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WTF Headlight

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Old Oct 24, 2010 | 07:30 AM
  #1  
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Default WTF Headlight

1990 240sx
I'm not the greatest with electronics....
My driver's side headlight is out. Its not the bulb because Ive tried more than one good bulb in the socket and they didnt turn on either. The thing is, the high beams work, just not the drive lights. Its a 6054. Before it was out for good, It would turn on (most of the time), but sometimes I would use the turn signal, and it would go out and then come back on at some random time after that. So I took off the bulbs on both sides, got a multimeter, and tested the three sockets on each side. Everything came out the same except one thing: The driver side "DRIVE" socket didnt have a ground. Ok.... so I look at a wiring diagram (which was absolutely no help. it says there are a grand total of four relays in the relay box. there is at least six or seven) and tries to follow it back from there. I started to check the continuity from the "GROUND" socket to the relay I thought it led to. It has continuity. And to the relay next to that. And the next one. And all of the others that had the title of "Headlight" somewhere in the name. I tried switching the relays around... nothing. All of the fuses are good. WAT DO I DO?
Thanks, guys.
tl;dr
I suck at electronics
Old Oct 24, 2010 | 07:48 AM
  #2  
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Default Re: WTF Headlight

You'll need a new light switch more than likely. They tend to go bad and take out the low beams when they do.
Old Oct 24, 2010 | 08:12 AM
  #3  
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Default Re: WTF Headlight

But its just the drivers side. Everything else is perfectly fine. Would it still be the switch?
Old Oct 24, 2010 | 09:37 AM
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Default Re: WTF Headlight

So the relays are switching the headlight ground and not the headlight power?
Old Oct 24, 2010 | 09:50 AM
  #5  
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Default Re: WTF Headlight

Here is a picture of the wiring diagram. Im not totally sure. Sorry about the lack of info. Anything else you need to know?
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Old Oct 24, 2010 | 06:07 PM
  #6  
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Default Re: WTF Headlight

OP, use the factory manuals. http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/240sx/91-94/EL.pdf Whatever you posted wasn't a Nissan manual I'm used to seeing. Looked more like a Chiltons or Haynes.

Originally Posted by Fabrik8
So the relays are switching the headlight ground and not the headlight power?
The relays associated with the headlights are there for the pop ups. The retract relays are designed to cut the ground to the headlight for when the pop up motor is in motion. The switch itself handles all power switching. There are two main power feeds to the lighting switch. One for each headlight. The switch can burn up to where it will cut out only a portion of the job, so in this case, the part of the switch that handles low beam power burnt up, but when you clicks over to high beams, it works just fine. His passenger light is fine because the hi/low circuit for the light is separate from the hi/low of the driver circuit. I've seen this happen a lot on S13s. It's just age, and the switches will fail eventually.
Old Oct 24, 2010 | 07:28 PM
  #7  
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Default Re: WTF Headlight

Originally Posted by Hijacker
OP, use the factory manuals. http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/240sx/91-94/EL.pdf Whatever you posted wasn't a Nissan manual I'm used to seeing. Looked more like a Chiltons or Haynes.



The relays associated with the headlights are there for the pop ups. The retract relays are designed to cut the ground to the headlight for when the pop up motor is in motion. The switch itself handles all power switching. There are two main power feeds to the lighting switch. One for each headlight. The switch can burn up to where it will cut out only a portion of the job, so in this case, the part of the switch that handles low beam power burnt up, but when you clicks over to high beams, it works just fine. His passenger light is fine because the hi/low circuit for the light is separate from the hi/low of the driver circuit. I've seen this happen a lot on S13s. It's just age, and the switches will fail eventually.
Wow ill have to check that out. Thanks man. I appreciate it. +rep
Old Oct 25, 2010 | 08:29 AM
  #8  
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Default Re: WTF Headlight

Is there anyway to check the switch to make sure? I just dont want to spend 130 on a new one and it turn out to be something else.
Old Oct 25, 2010 | 08:32 AM
  #9  
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Default Re: WTF Headlight

test light or multimeter on the outgoing low beam circuit.
Old Oct 25, 2010 | 08:39 AM
  #10  
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Default Re: WTF Headlight

Cool. Thanks man.



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