Headlight Heartache!! An Easy Fix!!

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  • Опубліковано 4 січ 2025

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  • @TimothyArnott-m7z
    @TimothyArnott-m7z Місяць тому

    Hey Kiwi,
    Tim here, yea, I knew it was a bad and from the beginning, but I been doin this for MANY years, but it was nicely demonstrated to the NON- auto person, and PROVED yer point.......nicely done sir!!....PEACE to u brother!!

  • @donaldhalls2189
    @donaldhalls2189 Місяць тому

    Bad earths can contribute to all sorts of problems in new car's, thanks for sharing, all the best to you and your loved ones

  • @glennnickerson8438
    @glennnickerson8438 Місяць тому +10

    Can always use an easy fix Kiwi--life is hard!😆

  • @marktompkins8519
    @marktompkins8519 Місяць тому

    Thank you so much for that video! I recently completed a frame off restoration of a Jeep TJ, and had a number of electrical gremlins. The radio would cut out when the brakes or signal lights were applied, and the dash gauges would stop working and flash a 'No Bus' code on the odometer when I turned the headlights on. Of course I didn't reattach the ground straps, most of them were corroded anyway. So I attached a new one from the engine block to the firewall, and the problem is solved! Thanks again!!

  • @martininfante5230
    @martininfante5230 Місяць тому +3

    Excellent fix Kiwi. I worked in my father's Ford dealership shop, and then as an electrician building air force refuel trucks for many years. You are spot-on with the grounding issues. For you older Ford guys, Ford had a nasty habit of powering the headlights directly through the headlight switch. With age, or with aftermarket lighting this would overheat the switch. Nothing like the headlights going dark on a back road at night! Seemed like an eternity till the circuit breaker in the switch would reset! Install a relay up front using battery power for the lights and the headlight switch just supplying the signal to close the relay. Good video again, Kiwi!

    • @kiwiclassicsandcustoms9160
      @kiwiclassicsandcustoms9160  Місяць тому +1

      Thanks man, relays are a very good idea particularly with upgraded lights. 😁😎👍

  • @qcan8468
    @qcan8468 Місяць тому

    Up here in the Northeast rust belt, those braided ground straps are famous for slowly corroding away to nothing. At times they still look OK but fall apart as soon as you touch them. Great demonstration of voltage drop.

  • @ipaddlemyowncanoe.7441
    @ipaddlemyowncanoe.7441 Місяць тому +5

    You're right. A lot of the problems are with the ground. Mopars were bad for that. People don't realize that you don't have a ground. Nothing works very well. Very good video. Lot of people will learn from this one. 👍👍🙂🇨🇦

    • @kiwiclassicsandcustoms9160
      @kiwiclassicsandcustoms9160  Місяць тому

      I hope so!! I know I wasted a lot of time before I figured out just how prolific ground problems are .....

    • @SpeedyG289
      @SpeedyG289 Місяць тому +1

      Thanks for the lesson professor. And the elegant solution. Cheers.

    • @kiwiclassicsandcustoms9160
      @kiwiclassicsandcustoms9160  Місяць тому

      @@SpeedyG289 cheers mate!!

  • @chuckthebull
    @chuckthebull Місяць тому +5

    Great instruction Kiwi... As an electronics tech i commend your clear explanation and public service making a video about it.. ..

    • @kiwiclassicsandcustoms9160
      @kiwiclassicsandcustoms9160  Місяць тому +3

      Thanks man, I'm no electronics tech but I've spent a lot time chasing my tail with electrics on these old cars😁👍

    • @chuckthebull
      @chuckthebull Місяць тому +3

      @@kiwiclassicsandcustoms9160 My sunbeam has had the Lucas disease before so i'm an unwitting expert ...HA...

  • @chrisfreemesser
    @chrisfreemesser Місяць тому +4

    This is why I find old cars so appealing...electrical circuits are simple and straightforward, making troubleshooting/repairs easy. Headlights on a modern car involve CANBUS, multiple electronic modules, computerized fuse/relay boxes, clocksprings, etc.

    • @MrTheHillfolk
      @MrTheHillfolk Місяць тому

      Found out a while ago from a tech buddy that cars now can have multiple can-bus running at different speeds.
      So glad I went off into the generator field in the mid 2000s.
      I hear about the awful stuff in new cars from friends in the field.
      As far as cars ,I'm good at troubleshooting till around the late 2000s, although I prefer the older stuff.
      And glad I don't do side work anymore

  • @MegaDrewsdad
    @MegaDrewsdad Місяць тому

    definitely needed this... knew it but dismissed it!! thank you!!!

  • @CAROLDDISCOVER-2025
    @CAROLDDISCOVER-2025 Місяць тому +3

    Your dad taught you well. My dad always said you drive a rusty piece of crap add more ground strips. Of course this is a nice looking truck. We always shine it up made the connection with a ground strap or some kind of house wire that's all we had. I need some good old film of heavy grease on it. Also remind me of the Cutlass I bought from a friend of mine. He was a little bit of a hot head and he didn't want to hear it. So I gave him his price for the car. Bars and tools from his dad pull the valve cover off the engine that was just rebuilt. Took the ground strap out from between the top of the head and the valve cover. Put the thing back together and put the strap connect it to a exhaust manifold bolt. Friend of mine drove my truck home and I drove the car home. I tried to tell him I saw what was wrong.😊 Meet and speak to me for a little bit but he got over it. And no I didn't offer the car back to him until I took the engine out and put in something else. Thanks for demonstration of putting the straps in parrot and thought about that and sometime. And thanks for bringing back a few memories.

