Author Topic: headlamp lost power  (Read 6530 times)

dab67

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headlamp lost power
« on: October 29, 2006, 04:58:00 PM »
OK all you CRG electrical gurus I need some guidance.
My wife and I were coming home from our nephews wedding last night and I began losing the brightness on the driver side headlamp of our 67 Camaro. I figured I would change the lamp this morning. I went and bought two halogen lamps, a little upgrade!
I remove the "bad lamp" and replaced it with one of the new ones. Turned on the lights to check to make sure I had it connected ok and,,,,,,,,, the new halogen was weaker then the passenger side. It looked like I never even changed the lamp out. Any ideas what would cause this? Or is it becasue I did not replace both of them yet? I wasn't going to waste time putting them both in if I had maybe something wrong with the harness or the socket of the drivers side harness.

dab67

lakeholme

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Re: headlamp lost power
« Reply #1 on: October 29, 2006, 08:13:43 PM »
I figured I would change the lamp this morning.

Dave,

When I changed out to halogen about a year ago, it was hard to tell how bright the halogen headlamps were until I got out on the road at night.  I did have an old lamp and a halogen in at the same time (when I was first checking on the replacement of the burned out old lamp) and they do look different.

I'd change them both and see what happens.  In my case, it was easy to tell the difference.

I don't think it would be the harness (That's the one you changed out a while back, right?), because the headlights are wired in series driver's side to passenger's.  If there is something wrong, I'd check the driver's side ground wire first (There is a ground wire for each.); and then, the socket connection.  I do recall having to work the connection a bit to get the first new lamp to connect period.

BTW, I asked one of the guys at Classic Muscle the other day about a dustcover for your powerglide (Did notice you were thinking about upgrading there, too.), and he said they hadn't been able to get those for several years, so they discontinued it from their catalogue.  Sorry!
Phillip, HNR & NCR-AACA, Senior Master, Team Captain, Admin.,
Spring Southeastern Nationals chair, AACA National Director

dab67

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Re: headlamp lost power
« Reply #2 on: October 29, 2006, 08:19:13 PM »
Thanks for the reply Phillip:

No this is not the harness I changed. I changed the power harness. I'll check the ground on the drivers side. It may be that I do not have a good connection thru the socket.
I'm not sure what I am going to do regarding the tranny. All I know is that it is real difficult finding a cover. I really don't want to change the tranny.It was more of an upgrade to the cam that a few people suggested I also to something with the tranny.

Dave

lakeholme

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Re: headlamp lost power
« Reply #3 on: November 02, 2006, 03:15:12 PM »
Dave,

Did the halogens work out OK???
Phillip, HNR & NCR-AACA, Senior Master, Team Captain, Admin.,
Spring Southeastern Nationals chair, AACA National Director

dab67

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Re: headlamp lost power
« Reply #4 on: November 03, 2006, 06:24:14 PM »
Phillip:

I just got done finding my problem/s.
1. I did have a ground short. The ground tab for the drivers side lamp, which is grounded to the left bolt that holds the water bottle bracket in place was broken. I stripped some of the wire off and wrapped it around the tab. The reason I did not replace the tab was because I could not get to the nut on the other side of the bolt.   
2. The halogen lights were the wrong ones for my application. I took them back and got the correct ones. Lamps work great, everything is  again grand in Paradise!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D Bummer is,,, I am putting the car up for the winter :'(  We had a great time with it this year. This winter the underdash harness will be replaced, I am going to pull the  intake manifold and have it powder coated to match the headers and maybe have the heads rebuilt and also replace the brakes all the way around. Also thinking about going to a new electronic ignition, replacing the mono leafs, front springs and  all shocks. We will just have to see what type of cash flow I have this winter.
And I will continue my search for that elusive flexplate cover, kinda like the Loch Ness monster, does it really exist!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!