Smoke in the cockpit...

[GrindingGears]

Gents,

Tonight on my way home smoke began to bellow out of the left side of my steering column (out of the turn indicator lever hole). I opened my door as I drove b/c I wasnt sure where it was coming from, but when I realized it was from inside I pulled over and shut down the lights. The smoke stopped. When I turned the lights back on a puff came out but once again it subsided. So I check what would happen if I flicked on the brights. Nothing happens with the head lights and more smoke comes out. Fog light switch is pulled out (on) and those lights aren't on (normally would be).

So I drive home and start fidgeting around. It's 11:30pm so I'm not gonna be able to do anything about it, but I fidget.

When the lights are on and I flick the brights, the fog lights come on (sometimes) or the brights come on. Other times I flick the brights lever and nothing happens.

I think the smoke started when I flicked the brights on, I always have the fog lights on.


Any thoughts?

Philip

[Zendalar]

The light dimmer has gone bad?

[Thomas Owen]

Sounds like you are going to need a new turn signal/dimmer switch assembly. Our host can get you one and you can probably install it yourself.
Regards,

[AirCooledExcellence]

You might want to install some headlight relays as well, see here:

http://members.rennlist.com/msucro1/relaykit.htm

Cheers,

Tim.

[304065]

Ahh, the classic light switch failure!

Mine happened at 110+ MPH on the way to Mosport in the middle of the night, up by Watertown, New York, just south of the Canadian Border. The stars were beautiful that night-- I remember because THAT WAS ALL THE LIGHT I HAD!

Back in 1963, it was considered OK to route four amps (x 14v =55W) through the stalk-mounted switch. Over time the contacts work-harden, oxidize, and pit, so that the switch resistance increases, increasing the amperage going through the circuit, until eventually, SMOKE! And if you have upgraded the lights without a relay kit, it's even worse e.g. 130 watt halogens / 14v = 9 amps, probably beyond the rating of a new switch.

I would advise you to use a digital camera to note the location of each wire on the ignition switch BEFORE you pull the old switch out. Installing it takes about an hour in the inverted under-dash yoga position.

Welcome to the club, this has happened to HUNDREDS of guys on this board!

Good luck!

[GrindingGears]

So which is it?

Light dimmer?
Turn signal/dimmer siwtch?
Light switch?

[vash]

it is your turnsignal/hibeam switch. this switch has a wiring harness that runs down to the knob that turns on the headlights. there are these copper straps that bend and contact each other as you work the hibeam switch and they are held up by plastic that keeps them from touching each other unless you want them too. that plastic melts into a solid both lowbeam and hi beams on at the same time mess, or nothing works. do you have stock headlights?

get the marcus sucros headlight relay, install that to boost your confidence (really easy, $20) and get ready for an on your back, cirque du soliel, yoga, nightmare. john cramer's advice is great, but he can read a wiring diagram better than most, and he is a friend to electricity, so his digital picture idea can be backed up. to me, those diagrams may as well me written in sandscript, and electricity treats me like i ran over it's dog. i ran the new wires in right next to the old ones, EVERYTIME i unplugged an old wire, i had the new one right there to plug in. no issues, other than it gets a bit tighter. it took me an hour. oh yea, i loosened the headlight switch and dropped it into the lower dash area for more room.

cliff

[Emission]

Originally posted by unfixed
"...and get ready for an on your back, cirque du soliel, yoga, nightmare."

...Oh, come on... it's not that bad. IT'S WORSE!

It was my first repair on my 911 - pretty easy (make sure you get a socket for the steering wheel).

[vash]

Originally posted by Emission
...Oh, come on... it's not that bad. IT'S WORSE!

It was my first repair on my 911 - pretty easy (make sure you get a socket for the steering wheel).

yes, well.. i was trying to sugar coat it.

and your right, i forgot about the nut in the steering wheel. 27mm?

[Emission]

Originally posted by unfixed
...I forgot about the nut in the steering wheel. 27mm?

Yes, 27mm

[GrindingGears]

great, thanks alot fellas.

[scottb]

Philip:

The stalk switch is not difficult...but it is time consuming. You have to go slow, and replace each wire on the back of the headlight switch one-by-one. Also, the Sucro relay kit is probably the best $20 I've ever spent on the car.

If you want help installing the switch and the relays, I've already done both and would be happy to help you. Send me a PM.

Hang in there, buddy, this isn't a big deal.

Scott

[dotorg]

Guys. Take the drivers seat out, then you don't have to be a contortionist.

Although it still sucks.

Where do you get this Sucro kit? I'm not terribly worried since I'm running HIDs, and the stock wiring is only triggering the headlight relays, but I want to bump the power of my highs...

[vash]

Originally posted by dotorg
Guys. Take the drivers seat out, then you don't have to be a contortionist.

Although it still sucks.

Where do you get this Sucro kit? I'm not terribly worried since I'm running HIDs, and the stock wiring is only triggering the headlight relays, but I want to bump the power of my highs...

dotorg, i only had the stock lighting, the yellow, weak bulbs, 30 years old. and all the juice going through the switch melted mine slowly. order it here:
http://members.rennlist.com/msucro1/relaykit.htm
it was embarrassingly easy.

cliff

[dotorg]

Yeah, my wiring is such a mess I may end up buying a generic wiring harness like one would use in a hot-rod and rewire the whole car... this may be a safe stop-gap until I do that, though.