521 tail lights, blinkers and cluster not working in conjunction with headlights.

[Jakes Makes]

Trying to get lights on in the 521, it's a 69/70 so no marker lights and does have some mild creative wiring from the previous owner.

Here's a few scenarios in which they work or don't work.

 

With key on: brake lights and blinkers work

 

Key on, Headlight switch first pull: cluster lights come on, blinker lights on, no running light for tail lights.

 

Key on Headlight switch second notch:

Headlights work but no running lights for brakes or blinkers, gauge cluster lights turn off.

 

Currently it's got a newer fuse box that's been cleaned and soaked, new fuses (as of yesterday) new head light switch, newer cluster with cleaned up traces and good bulbs. New terminal connectors at both sides of fuse box, and at the flasher cans.

 

Noticed with the hazards they didn't do anything so I pulled it in an out like 30 times to try and clean the contacts and when I did I got the right side of the truck to flash when previously it did nothing. So perhaps that unit is the culprit?

 

I have a test light so if anyone can suggest a few areas for me to poke to narrow down the area that would be appreciated. I also have the wiring diagram which I'm slowly starting to understand.

 

 

[datzenmike]

Well from your description the fuse box is not wired properly. All lighting, brake lights and 4 way flashers work without the ignition key on. As this is not going to match any wiring diagrams it's going to be near impossible to troubleshoot.

 

 

The flasher unit is fine it's the 4 way switch contacts that are dirty. Try another 30 times or take apart and clean.

 

 

This is how the brake lights and lighting system should work.......

 

Brake lights should work without the key. So should the interior light and the horn.

 

Headlights/dash lights/front and rear parking lights/license light should come on without the key

 

First position headlight switch turns dash, license, front and rear parking/running lights on.* 

Second position just adds headlights to this.

 

* Did this do the same thing with the old headlight switch? If there was no switch, then the new one is bad.

[wayno]

What does newer fuse box mean, newer 521 fuse box, or something else entirely?

[Jakes Makes]

16 hours ago, wayno said:

What does newer fuse box mean, newer 521 fuse box, or something else entirely?

Newer for 521

[Jakes Makes]

17 hours ago, datzenmike said:

Well from your description the fuse box is not wired properly. All lighting, brake lights and 4 way flashers work without the ignition key on. As this is not going to match any wiring diagrams it's going to be near impossible to troubleshoot.

 

 

The flasher unit is fine it's the 4 way switch contacts that are dirty. Try another 30 times or take apart and clean.

 

 

This is how the brake lights and lighting system should work.......

 

Brake lights should work without the key. So should the interior light and the horn.

 

Headlights/dash lights/front and rear parking lights/license light should come on without the key

 

First position headlight switch turns dash, license, front and rear parking/running lights on.* 

Second position just adds headlights to this.

 

* Did this do the same thing with the old headlight switch? If there was no switch, then the new one is bad.

Cool! I'll start with double checking the fuse box layout against the diagram, it makes sense that it could be something plugged in wrong since everything has power just not coming on at the right switch position. Same problem with the old switch as well as the new one.

[bilzbobaggins]

why was your headlight switch changed?  I dont think they  are not all the same for the 521.  When I got mine it was on a toggle switch.  The one I bought turns on the marker lights and headlights on first pull.  Second pull cuts everything off other than headlights.  I never depinned it to make it work right.  I like the fucked up way it works. lol

 

[Jakes Makes]

3 hours ago, bilzbobaggins said:

why was your headlight switch changed?  I dont think they  are not all the same for the 521.  When I got mine it was on a toggle switch.  The one I bought turns on the marker lights and headlights on first pull.  Second pull cuts everything off other than headlights.  I never depinned it to make it work right.  I like the fucked up way it works. lol

 

So you drive at night with no tail lights? 😅

 

Well I sent the truck to a friend who has 3 of these 521s and he removed all the smog equipment, changed out the cluster and did all the clean up work on the contacts, replaced the fuse box, put new connectors on all the engine bay wiring. 

 

He mentioned the switch might be at fault so I went and replaced it with a nos from Thailand.

Before someone asks I can't confirm if the truck had the issue prior to the work being done. 

