hey all, im new to this forum and to z's i just bought a 73 240 a couple of days ago and spent like 6 hours cruising this forum for information. here's the dilemma: my headlights work, when the hi-beam is on and don't work when they're on low. what am i looking at here? thanks all

Check your combination switch (the one used to turn on the lights), sounds as though one of the wires has broken off.

There's a bunch of threads on that specific topic. Try searching for Repairing Combination Switch for starters. You'll find more information than you can imagine.

E

thanks a bunch. i didn't realize it was an issue until i was driving it home after i bought it (at night) saw the blue light, hit the high beams and it all went black. hahaha, good story, no?

all wires are solid and connected...

There is a similar problem that happens on the early Z cars where after switching from the low beams to the high beams, or sometimes vice-versa, the head lights shut off, and stay off until you cycle the main light switch from on to off then back to on.

I saw this happen once on my car when I had just gotten it operational. I cycled both switches several times and it hasn't come back since.

I think that the switches get dirty over time, and need to be cleaned. Try a can of contact cleaner, and search the forums for headlight issues. I know that someone else asked about this some time back.

-Is it possible that both low beams have burned out?

-Is it possible that some PO installed a headlight relay.. and one side of that is out?

FWIW,

Carl B.

one of the bulbs is brand spankin new. the relay thing might be it, although i haven't seen one. i got the car pretty cheap (for a running z that is) and it mos' def' needs some tlc, but its got cool features. keep the ideas coming guys. i'll respond back with what works.

Are they fused seperately? Been so long since looked at mine can't remember if left / right have own fuse or if hi / low.

Left/Right are the individual headlight fuses.

E

Left/Right are the individual headlight fuses.

E

Unless some PO wired in a relay that fused high/low individually. I think we had a thread on that subject some time ago.. where the pros/con's of left/right vs high/low wiring of the headlights was discussed. The fact that both low beams were out is what reminded me of that..

High/Low dimmer is most likely - I was just tying to think of other things I've run into..

FWIW,

Carl B.

The contacts inside the switch are probably oxidized and need to be cleaned. This happened on mine when I first bought it. The hi-beams would work but the lows would not. Taking the switch apart and cleaning the contacts fixed it. You might as well do it anyway as you can bet the contacts are probably oxidized after all these years.

Greg

..contact Dave at thisnthat2@frontiernet.net he's worth the $100 if you're hesitant about taking the combo switch apart . he'll rebuild and polish the whole thing inside and out