  • @Jim-ic2of
    @Jim-ic2of Місяць тому +3

    Well Grounded ! 😊I can see clearly now the pain is gone . Gonna be bright , bright , bright sunshiny day . Yeah😊.

  • @jefscoupe32
    @jefscoupe32 Місяць тому +1

    Well said and well demonstrated. I'd say 95% of my electrical problems have been ground issues. Especially on old cars and double on "restored" old cars.
    Newly painted surfaces don't conduct electricity very well.

  • @paintucation
    @paintucation Місяць тому +1

    Awesome fix! I know a company that made a complete harness swap that took several hours to intercept, when all I had to do was redundant grounding... Never thought to probe the plugs, but it makes perfect sense. Thanks! I'm gonna keep this in mind as i rewire the Camaro!! Another stellar video bud!

  • @jamesford2942
    @jamesford2942 Місяць тому +3

    Always check the grounds! I also use relays for high and low beam and take the headlight power directly off of the alternator. This takes the electrical load off the headlight switch and dimmer switch. This is very helpful when someone has switched from standard incandescent to halogen bulbs. The older wiring was not designed for this kind of load.

  • @2packs4sure
    @2packs4sure Місяць тому +3

    Another thing to do on those old Ford trucks is monitor the voltage at the headlight and flick the high low beam switch on and off and see if that voltage is consistent after switching.
    Those high low beam floor switches get dirty and go bad in those trucks...

    • @kiwiclassicsandcustoms9160
      @kiwiclassicsandcustoms9160  Місяць тому +2

      Mustangs too!!😎👍

    • @2packs4sure
      @2packs4sure Місяць тому +1

      @kiwiclassicsandcustoms9160 All the Fords from that era but it was worse with the trucks because those switches got dirtier and wetter....

  • @bluejacketsfan60
    @bluejacketsfan60 Місяць тому +1

    I had the same issue on my '68 F100 and cleaned the ground straps which cleared it up also but since I switched over to halogen headlights I installed a wiring harness from Octane Lighting so it wouldn't be putting a strain on the original wiring and also switched all the parking and brake lights to LED - less draw on 56 year old wiring means less of a electrical fire!👍

  • @debbiebermudez5890
    @debbiebermudez5890 Місяць тому +5

    Mr. B. Here ! 🥃🥃👀😎👍 : I have found that the grounds have high resistance ! Great fines ! 🥃🥃👀😎👍

  • @garthharris8721
    @garthharris8721 Місяць тому +2

    Thanks for sharing your knowledge, simple fix , but something that we should all be aware of.

  • @ronbelanger4113
    @ronbelanger4113 Місяць тому +2

    Excellent quick electrical course.

  • @jeffreyschweiger7960
    @jeffreyschweiger7960 Місяць тому +4

    Electronics 101, good info.

  • @CrippledEagle
    @CrippledEagle Місяць тому +1

    I had a 70s GTO come in that was grounding through the shift cable. I added several ground straps from the engine to the body. Another was a beautiful 1964 Olds that died when the exhaust dropped off one day.😂 yessir ground straps cured both.

    • @kiwiclassicsandcustoms9160
      @kiwiclassicsandcustoms9160  Місяць тому +1

      Had a rally car that melted the plastic liner on the throttle cable when it tried to use the cable as a ground when running 6 big ass spotlights 😬

  • @derekhobbs1102
    @derekhobbs1102 Місяць тому +1

    We used to get a lot of customers with dull lights on their Datsun 1600s, most of the time it was dirty fuse box, which was easily fixed because they were fully removeable.

  • @MikeInBendOregon
    @MikeInBendOregon Місяць тому +6

    Back when I was really young, if I had an electrical problem on my car or motorcycle,
    I always started checking the positive connections first, but then an old fella that did
    electrical work told me, unless it's really obvious don't mess with the positive wires.
    Start with your grounds because 98% of the time that's what the problem will be,
    and he was right, just like you said...

    • @kiwiclassicsandcustoms9160
      @kiwiclassicsandcustoms9160  Місяць тому +1

      Been there, done that!! Your old guys Kiwi cousin told me the same thing😁😎👍

    • @MikeInBendOregon
      @MikeInBendOregon Місяць тому

      @@kiwiclassicsandcustoms9160 LOL... It's hard because when we are young
      we think we know everything, but I figured out at a young age to listen to the
      old guys, because they had already been there and done it.

  • @letswrestle47toronto
    @letswrestle47toronto Місяць тому +3

    Good stuff Kiwi. I was always told you can never put enough ground straps on a car. (Especially the older ones.)

