'78 280Z Headlight Woes

[Jeff G 78]

I brought my 280Z out of a 13 year nap and started daily driving it a few weeks ago. The headlights both worked on low and high beams, but they have started to act up. The parking lights work great, but when I turned the headlights on, sometimes they wouldn't come on. After a few cycles of the combo switch, they would work. Now, the left light works most of the time, but the right light won't come on at all. The fuses are good and when I check the connector on the inner fender with a test light, it appears to work fine. I then removed the headlight and I also get a good test light result at the lamp socket, yet the light won't work when plugged in. I then put 12V to the headlight terminals and it works fine.

Again, both lights both worked fine a few weeks ago on low and high. When I switch to high beams now, the right light of still dead, but the left light is very dim.

Is this likely a combo switch issue, a wiring issue, or a connector along the way? The next thing I'll do its get actual voltage readings at the connectors. I wonder if there is enough juice to power the test light, but not the headlight. Any suggestions on what to tackle first?

[Randalla]

Jeff,
Call me at 602-312-4038
Randy

[Jeff G 78]

Thanks again Randy! It was great talking to you today. The lights are working well now.

I did some additional "while I was in there" stuff today. I pulled the center vent and glove box so I could add some foam to the vent ducts. The old foam was gone and there was a 1/4" gap between the duct and the HVAC case and another 1/4" gap between the vent panel and the duct. All the air was circulating behind the dash and almost none was coming through the vents. I didn't get it completely sealed, but I have WAY more airflow now. The thing I wanted to do, but couldn't was to replace the vacuum hose that penetrates through the firewall. The old hose is brittle and needs to be replaced, but I can't get to it on the inside with the HVAC blower in place. I guess one of these days, I'll pull the whole dash and fix all the old, nasty HVAC hoses, vacuum hases, and do a blower motor upgrade.

[Randalla]

One step at a time. It's always motivating to be able to cross one more thing off the to do list. Nice job Jeff.