headlights problems please help asap

[djpapo]

ok family i have a problem i was driving my truck today seen a goy driving with his lights off i turn my headlight switch off n on n my headlights stopped working all other lights work dash tail signal only my headlights don't work or my high beam i don't have any clicking from any a relay my headlight switch was a bit hot the high beam switch didn't work properly but i didn't have a need for high beams so i didn't really care but now i have no headlights at all  :confused:  :confused:  :confused:  :confused:  help please 

[ggzilla]

Check the fuse

[LenRobertson]

Wiring diagrams here if you need one: http://www.davidcmurphy.com/olddat/620tech.htm#wd

 

When you check the fuse, use a test light on the fuse holder. At least once I worked a long time chasing a wiring problem that was a bad fuse that looked fine. It was broken inside one end or something. I looked at it first thing and it looked good, so I kept checking everything else. If I had used a test light on the holder I would have seen the problem.

 

I recall one time I lost the headlights on my 510 and fixed it by unplugging the connector into the headlight relay and cleaning the connection.

 

I've had a headlight go out due to dirty connection where the plug goes into the back of the light itself.

 

I don't know if headlight switches normally get hot, but that sounds like it potentially might be a source of the problem. Maybe someone else will have an idea on hot light switches.

 

Len

 

 

 

[DanielC]

Headlight switches should NOT get hot.

If they are, that means the contacts inside the switch are corroded, and have high resistance.  Unfortunately, the heat created in the switch will make the contacts corrode even faster.

[LenRobertson]

DanielC - Thanks for confirming what I suspected. A hot switch sounded like a problem, but nothing I'd ever experienced.

 

But while thinking this morning about Datsun headlights I suddenly remembered I quit driving my 200SX about 10 months ago cause all the headlights stopped working.  And I can forget a lot of things in 10 months! :) So now that I remembered I have the same problem on one of my cars as djpapo, I grabbed the closest Factory Service Manual and started reading on headlight systems. The FSM is for a '74 710, but I figured close enough (wrong!). First surprise is learning the headlight relay isn't there to control power to the lights, as I always thought (and may be true for some Datsuns). For this year 710, the relay switches from high to low beam. Then there are two separate fuses for R and L headlights AND power to the lights comes via one of the fusible links from the battery. So if the test light doesn't show power at the fuse holder, the fusible link is a likely suspect.

 

So then I thought I should look in a 200SX FSM to see if there is anything different from the '74 710. Good thing I looked, because Nissan quit using a headlight relay by '78. I might have spent awhile trying to find a relay that isn't there. So djpapo, you should look at a wiring diagram for the specific year of your 620. I see on the page I linked to there are two FSM, for '74 and '78. If your problem ends up being more involved than a blown fuse, the  "Body Electrical System" section of the FSM gives really detailed wiring diagrams on the headlight circuit. It seems possible you may have a corroded switch that caused blown fuses.

 

Also if you have never removed a dash switch on a Datsun, you push in on the knob and turn it counterclockwise part of turn to remove it. Like taking the lens off a SLR camera. For those that remember clocks and film cameras that will make sense. There is a retaining nut you can get to once the knob is off.

 

Len

 

[djpapo]

ok ratsun family thanks for all your help i went and got me a tester and started to look for the problem and after a few minutes i found out that the fuse box in the 620 only have 6 fuses well 3 of them work witch is the right side the other 3 the left side aren't working i check the relay unplug n replug all 4 lights n nothing so i called my brother from another mother datsloco n told him my problem he was with a friend that told me to check everything i already had checked so his next suggestion was taking the headlight switch and bypassing the system so i did just that n my headlights work so i he say that is my headlight switch thats bad i bypassed it with a on n off switch so it will do for now thanks ratsun family n friends

[jvb5577]

Please tell me you didn't just twist the wires and electrical tape them..

[ggzilla]

You should replace the 3 bad fuses.

 

One side has 12v always, other side has 12v only when key is ON.

[djpapo]

yeah but the fuses work cause i switch them to the side that works n they work as well n no i didn't just twist the wires jvb5577 lmao but i know it looks bad 

:rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:

[LenRobertson]

While looking for something else this morning, I found this page on cleaning your headlight switch:

 

http://www.bluehandsinc.com/headlight-switch-restoration.html

 

It is probably easier to find a used switch, but more fun to overhaul your old one. :D (unless everything in it is burnt up).

 

Len