M1008 Headlight Failure

[HansA]

Hi. I'm new to SS. I recently bought an M1008, half expecting there'd be kinks to work out, and I've come across my first one. My headlights are pretty dim, and for the second time they've completely gone out---along with the signals and taillights. It's some kind of total electrical failure, as the truck is running just fine. The first time around, a friend put a new fuse in the box by the pedals, and that seemed to do the trick, but that wasn't even two weeks ago and the problem is here again.

The batteries are pretty new, and the off road lights that run to one of the batteries work fine.

Any intuitions and thoughts as to what the problem could be? Not only am I new to SS, I'm new to cars and trucks in general. I've got about as basic and beginner of an understanding as one could possibly have. Just last night I was on YouTube learning the difference between a diesel and gasoline engine.

Thanks.

 

[Matt Kahle]

Wow you are really new to trucks and cars. So tell me did your fuse blow again the second time? that's really portent for me to know that detail and what do you mean the second time they went out? you mean starting the truck a second time after you bought it? I think you have a short some were in your wiring harness.

 

[Matt Kahle]

Oh I forgot sorry it's 440 for me in the morning welcome to steel soldiers!

 

[ralbelt]

I would start buy going around the truck and cleaning the grounds and electrical connections. If you can pick up some small star type washers they will help bite into the metal, and adding some dialectric grease to prevent corrosion will help for future.

 

[Warthog]

Read the headlight sticky. It helps explain your problem

 

[Warthog]

If you keep this truck (or any 25 year old vehicle) you will need yo learn how to be your own mechanic end electrical repairman.

buy a multimeter and learn how to use it.

 

[HansA]

I don't know if the fuse blew the second time. I only know that a friend put a new 30 fuse in, and the lights worked after that, and just 2 weeks later everything went dark again. That tells me it's not so simple as a blown fuse, and a fuse replacement. Good advice, though. Thanks. Looking forward to the learning curve!

 

[HansA]

Thanks, Warthog, for the lead to the headlight sticky. I'm assuming you mean the "CUCV Headlight Circuit" post in the CUCV forum. Found it, and I'll give it a read. Thanks again.

 

[MakersTeleMark]

Same thing happened to me. Swapped the fuse for a circuit breaker and did the relay bypass. Knock on wood, hasn't failed me yet, but left a few pair of undies pretty dirty when it did in the past. Always in a whiteout snowstorm on a mountain pass. Scary stuff.

 

[MarcusOReallyus]

I don't know if the fuse blew the second time. I only know that a friend put a new 30 fuse in, and the lights worked after that,

Was it a 30 in there before? Or was it a 20? (Off the top of my head I'm thinking that's a 20.)

If it was a 20, and your friend's idea of a cure is to replace it with a 30, you should NEVER let this friend near your electrical system again. Putting in a bigger fuse to correct electrical problems is a great way to have fried wiring, and possibly even a burned out vehicle.