good it appears that you have a circuit
> grounding problem.
>
> You will need to get in there and manually clean (and coat with dielectric
> grease) the ground connectors and connections. Perhaps another Jeeper can
> give a specific locations to check, I'll just say take apart and clean every
> connection you can find.
>
> FWIW.... I had a '68 Rambler American with the same problem which occurred
> at some very inopportune time so I temporarily added an additional ground to
> the circuit by tinning both ends of a section of 14g house wiring and using
> it as a jumper from the ground side of the dim headlight to a bolt on the
> grill. I drove that Rambler for a number of years before giving it to my
> baby sister who drove it until 1986...... with that temporary fix still
> doing its job! (Not that I recommend you do this bit of hillbilly
> re-engineering)
>
> <lynnhowlyn@aol.com> wrote in message
> news:1170827306.277337.237830@h3g2000cwc.googlegro ups.com...
>> 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
>>
>
>
>
>

--
"We began to realize, as we plowed on with the destruction of New Jersey,
that the extent of our American lunatic fringe had been underestimated."
Orson Wells on the reaction to the _War Of The Worlds_ broadcast.

Re: CJ Headlights - Passenger Bright, Drivers Dim?
 

CJ headlights are individually grounded via a pair of #10 screws and nuts,
one on each side of the back panel of the grill, 1" below the center screw
hole for the cold air induction flange (on the left, and the same space on
the right). You have to pull the headlight bucket to see the actual
connection. They just serve the headlights, the parking/signal lights use
the sheet metal for the ground path and have no seperate ground wire.


On Wed, 7 Feb 2007, billy ray wrote:

> Assuming the lamp itself is good it appears that you have a circuit
> grounding problem.
>
> You will need to get in there and manually clean (and coat with dielectric
> grease) the ground connectors and connections. Perhaps another Jeeper can
> give a specific locations to check, I'll just say take apart and clean every
> connection you can find.
>
> FWIW.... I had a '68 Rambler American with the same problem which occurred
> at some very inopportune time so I temporarily added an additional ground to
> the circuit by tinning both ends of a section of 14g house wiring and using
> it as a jumper from the ground side of the dim headlight to a bolt on the
> grill. I drove that Rambler for a number of years before giving it to my
> baby sister who drove it until 1986...... with that temporary fix still
> doing its job! (Not that I recommend you do this bit of hillbilly
> re-engineering)
>
> <lynnhowlyn@aol.com> wrote in message
> news:1170827306.277337.237830@h3g2000cwc.googlegro ups.com...
>> 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
>>
>
>
>
>

--
"We began to realize, as we plowed on with the destruction of New Jersey,
that the extent of our American lunatic fringe had been underestimated."
Orson Wells on the reaction to the _War Of The Worlds_ broadcast.

Re: CJ Headlights - Passenger Bright, Drivers Dim?
 

Just a note: Users should be careful about metering problems like this
without the proper load attached. A crappy ground connection can let you
read full voltage at no load (leading you to think that it is OK), but the
voltage evaporates when you plug the lamp back in.


On Wed, 7 Feb 2007, 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
>
>

--
"We began to realize, as we plowed on with the destruction of New Jersey,
that the extent of our American lunatic fringe had been underestimated."
Orson Wells on the reaction to the _War Of The Worlds_ broadcast.