Datsun Roadster Forum-311s.org

I have a similar problem with my 68 headlights that LInda had earlier.
Drove car to work 2 weeks ago. Lights worked fine. Car has been parked while on vacation. Started it yesterday morning and no headlights. Parking and Fog lights come on at first stop and second stop. Headlights never came on. Yes they worked 2 weeks ago. Tails lights work all the time.

Pulled switch. Not sure how to check it but checked continuity ?? At first stop 2 poles have power. 2nd stop one of those goes off and another comes on. Seems to me that tells me the switch is correct. Anyone disagree?

Reading an earlier post was the first aI heard about the headlight relay. Could it malfunction and cause my headlights not to work at all? Neither high or low beams work on either headlight. 4 wires relay. Connections look pretty clean. Does it come apart? and any way to test it?

Check the red/yellow wire at the relay for power.If there is power at relay more than likely it's the relay. If there isn't any check it at the switch. No voltage at switch would mean bad switch. If your not using foglights and don't want to replace the switch.Try switching the red/yellow wire into the red/green wire cavity at the switch plug.The headlights should work in foglight position. Check the wiring diagrams in the wiki section for a better understanding. Hope this helps.

Paul

The #2 pole has a red/yellow wire. That wire has power, so it must come from the switch. The #3 pole also is red/yellow and the pole has power on high beams. The #1 pole has black and neither the wire nor poel have power. The #4 pole, red & black has power on low beams.

Since I have power coming out of the #3 and #4 poles it appears the relay is good. I could have sworn I checked the bulbs early this morning. Anything else between the relay and the bulbs aside from wiring? I am going to pull the bulbs now and check them. Odd that they both would go out at exactly the same time.... Any more thoughts?

OK I went out to pull the bulbs again and the headlights are now working, both hadlights and both high and low beams. My banging around on the relay must have "reset" the relay. Anyone have an idea why or what might have happended. Probably a sign to buy a new relay. Or when I go to work in the dark if the lights don't come on to tap it with a hammer.... Could any other electrical issue make the relay act like this?

I appreciate all the advice....

Also, we had a great time on the Nethercut trip!

Have you tried to pull and wiggle the wires on the relay with it all turned on.
I had the same thing happen on my 68' and there was a loose solder joint on the relay.
Ultimately I changed the relay out and never looked back. Relays are not cheap and have been updated to a plasic relay with pigtails that will plug right in. It is not the nicest looking part but works great. It also will get rid of the notorious head light filckering at high RPMs.
Kevin

Thanks for your suggestions. If I have to tap on the relay again I will get a new one. Someone is bound to have an original laying around.

I had the same problem - I fixed mine by removing wires from relay, cleaning the posts on the relay and putting some dielectric grease on the posts and fixing the wire covers at the posts. I think there may have been some looseness and a short from a wire to the car in a break in one of the wire covers.

My 70 head light relay looks like it can be opened. There are come little contact points in there most likely. If they get pitted sometimes they wont make good contact. Use a points file or such and clean the contacts if it happens again. Not sand paper. And ofcourse all the other stuff. Clean your grounds also on the frame.

Richard

I believe the relay has to be well grounded to the engine bay, but I may be wrong. The alternator VR grounds that way, though on mine I have an extra ground wire too. In any case you might try taking the relay off and sanding a little spot to metal under the screws and cleaning out the screw holes, and the screws too. While you're thereLOL

Linda