Headlights-now what did I do?

GostRidr · 08-06-2011, 05:29 PM

I have one of those wacky headlight issues. I've been swapping out motors, relays and replacing fuses. The current combination gives me lights that turn on and go up and down as they are supposed to with one MAJOR difference. They are opposite! With the switch on my lights are off and up. With the switch off they are on and down. And, my buzzer rings as if they were on. I thought maybe I aligned them incorrectly but that wouldn't explain the lights themselves going on when off and vice versa right? I'm sure it is something simple and stupid but that's how I keep rolling!

Thanks,

Ga 951 · 08-06-2011, 07:40 PM

I don't have any experience with your issue,. but it sounds like a wiring issue. Is it possible to cross wires or plug in a connector upside down? Just a shot in the dark..pun intended

AA_Ezra · 08-06-2011, 09:00 PM

You know, Relays hooked up wrong can do that. Off is on.. and ON is off kinda thing usualy because the ground and 12 volt supply are hooked up wrong.

which car is this on? Ice shark. or non ice shark?

GostRidr · 08-07-2011, 05:11 PM

Thanks for the help!

Im going out now to double check but I didn't think the relay by the motor could go in wrong. On that theme though, just popped into my head, can I jump this relay just like we do with the DME relay? Not even sure what to do but, it seems that concept could work for all relays right?

This issue is for my non Ice Shark lights on the cab.

bavarianrescue · 08-08-2011, 07:21 AM

'splain me Ricky....Ice Shark?

GostRidr · 08-08-2011, 08:11 AM

Bavarian,

Ice Shark is one of the legends from yesterday here on this forum. I believe that he was probably THE electrical guru. He took on the issue of poor headlights and developed a kit that would SAFELY upgrade the headlights AND help the electrical system run better. I believe others have since come up with other versions of the same kit. You can do a search of his posts and his knowledge was incredible. Sadly, he passed on several years back.

Does anyone else have an idea on how my lights could be backwards? I did double check and I can't see that the relay could be put in backwards. Is there a way to reverse its circuitry? Some sort of bermuda triangle in my garage perhaps?

Thanks,

Lapponia · 08-08-2011, 08:49 AM

GostRidr. What exactly did you do? New relay in the concealing headlight motor? Right type of relay? If so it should have contact spades marked 30-85-86-87-87a. If you got a relay with a spade marked 87b instead of 87a the relay is entirely wrong. Do check this first of all. Good luck!
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Lapponia 944 NA 1984

Jack Stand · 08-10-2011, 04:55 PM

Our 924s did this. Here's how I fixed it.
1. Turn the light switch off (headlights "up" and lamps out).
2. Disconnect the negative battery terminal.
3. Remove top rubber boot from headlight motor.
4. Turn knob on top of headlight motor until headlights are "down".
5. Re-connect negative battery terminal.
test, and if headlights and mechanism work ok, then
6. Put boot back on headlight motor.

Hope this works for you too.

GostRidr · 08-11-2011, 07:06 AM

Jack, I was really hoping and this made some sort of warped sense to me but no luck. This is easy to confirm because as soon as I reconnected the negative cable, the headlights dutifully popped back up. Just for fun, I switched relays and tried it again with the same result.

Lapponia, for background. This started with headlights that went berserk when I turned them off (up down up down...). Previous experience tells me this was from the contacts on the inside of the motor or the relay. I replaced the relay with the same results and then switched to a backup motor I had. Somewhere in the exchange, the headlights wouldn't go down and I didn't realize I had blown the down headlight fuse. I ordered a new relay, not original but from Napa, and started all over. That brought to where I am now. Is it somehow possible that the motor itself needs to be changed back out? The symptoms are the same with all three relays in place which leads me back to the motor. Unless I am missing something, I will change that back out again soon.

Thanks for all the help!

v2rocket_aka944 · 08-11-2011, 07:50 AM

try flipping the linkage over...there is a nut that attaches the linkage to the motor, loosen it, pull the linkage end off and flip it 180* and retighten it

Lapponia · 08-11-2011, 09:34 AM

GostRidr! I can really feel your frustration with the headlights. Do check relay cirquits as Belldirected us to. Look at the first row how it should like at the headlight motor. Do confirm that your new relay have those socket numbers including 87a. If so you are probably OK here. Personally I think there is an issue with the motor contacts, welded together or burned inside the motor housing. It is also difficult to understand why your fuse blew. It shouldn´t even if the head-lights pops up and down. Headlight cirquits are separated from the motor cirquits (I am reading the Current Flow Diagram Type 944 USA Model 84 here).
So my 2 cent is on the motor driven contacts. Try to get a copy of these Current Flow Diagram to better understand this particular function as well as other of course. Good Luck!!!
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Lapponia 944 NA 1984