I've had a problem with my headlights blinking since I bought my truck 3 years ago. I replaced the switch and that wasn't the problem. If I reach under the dash to wiggle the wires I can get the lights back on, but I notice it gets pretty warm.
Today I decided to see if I could fix my problem and burned my finger! The little tab circled in the pic is hot enough to actually burn the skin. The whole white wheel is pretty warm as well. It was a few hours after I had driven it, so it stays hot as long as the battery is connected. Any ideas as to why this is so over heated? And what do I need to do to fix it. The wire at that pin on the plug is missing some insulation. Apparently it's melting away.
John Member #1549 71 F100 Sport Custom__________1967 F350 Gone, but not forgotten
John,
That is the dimmer for the dash lights... This is a variable resistor and it will generate lots of heat when you have the dash light turned down low... This is why it is mounted in the white ceramic housing to handle the heat it generates...
Not sure what to tell you about your headlight problem, but sounds like a bad wire connection under there if you can wiggle wires around and they come back...
Shayne
I'm not "Brand Loyal" Ford-Chevy-Dodge-Toyota I have them all, one even cross mixed...
If it Looks good and Works good then it's ok by me. Everything has its issues from time to time...
Thanks Thunderfoot, but the lights weren't even on. Nor had they been on. I don't drive at night because of the problems I have with the lights. If I do use the lights, the dash lights are always on high. I wonder why there is so much heat even when not in use. I believe it's a short and my stomach churns when I think that I need to trace where it is.
John Member #1549 71 F100 Sport Custom__________1967 F350 Gone, but not forgotten
Did the PO make any modifications to the truck? Aftermarket???? Anyone do any wiring on the truck? BTW, from what you are describing it seems like the switch isn't switching??? incorrect switch, or defective? Just my thoughts, hope they will help.
Electrical problems are the pits. Is the battery being drawn down so you have to jump it to start the truck or disconnect the battery when the truck is sitting? If the device (switch) is hot then power is going through it. Remove wire and see if the wire is energized. It kinda sounds like the dash light circuit is powering something besides the lights or power is back feeding back into the switch, i.e., power is coming from the dash to the switch. This could be the result of a bad ground, so check the ground on the dash. A cross connection between two wires (bad insulation) could result in an errant ground, also. Good luck and let us know what you find.
That part of the switch, (when turned fully to the left).
Is also your inside light switch.
Try to isolate between two things if it were me, (either dash lights or inside lights).
I'd try to disconnect the inside light door switches to see if it makes a difference.
Does the inside light work?
I'd also start with the dimmer switch as a possible source for the headlight problems.
Jeff
Jeff http://www.fordification.com/forum/view ... 22&t=46251
SOLD-71 F-350 dually flatbed, 302 / .030 over V-8 with a "baby"C-6, B & M truckshifter, Dana70/4.11 ratio, intermittent wipers, tilt steering, full LED lighting on the flat bed, and no stereo yet (this way I can hear the rattles to diagnose)! SOLD!
Many Ford bumps / one 76' EB / and several dents through the years.
A lot of "oddball" Ford parts collected from working on them for 34 years now!
2008 Ford Escape 4 x 4
I'd also start with the dimmer switch as a possible source for the headlight problems.
Jeff
Two good points that I have answers to.
If the lights are in working order (ie: not blinking) and I use the dimmer to put on the highbeems the lights start their blinking frenzy.
Also, the interior light only works if the headlight switch is in the driving lights ONLY postion. If it is off or headlights, no interior light.
I am baffled...
John Member #1549 71 F100 Sport Custom__________1967 F350 Gone, but not forgotten
Have you also replaced your high beam floor switch? I have often wondered if it is possible to get a bad high beam switch caught between positions and have both the high and low beams on at the same time.
Do you have an after-market radio or stereo installed in the truck?
If someone connected wires incorrectly to your harness, anywhere, like for fog-lamps, a stereo, an FM converter for an old AM radio, an XM radio adapter, or just about anything, you could have power feeding back to the interior lighting circuit but it isn't passing through the switch because the switch is off.
Is your Dome light fuse good?
This problem sounds like it would be a good one to troubleshoot. Will you be coming to Florida any time in the future?
Too many projects, too little time, but.. lovin' it!
2-1966 Mustangs (one 289-2V and one 200 6 Cylinder),
1-1990 7-Up 5.0 Mustang LX Convertible (second one),
1-1990 7-Up 5.0 Mustang LX Convertible (third one, for parts only)
1-1990 7-Up 5.0 Mustang LX Convertible (fourth one, best of the bunch).
1-1992 "FEATURE" 5.0 Mustang LX Convertible (only one)
1-1993 "FEATURE" 5.0 Mustang LX Convertible (one of the yellow ones)
ok since you have replaced the switch with a new one then i would say there is a short in the wires someplace. or the new switch is bad. i would guess the dimmer should also be replaced to elminate all possiblities.
Wow. I agree with you about the wiring and you not getting along, that is the way I felt when I first started adding things to my cars through the years and I would make up add-a-harness jumpers to install these different things. After adding a harness or two, and finding out that the old 60s Mustangs used this method of adding options straight from Ford, getting in and troubleshooting wiring problems became a challenge and a bit of fun as well.
Finding a draw on an electrical system, or an improperly wired after-market component became something I would hope I could do from time to time. There really isn't much to these old wiring harnesses.
It surprises me that the dome light resistor coil terminal is hot when the dome light or headlights are off. Does your truck have dome light switches? Have you tried unplugging them (if it does) to see if the problem goes away?
Without seeing the truck I myself am at a loss as to how to troubleshoot the problem. Have you checked to see if perhaps a wire has come out of the plug that connects to the headlight switch and someone inserted it back into the wrong place in the plug?
Have you dropped both headlight switches out of both of your trucks and done a "stare and compare" to see that they both match (wire colors to terminal locations)? I am not sure if the '67 and the '71 have the same pin-out on the headlight switch plug though. I would figure they'd be the same, and the only difference being internal to the switch so the 67's parking lights go off when the headlights are turned on.
That and fuses.
Too many projects, too little time, but.. lovin' it!
2-1966 Mustangs (one 289-2V and one 200 6 Cylinder),
1-1990 7-Up 5.0 Mustang LX Convertible (second one),
1-1990 7-Up 5.0 Mustang LX Convertible (third one, for parts only)
1-1990 7-Up 5.0 Mustang LX Convertible (fourth one, best of the bunch).
1-1992 "FEATURE" 5.0 Mustang LX Convertible (only one)
1-1993 "FEATURE" 5.0 Mustang LX Convertible (one of the yellow ones)
Thanks for the info l1k2gadd. I need to start tracing wires to make sure they arrive to where they belong without anything "jumped" into them. There was a toggle switch under the dash when I got it, so I assume there were fog lights or something at some time or another. It had one short wire hanging from it when I took it off, so I have no idea what it was for. Now that it is getting nice out I can get outside and work on the trucks again.
John Member #1549 71 F100 Sport Custom__________1967 F350 Gone, but not forgotten
Usually a stereo hooked up with the power lead going to the light for the OEM in radio light, or bad radio ground causing feedback of power through the light.
Sorry guys, I forgot to mention that I replaced the dimmer switch too. 
