Low beams only on when high beams switched on 71 510

[FireFighterZach]

Hey so I have been scrubbing down the engine bay of my goon and cleaning the wires up a wee bit.

Usually when I have a wiring problem with the goon I figure it out because how basic the wiring is but I'm a little stumped on this.

First only my drivers side head light and high beam worked. I left it and decided to tackle it the next day.

Day two; I hit the head lights and they don't come on, but when I hit the brights they all come on...

I didn't touch anything between the days....

Any taughts?

[banzai510(hainz)]

you could always ck out the element on the lights in case they broke .

but most times the relay by the rear strut tower is corroded. You can swap out the relay if you have a spare or you could pull the relay out clean the contacts.

worse case is you pop the can open abd find the main contacts and clean with sandpapar .

 

the relay is not used per say untill the high beams but is used as a pass thru.

[gearboxx70]

Check for corrosion in the dimmer/brights switch too.

[FireFighterZach]

Thanks guys ill give those a try here in a bit

[Laecaon]

If you still cant figure it out, I can always meet up with you and sort it out. Wiring is terrible to explain and troubleshoot on the internet.

[FireFighterZach]

Thanks man I really appreciate. I didn't get around to it today getting ready for a winter term tomorrow. I'm gonna try tomorrow

[FireFighterZach]

Alright, I checked what you guys suggested, I took apart the relay, and it looks great inside and out, it clicks when given power.

I'm thinking its the bulbs, strange that both went out.

Are they dual element

[banzai510(hainz)]

the outer lights have 2 elements.

one is low

then when one goes to high beam it uses another element inside the the light.

stock 510 lamps are 2 35watt elements. sao it goers from one 35 watt to the other as the power is switched.

But never bolt elements are on at the same time.

 

I would just have a spare light and plug the harness into it.

clean the fise box and soemtimes reseat the harness at the fuse box also.

 

if this worked before and then stoped it just a corrosion issue or relay. wireing hasnt changed

[FireFighterZach]

Replaced the lights that was it. Any idea why they would both go out at the same time?

[banzai510(hainz)]

FM

 

fucking Magic!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

this happen to me when I got my yellow car. cked cked cked and then just swaped a light on the plugged and worked.

DOH!!!!!!!!!!!!

[DanielC]

Almost any metal will corrode, given enough time.   Except gold, and you do not have gold plated electrical contacts in your Datsun.

Put two different metals in contact with each other, and if they ever get wet, or any condensation on them, and one metal will definitely corrode. 

Sometimes the corrosion is very thin, but it still blocks electricity from flowing.  Just unplugging, and plugging a connection back in breaks through the thin layer of corrosion, and the parts in the connection make contact again.