Help! No headlights!

[greaseball]

I got that Ranchero from Germ,
One of the things
that needs to be fixed on that car is the HEADLIGHTS and PARKING lights
Don't go on-
So I started by hooking UP all the headlight connections,

Nothing.

Then I noticed the passenger side PARKING light was disconnected-
After a few hours of work I had the DRIVERS SIDE parking light ON,
Nothing else!

So now I'm wondering if the components might be bad?
I guess I'll double-check my wiring again,
but I don't think that's it....

Idea's?

[SwitchBlade327]

I had similar problems, and i can't remmeber what exactly i had to do since i tried so many things. My lights wouldn't work, then i realized i had the high beam bulbs in the low beam sockets and vice versa, switch em up and they works good. I took the light switch out and rewired it and everything worked as it should. If it's just the drivers side park light then it's probaly just the wiring, or maybe the socket. Do both park lights run off the same wire with a separate wire for the turn signals? Original wiring harness or aftermarket?

[DrJ]

If you don't have one get a test light.
It looks like an ice pick with a hollow handle with a light bulb in it with a wire coming out of it with a roach clip on the end to hook to ground. then you just start at the headlight switch and work toward the light's to see where the problem is. actually you can checkat the bulb connectors. After all there is a chance they are all corroded or all the bulbs are burned out. It's been known to happen!

[Noname38]

Have you checked your fuses?

[greaseball]

Oh yea,
I forgot to mention that I NEGLECTED
to hook up the passenger side running light...
(Brittle wire and all)

So there's a CHANCE that that side might work...?

Also, the headlights I have are the "bulb in light"
(Or whatever)
The bulbs aren't seperate.

Original, brittle old wiring.

DrJ-
A test light!
That's brilliant!

Lonestar38-
Any idea's where headlight fuses for a 57 ford Ranchero would be...?
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

[Noname38]

Greaseball your fuse box should be hooked to your headlight switch. Feel under the dash right where your headlight switch is. Fuse box should pop off if you pull down on it. Feel around.

[flip7262]

I had a highbeam switch that went bad. I didn't have headlights either. You might want to check that out.


Flip

[Joes50]

The easiest place to check for headlight current would be the dimmer switch. If the dimmer switch is bad you will have no headlights.

[Germ]

I never touched the WIRE shit,,

if you get stuck, bring it over and we can put in a modern switch, and figure out the small things,,,

would be best to spend the time and rewire the car,,
with the 12 ciruit eazy wire kit job, and i can teach you how to SODER connections, heat shrink, and run CLOTH tar factory looming over wires,,,

run new switches,
and aftermarket gauges............

it's worth the effort to go the extra route on wire....

not a big deal,,,
also that ALT is an EXTERNAL REGULATED job
i noticed that,,,,,

[Germ]

oh yeah and also, start bringing down my shit, so i can store it...

it's almost HUNTING season..
and PUSSIES wont attend swap meets in the winter..

[Jimmy]

Check to make sure that your electrical system is properly grounded.

I had a '66 Impala that I'd swaped engines in. It would regularly loose the lights when I was driving (a real pain at speed at night). I had neglected to reattach the small woven ground straps from the engine to the firewall. Once I did this I never had another problem with the lights going out.

Could be your battery's grounded to the frame and not to the body. Those rubber body mounts aren't known to be good conductors.

Good luck.

[greaseball]

Germ-
Let me know when you want "your stuff"-
Sooner is better.

The whole thing NEEDS to be rewired--
(I hate wiring!)
Even the wire under the HOOD looks like shit...

And what about Big M...???

I did notice the dimmer switch is bad,
Hopefully that's it!