My Lincolns lowbeams only work when the brights are on...confused

cjmatt

cjmatt

Club Member
I replaced the floor switch that switches from high/low on my 73 Lincoln but it didnt do anything. The lights went out a while ago but I just now am getting around to fixing them. Any idea what would be causing this? They all come on just fine in bright mode, but switch to lowbeams and they do nothing
 
i dont have a diagram for that but if its wired like most are it probably has an open low beam feed wire which i think is red/bl. ohm from the switch to the bulb
 
1BADAIR said:
i dont have a diagram for that but if its wired like most are it probably has an open low beam feed wire which i think is red/bl. ohm from the switch to the bulb
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would that cause it to still work with the brights though?
 
Before you do a ton of crap to it, replace the low beams.

I had the same issue a long long time ago. I paid a dealer a couple hundred dollars to tell me my low beams were burned out when both my low beams stopped working. Either they both went at the same time, or I just didn't notice one went before the other. That is how i learned that a lot of low beams have both a "low beam" and a "high beam" filament.
 
my subaru's lowbeams always burn out. Mostly my fault because the lights turn off automatically when you shut the car off so like 90% of the time the damn lights are on... I'd replace the bulbs first might of just been chance they both burnt out at the same time.
 
the lights arent burnt out though. Thisis one of those old cars in which all 4 lights come on when you turn on the brights. I can make all the lights light up, its just that when i switch back to the low beams, they all go off. Ive got the brights unplugged right now as sort of a half assed fix, but Id like to get it working the way theyre intended
 
cjmatt said:
the lights arent burnt out though. Thisis one of those old cars in which all 4 lights come on when you turn on the brights. I can make all the lights light up, its just that when i switch back to the low beams, they all go off. Ive got the brights unplugged right now as sort of a half assed fix, but Id like to get it working the way theyre intended
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It might be when the brights are on, both bulb circuits are fed off a different power wire, or are grounded by a common wire. Trace the powers and grounds through the switch, I think you might find one of them is bad.

I have to guess that the headlamp circuit (and foot switch) would be similar to most of the era, so finding a good circuit diagram shouldn't be hard.

If you are still having trouble, I have a coworker that has had 3 of these Conti's, and still owns one. He might have a wiring diagram..
 
Here's one for a 67 T-bird.. see if the colors are the same.

Looks like it's a common ground, with two different powers.

http://www.oldcarmanualproject.com/manuals/Ford/1967/TBird Shop/Group 19/pages/Schematics_0005.htm

If the colors are the same, you want to make sure the red with black stripe wire (Circuit 13) has 12V coming out of the dimmer switch, then check continuity from the switch to one of the headlamp connectors, likely the left low beam, looks like the right (13A) is fed off a splice in the left headlamp connector..

It may not be the same, but it's very likely the same. Not a lot of reinvention in circuits like this.. ...
 
I agree with Eric, replace the low beams. In those older cars the lows actually have low and high beam filaments in them and you probably have the lows burnt out.
 
yeah you guys were right, both low beams were out. Its odd that they went out at the same time, but 2 new bulbs fixed it!

rep for all!!!
 
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