Headlight wiring, Can anyone confirm please

[brett]

OK, i'm still having trouble with my lights

My car is a '55 split screen, series 2, i have the bronze/gold speedo and the main beam warning light is red, i have the floor dip switch with the screw on terminals.

In the headlight loom that comes from the main loom down to the front off side corner most of the wires are the same colour but the one's i now know for sure are the 2 for the brake light switch and the 2 for the horn, these are fine.
There is a brightish red wire that is the sidelights, that's fine, another one which comes on with the dip beam and goes off on main beam, and lastly one that comes on with main beam and goes off with dip beam. I say comes on and goes off - whilst testing with a basic light up power probe connected to earth.

I have earthed both headlight ( black ) earth wires to the body with a new hole and eye connectors, these are fine.

My questions are these - there are 2 wires remaining disconnected coming out of the loom, both of them do nothing with the probe connected to earth no matter what the lights are set to, but if the probe is connected to live both of them light the probe up so am i right in thinking they are both earth's and if so should they be connected to the body ?

Also the main beam light still doesn't come on no matter what, the bulb it's self is fine.

I hope i've covered everything and i'm so close to sorting this, PLEASE PLEASE someone help !!!
Many thanks in advance

[bmcecosse]

Sounds like the two wires are earths. Leave them off if everything is working. It would be better to measure volts with a meter rather than a 'probe'. If no volts - then earth them! The warning light - again - measure volts at the feed to it - if none you will need to trace the wire It should be blue with white tracer, and should be connected at the dipswitch.

[brett]

Hi and TY for the quick reply, ummm, i'm going to sound a bit daft but it's not for the first time !
The power probe is quite technical for me lol ! i wouldn't have a clue about multi meters but i'll get the garage to check the seemingly earth's when i get the gearbox and diff oil's topped up.
I followed the main beam light wire as far as i could and it's a dirty off white colour then it dissapears into the loom, all the wires on the dip switch are off white aswell, i honestly don't know how they knew what went where at Cowley !
Thanks again

[mike.perry]

Your wiring loom is the old woven covered type which looks smart when new or if you are prepared to maintain your car to concours standards but in normal use every wire turns black. If you are not to fussy about originality then I would recomend fitting a plastic coated wiring loom which can be wiped clean.
What's this "When I get the gearbox and diff topped up"? Minor ownership is about self maintenance, getting a Workshop Manual and learning to carry out the simple tasks. It does wonders for your bank balance

[andy.pointeer]

Hi,

Can you confirm that both headlight work, as the two unknow wires may be the feed to the nearside headlight.

I have a 66 Traveller, but assume the wiring for headlights is similar, there should be two sets of three wires connected together on the offside, one from each set is the feed from the dip/main switch comming out of loom, one to the offside headlight and the third going back into the loom to the nearside headlight.

hope this makes sence

[brett]

Hi and again, thanks so much for taking the time to help

Yes the loom is the cloth type one and most of the wires seem to be burgandy or off white.

The biggest problem is when i bought the car all the headlight loom wires had been cut so i had to start from nothing, i have both side lights, both headlights but when using the dip switch, everything play's up, i thought i'd got it sussed before but it's back to how it was now

I think this might be a job for an auto electrician - before i end up connecting something so wrongly that it burns the loom out or something.

And actually, yes, with my Dad's supervision i think i will check and top up the gearbox and diff levels myself so far i've done everything myself and i'm quite proud of myself

[bmcecosse]

You say it's all working - except no warning light on main beam? So -if there are no spare cores, you will need to run one from the main beam terminal on the dip switch - up to the warning light. That's all there is to it!!