[Jakes Makes]

https://i.postimg.cc/cHJDMR7S/PXL-20221231-223144361.jpg

[Jakes Makes]

[wayno]

The first thing I would do Jake is turn the lights on and wiggle all the connectors on the fuse block while having someone watch whatever is not working to see if it starts working or tries to work, or quits working, this is an issue I had in my 1971 Datsun 521 work truck, sometimes my headlights would go out at night when I hit the brights or used the turn signal switch, and they would not come back on until I pulled over and wiggled all the connections on the fuse block, sometimes all my lights went out, or sometimes the running lights went out and I was stopped for that by a police officer, the fuse was good but when I touched it the running lights came on.

 

If wiggling fixes it but it keeps happening over and over you could clean/soak the fuse block in vinegar overnight, if it continues to happen then I would solder everything together(brass) on the bottom of the fuse block, remove the brass from the plastic before heating it up.

[datzenmike]

 

Forgot how simple it would be to wire the headlights through the ignition switch.

 

BOTTOM

The right four fuses are HOT at all times. The Black wire goes to the battery. Check that this is so on both ends of the fuse.

 

The White wire to right side the Black wire goes to the ignition switch, which when turned on, comes back as a Black/White stripe wire to the left of the Black wire. The other Black/White goes to the ignition coil. (for now the White/Blue stripe makes no sense)  Should have 12v with ignition on only. Check this is so on both ends of the far left two fuses.

 

TOP left to right

1st fuse 10 amp.... Solid Green wire to 4 ways and dash gauges.

2nd fuse 15 amp... Light Green wire to power the heater fan AND Red/Blue wire for wiper and washer paired together. Pull the Blue/White stripe off for now I don't know what that does.

3rd fuse 10 amp... Red/Black stripe to the lighting switch. (parking?)

4th fuse 15 amp... Light Green/Red looks correct.

5th fuse 15 amp... Solid Red to headlights?

6th fuse 15 amp... Green/Yellow (brake lights) and Green/Blue (horn) together. looks correct 

 

 

 

 

[bilzbobaggins]

9 hours ago, Jakes Makes said:

So you drive at night with no tail lights? 😅

 

Well I sent the truck to a friend who has 3 of these 521s and he removed all the smog equipment, changed out the cluster and did all the clean up work on the contacts, replaced the fuse box, put new connectors on all the engine bay wiring. 

 

He mentioned the switch might be at fault so I went and replaced it with a nos from Thailand.

Before someone asks I can't confirm if the truck had the issue prior to the work being done. 

only when leaving places I shouldnt be leaving.  lol   I am a legal eagle on the first pull.

[Jakes Makes]

Thanks Mike, I just have a gut feeling it's gotta be a switch or something isn't hooked up if all the lights work just not when I particularly want them to. 

 

Also the original switch had 5/6 connectors on the switch side but the harness only has 4. Then the new switch I bought has 6/6. 

[Jakes Makes]

Took apart headlight switch and cleaned, no noticeable difference, cleaned up hazard switch got back driver side lights when hazard switch is on. 

 

Got wife outside to watch tail lights when she noticed that the lights would flicker on for a second when I pulled the headlight switch all the way out. Also a click was heard from the 4 connector headlight relay.

Pull the light green wire and no click but still have lights. Maybe need new relay? Or is it doing as it's supposed to and something else is amiss.

 

I was also playing around with the headlight switch and jumping some of the terminals on top of it and got all the lights on but I couldn't find a hot that would turn off with the key. If I could just solder a jumper and move on with this project that would be cool.

[datzenmike]

Lights do NOT turn on only with key. They can be used at any time without the key.

[Jakes Makes]

Correct, I did discover that I was just thinking there might be a way to run a jumper from a terminal that's hot with the headlight switch pulled out to power the running lights and gauges. 

[Jakes Makes]

Alright so I did a naughty...

Took out test light and started poking the headlight switch. Found a soldered connection that had power when the switch was out first click and then found the one that feeds the gauges and soldered a little jumper wire. 

 

Not the proper thing to do whatsoever as now everything lights up when I pull to first position but at least it's on a switch with a fuse and I'm not the kind of guy who likes to use just running lights without headlights.