Headlight Switch Problem

[scottymalotty]

Hi,

I have been having a problem with my headlight switch for a while. It's a 1964 Traveller with the pull switch and in the past it was a wee bit sensitive when you pulled it to put the headlights on as they would sometimes flicker or go off but a bit of a wiggle on the switch would fix it.

Recently however the switch just stopped working and no amount of wiggling would get the headlights to work. Today I decided to strip it out to take a look and see if I could fix it before calling Tom Roy for a replacement. (See Picture 1)[frame][/frame] I am not great with electrics but beside the two red cables connected to one of the three connectors, I noticed one of the connectors seemed to have wire clamped in the brass screw but no matching cable. Looking further I spotted a blue cable that was not attached to anything in the great big jumble of wires behind the speedometer. I could also see a brown and blue cable that was also detached and floating around. (Picture 2) [frame][/frame]

I also managed to break a bit of the bakelite surround when I tried to loosen the screw for the headlight switch that had the broken wire clamped in it. Attempts to free the screw from the square brass body failed even when placed in the vice and sprayed with WD40.

So I guess after all that I will need to buy a new headlight switch but just wanted to ask if these unattached wires should be attached to the switch when I get it?

Many Thanks,
Scott

[bmcecosse]

The brown/blue is the feed IN to the switch - the blue is the feed OUT to the dip switch. I'm surprised a 64 car has the pull switch - I thought would be toggle switch by then - but no doubt someone will tell me otherwise! I hope the battery is disconnected at the moment - that brown/blue cable is very much alive !

[mike.perry]

1964, 1098, last of the pull switches. Blue/brown terminal A, blue terminal S2, 3 x red terminal S1

[scottymalotty]

Hi,

Thanks for this. So both these cables that are loose should be connected to the light switch? Does it matter what order they get reconnected in? do you know if these kind of switches are readily available?

Cheers,
scott

[mike.perry]

The terminals should be lettered, connect as above. Switches should be available

[beero]

Reterminate the wires first and then see if the switch was faulty or it was just the fact that the wires were loose.