Headlights don't move

Is there a way to tell which relay is which? I'm going by the diagram on the relay over, no E#s that I see, far left is one motor, next is the other, 3rd is the relay for "parking lights" and control but, E2?
 
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Yep it is.
Removing the first two "motor relays" does nothing. Pulling the other one (E2?) stops everything. I probably have the wires reversed sending the motors 12v but not "enabling" the system to sense and stop.
 
If the two connectors are reversed, I would expect the pods to continuously cycle up and down when the lights are on. Just like you are seeing.

My old wiring diagram (should be applicable to your '81) shows for both pods:

GRY/YLW from car connects to GRY from motor.
GRY/BLK from car connects to BLK from motor.
GRN from car connects to GRN from motor.
GRN/WHT from car connects to GRN/BLK from motor.

My '85 has the same wire colors (the GRY from the motor is hard to see in the photo), at least in the right pod:

DSC09739.JPG


I would reconnect all the connectors according to the color code, then remove both the "motor" relays in the fuse box. Then measure voltage at each of the "motor" relay sockets between terminal 87 and ground. There should be battery voltage at all times, regardless of ignition switch and light switch.

Then measure continuity between ground and terminal 86 of each of the two "motor" relays. There should be continuity.

Then measure continuity between ground and terminal 87a of each of the two "motor" relays. There should be continuity.

Report your findings.
 
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Wires hooked back up correctly.
All tests on relays as for voltage and continuity is as should be.:worship: I'm back were I started but learning. Diodes did check out alright.
 
Good, the relay coils are grounded, and the motor fuses are good.

Next test: Put a jumper between terminals 30 and terminal 87 in one or both of the "motor" relay sockets. See if motors run (they should). If not, measure voltage between ground and the green wire (from car) in each of the headlight pods.
 
With relays jumped I do NOT get voltage at motors. (actually I see 0.04 or so). Short or break in harness as it heads up front?
I do sense weirdness in fuse area where there are three wire nuts tying:
a green to black
another green to black
and a green to a blue with a black stripe
That looks like a PO hack of some sort.
 
Getting interesting

The greens being tied to funny places is interesting. I'd dig into this a bit more. Best to disconnect the battery negative before proceeding.

Label all the wires that are tied with wire nuts so that you can reconnect them if needed. Then remove the wire nuts. Isolate the black wires and the blue/black wire ends with electrical tape to avoid shorts. Then for each of the three green wires, ohm out if it is connects to either terminal 30 of either motor relay socket or to the green wire in either headlight pod. Label accordingly and report back.
 
WOW... I'm exhausted and frustrated...

... just reading this.

Its bad enough having a problem, and then it gets STUPID with hacked up wiring and wirenuts!

My continual winking on ONE pod turned out to be a poor ground connection. I would suspect that the wiring hodge-podge may be the issue on yours.

I do believe your diodes are OK but if you can, retest to assure since you've done all this other stuff. One/Some may have been damaged.

Keep up the good work and keep that 9 year old laughing!

HA!
 
If I had to guess now, I'd say some PO hacked the source voltage as it comes out of the relays that would supply headlight motors. Why? Who knows? I'll undo the connections, run continuity as suggested and try to find out why he would do that. With any luck I will be able to deconstruct his "work" and be back to good.
Maybe it was a failed attempt to bypass some other problem, like bad grounds, that I've since corrected (I pulled the blossoms and wire wheeled them and tightened up all the spades, diaelectric grease too)
 
There was a 4th "tie-together" hiding (no nut, just bare). Another Green to-black
These tied into two double strands (black and blue) which were wound around the main cluster and duct taped to it. They disappear into the dash area behind light controls/defroster and such.
I verified continuity between greens and head light motors and relays.
That is to say, someone hacked the greens as they came out of the relays and spliced in this blue/black. Maybe they did a relay mod or something? I see no errant relays unless they are hidden. I will see where the mystery blue/black twins go, tempted to hook up the greens and see what happens but not now, off to track meet.
 
That is to say, someone hacked the greens as they came out of the relays and spliced in this blue/black. Maybe they did a relay mod or something?
Click to expand...
Perhaps the PO had some kind of disable switch in the center console?
tempted to hook up the greens and see what happens
Click to expand...
Yeah, I'd re-acquaint the greens and see if it works. Just to be sure, the left and right greens need to be separate, and you need to make sure the green wire from the left pod gets hooked up to the relay for the left pod etc. If you cross them you won't cause permanent damage, but the pods will likely entertain your 9 yo.

Then I'd chase the BLK and BLU/BLK wires and find yout what is at the other end.
 
Maybe he did it so he can run parking lights without the headlights up?

Those switches are weird it seems. I get (from left to right) two generic ones on the left and then the reostat wheel and then defroster switch and then hazard, not like my owner's manual. I think should investigate this, not a bad mod if that's what it is. All this time I just had to hit that switch maybe? Hmmmmm
Maybe one generic for each side?
 
Check for another switch..

**EDIT sorry you posted right before I did...

Is there a switch on the console that you don't know what it is for? I rewired mine so they only come up when the headlight switch is moved to the head light detent. i.e. first click = parking lights only

so you may very well have a by-pass switch wired in.
 
Yep, that's what's going on. That's too funny. :dead:All this time all I had to do was throw a switch. I love it. I reconnected the wires. Key on, lights on, then hit the switch, they move, not together and not like they should, but they move. Now, do I want to re connect and see how the mod works or un mod....hmmm.
Note to self: play with all switches on new toys before getting to deep in a "fix".
:sigh:
 
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Yep, I need to synch them better but: if either of those switches is off; neither lights move, if either is on, they both operate normally. So okay, wow. I played with those switches and wondered why, figured they were dummies. Never tried with the lights on though, sure seems like an obvious thing to try.....in hindsight!
Is there a "best" method to synch them or what? I just took the linkage off and reattached until it's "almost" perfect.

Wow, what a noob eh? Still, how would one know this unless you systematically dig, eh? PO didn't have a clue I'm sure, or he forgot to mention it. Thanks everyone and ng_randolph, I appreciate your time!
Got them synched and they work perfectly.
Mission accomplished, the HARD WAY!!

Thanks AGAIN!
 
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