unusually headlight issue

CB919ER

CB919ER

Senior Member
after I replaced my radiator last week I got all the lights wired back up and noticed when I flip the head lights to low bead I get the driver side light, and on high beam I get the passenger side light. Any idea what's causing this?
 
Wired back correctly?

or

Did you remove the bulb's, if so you possibly flipped one bulb 180°. The high beam's should be on top and low beam's on the bottom.

Regards
Bill
 
Yep. I am guessing you just need to switch the wires on the side that isn't low beam when you have the headlight switch set to low beam.

The black wire holder has the color wire that should be in each slot marked on it.
Y=Yellow
R= Red
G= Green

That black holder can only go into the socket one way.
 

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BillCNC said:
Wired back correctly?

or

Did you remove the bulb's, if so you possibly flipped one bulb 180°. The high beam's should be on top and low beam's on the bottom.

Regards
Bill
Click to expand...

That's what I was thinking, I'm just glad to get confirmation from someone else.

jwilliams81 said:
Yep. I am guessing you just need to switch the wires on the side that isn't low beam when you have the headlight switch set to low beam.

The black wire holder has the color wire that should be in each slot marked on it.
Y=Yellow
R= Red
G= Green

That black holder can only go into the socket one way.
Click to expand...

I don't have those. I have cowl lights and only have two wires going into my headlights.
 
CB919ER said:
That's what I was thinking, I'm just glad to get confirmation from someone else.



I don't have those. I have cowl lights and only have two wires going into my headlights.
Click to expand...

I have cowl lights as well and still have two wires going to the headlight.
The headlight bolt itself is the ground... where it attaches to the rod going across the fenders.

Those two wires are High beam and low beam.

Black with Red tracer is low beam
Black with Green tracer is High beam
 

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If I read the original post correctly you only have one headlight working at a time??

Bob
 
BillCNC said:
Wired back correctly?

or

Did you remove the bulb's, if so you possibly flipped one bulb 180°. The high beam's should be on top and low beam's on the bottom.

Regards
Bill
Click to expand...

That's incorrect. The high beam filament is on the bottom and the low beam filament is on the top.
 
Y-Blockhead said:
That's incorrect. The high beam filament is on the bottom and the low beam filament is on the top.
Click to expand...
Blockhead,

I pulled the information straight from Les Andrews third book, Troubleshooting & Diagnostics p. 4-21, under: Head Lights

His Words:

"The head lights are a duel filament bulb. The bulbs can be place in socket with the high beam up or down. Both head lights should have the High beam in the UP position. Turn the bulb 180° if needed so that both head lights are at low beam at the first switch position to the right."


It was still stuck in my head because I just put in my radiator yesterday and am wiring the car just like the OP and I read the text last night prepping me for wiring the light's today.

Regards
Bill
 
BillCNC said:
Blockhead,

I pulled the information straight from Les Andrews third book, Troubleshooting & Diagnostics p. 4-21, under: Head Lights

His Words:

"The head lights are a duel filament bulb. The bulbs can be place in socket with the high beam up or down. Both head lights should have the High beam in the UP position. Turn the bulb 180° if needed so that both head lights are at low beam at the first switch position to the right."


It was still stuck in my head because I just put in my radiator yesterday and am wiring the car just like the OP and I read the text last night prepping me for wiring the light's today.

Regards
Bill
Click to expand...

Yep, I'm going to agree. If the wires are correct then its just the bulb.
 
Then I guess me and Marco are wrong...


Per Marco Tahtaras
The new lamps were supplied with 6-8 volt double filament double contact gas filled bulbs. Both of the filaments were 21 candle power. The lower filament provided a beam which gives exceptionally brilliant road illumination for high speed driving. The upper filament provided a downward tilting beam which illuminates the road surface close to the car.
 
High beam on top or low on top is all academic really. Either can be correct. It depends on whether the filaments are in front of or behind the focal point of the parabolic reflector and that being adjustable, there is absolutely no point stressing about it. Just so long as they are the same.
 
It's all good. I'm running 75/125cp bulbs so it is kind of a moot point for me anyway. Either puts out a lot more than original :p:p.

I did see a diagram someplace explaining why to place the high beam on the bottom tho. I thought it might have been on Ford Garage but I can't locate it.
 
My buddy said my headlights were misadjusted, I've never noticed a problem, sometimes I think he just likes to complain.
 

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You guys are making me crazy!!! One says high beams are on top another says it doesn't matter and another says high beams on the bottom! I was confused before, but now I am REALLY CONFUSED!!!
 
The filament being above the centerline reflects off the silvered reflector at a downward angle, so this is low beam.

The lower filament will bounce off the reflector at a higher angle, so this is high beam.
 
Thanks you Tom. I have seen a diagram 'reflecting' this somewhere but I can't find it now.

That also brings up the reason you need the correct bulb in order to focus the headlights properly.
 
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