31 Headlights

tprice007

tprice007

Junior Member
Hello everyone,

I am at a complete loss. I cannot get my headlights to work at all. I got the car from my Aunt and things were a mess. They hooked the battery up backwards at one point and fried everything. I have since re-wired the entire car, got a new switch, bulbs, re-did the contacts....everything. But I get nothing at all. I have horn, but no tail or headlights. After studying the switch housing etc and putting it together several times, I can't believe I have it put together wrong.

I really would love to be able to stay out past sundown here and there! Its driving me nuts. Any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Trevor
 
Get some sandpaper and clean up the cups where the headlights mount on the light bar. Then also under the bar where it mounts to the fender, get a good ground.. See if that does anything.
 
Thanks, I will give that a shot tonight and see if that helps. I have done everything I can think of doing. I am new to a 6V positive ground system, so I do scratch my head a bit, but have learned a ton along the way. I love working on this car.
 
Do you have stop lights? If they work then you are getting power
to the light switch.

Bob
 
the Model "A" lighting switch at the bottom of the steering column, and connection issues between the headlamp wiring to the headlamp sockets, are sources of repeated difficulties regularly posted here....you might want to do a search or even simply troll backwards on the posts. you could have grounding issues, lighting switch issues, any one of several foibles.
 
On a side note.....and some may get mad at me, I also did away with the traditional connections inside the headlight assembly itself. I went to a standard butt connector to ensure a solid, not "touchy" connection.
 
Others have already posted good info here for you already. Do you have a wiring diagram for your car? Here is a link to Vince Falter's site. Don't get hung up on the whole positive ground issue. Just follow the connections and find your break. Also if there is a local club you might find some guidance there. Good Luck!
 
The quickest and cheapest way to fix the problem is to get your volt meter or test light out and see where the power stops. Just clip to a good ground and start at the cutout and follow the power path towards the lights.
 
You can easily check to see if it's a ground issue by turning on the lights and then grounding the headlight shell by holding a piece of wire from there to a head nut.
 
tprice007 said:
on a side note.....and some may get mad at me, i also did away with the traditional connections inside the headlight assembly itself. I went to a standard butt connector to ensure a solid, not "touchy" connection.
Click to expand...
x2!
 
It sounds like everyone is leaning towards a ground issue. I am going to start there. I did check continuity everywhere, and that is all good. I do have brake lights, so I know there is power.....and yes, the bulbs are all brand new.
 
Nice car. It is great to see a youngster join our group. I am new to "A's'' as well and they are more fun than the law allows!!!
 
Thank you. I absolutely love the car!! My grandfather pulled it from a grove of trees from his cousins farm here in Nebraska in the mid 80's. He restored it all back to original and now I have the car. I love cars and am having an absolute blast. It will stay in the family for generations to come.......
 
Chec switch spider for proper angle , some one previously could had it installed
In wrong position . It can be removed and turned to position.

Page 1-317 if you have model a Ford mechanical hand book.by les Andrews.

Fredski
 
I had the same issue today on my 31 Tudor. I too had a new harness, new switch, bulbs,etc. it ended up being two things - bad ground (I admit I committed the ultimate Model A sin. I ran modern wired grounds) and secondly it was the new switch. The spring in the housing wasn't strong enough to force the contacts closest enough to the harness contacts. I cleaned up the old switch (much more substantial). That solved the problems. The previous owner bypassed the switch and put one under the dash with modern bell wire. The only thing that was missing was wire nuts!!!! I perfer Henry's switch.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top