  • @kevinbrown1368
    @kevinbrown1368 Місяць тому +2

    My 64 Comet has the same problem and now I know what the check out and how to fix it! Thanks Kiwi!

  • @rev.randall2292
    @rev.randall2292 Місяць тому +2

    Thats a first checkout when electrical problems arise. I had a 67 longbox like that , should have kept it as I like the style. I have an 85 Dodge half ton that gave me issues awhile back. I finaly took the ground off batt. and cleaned it all , tied a smaller diameter wire to it and ran that to a different ground and the original where it was. The extra wire fixed the issue. Important to use a meter on things , I have seen people just blindly guess that took more time than using a gauge to pinpoint where to look. Thanks for sharing. Todays vehicles are sometimes a real nightmare to find a grounding spot.

  • @Hydrogenblonde
    @Hydrogenblonde Місяць тому +1

    I have seen so many older/ classic type vehicles with ground straps in poor condition or removed.
    At this age these cars have had multiple owners and had all sorts of people working on them.
    Many people see a dirty old damaged ground strap and just take it off and don't replace it. They think nothing happened, the car still runs, you don't need it. I've seen engines with no ground wire,still running, but inconsistent, because the engine is being earthed through something else like a makeshift exhaust hanger made from fence wire and that is all that is keeping the ignition running.
    Years ago I made electronic distributors (the small size) for smallblock Chev in the older body styles that had the firewall too close to the distributor to fit the HEI unit.
    I sold one to a turkey that installed it and immediately removed the earth wire from it thinking it didn't need one because by some miracle it would get earthed from the body.
    Needless to say it didn't work, his old car had the earth strap removed and not replaced. He felt it didn't need it.

    • @kiwiclassicsandcustoms9160
      @kiwiclassicsandcustoms9160  Місяць тому

      Yeah he was probably one of those guys that didn't believe you needed thermostats either 🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️

  • @magnetocheck
    @magnetocheck Місяць тому

    Great video. Easy fix!

  • @StevenMilne-sm4fk
    @StevenMilne-sm4fk Місяць тому

    My Galaxie has three grounds in the bay, painless kit. Fit one over the rag joint on steering box as well. She tip top😎

  • @The_R-n-I_Guy
    @The_R-n-I_Guy Місяць тому +1

    Yup, the groung always the first thing I check. And almost every time that's what it is. Even on modern vehicles. Especially those braided ground straps here in the rust belt.

  • @GenderSkins
    @GenderSkins Місяць тому +1

    Not to be disrespectful Kiwi, but usually the bed of the truck is grounded directly to the frame of the truck since the bed is bolted straight to the frame. And this is what I use to see on those trucks straight from the factory, is that they would have a ground strap from the motor to the cab and a second ground strap from the cab to the frame or the block to the frame. The old 6 volt systems I would see a ground strap to the motor, and some times see the battery grounded to the cab or frame which was always weird to me.

    • @kiwiclassicsandcustoms9160
      @kiwiclassicsandcustoms9160  Місяць тому

      Not disrespectful at all, you make a good point. I have seen some trucks with thin rubber pads between the bed and the rails and also seen them bolted straight down. The ground can still be poor though due to the amount of movement/flex between the bed and the chassis, a bit of corrosion creeps in and before you know it high resistance. For the cost and the time involved, a dedicated ground strap that allows for some flex can save you a lot of heartache. Thanks for the comment and watching😁😎👍

  • @Jstme303
    @Jstme303 Місяць тому +5

    grounds are so overlooked by so many.
    .

  • @ibraunchy20-vn5kd
    @ibraunchy20-vn5kd Місяць тому

    Kiwi , I run my grounds from motor to frame and cab to frame , bolt them to each other at frame , got all 3 places grounded in one spot with 2 straps , Keep the vids coming

  • @LongIslandMopars
    @LongIslandMopars Місяць тому +2

    I still remember station wagons from the 70s with ground straps hanging from the rear bumper and dragging along the road.....😎

    • @kiwiclassicsandcustoms9160
      @kiwiclassicsandcustoms9160  Місяць тому +1

      Wasn't that supposed to help with car/motion sickness....? Someone told me that decades ago🤷🏼‍♂️

    • @LongIslandMopars
      @LongIslandMopars Місяць тому +1

      @kiwiclassicsandcustoms9160 I never heard that. My dad always said they were ground straps. My question to dad was, "how come every car doesn't have them?". No answer....🤣

    • @kiwiclassicsandcustoms9160
      @kiwiclassicsandcustoms9160  Місяць тому +1

      @ something to do with releasing the static electricity to ground. I dunno, could have been a sales pitch, compression in a can and all that....😁😁

    • @LongIslandMopars
      @LongIslandMopars Місяць тому +1

      @kiwiclassicsandcustoms9160 that's it. Releasing static electricity. I couldn't remember. I think you got them as part of an option package that included blinker fluid and lubed-for-life muffler bearings....

    • @kiwiclassicsandcustoms9160
      @kiwiclassicsandcustoms9160  Місяць тому

      @ 😂🤣😂👍👍

  • @mexicanspec
    @mexicanspec Місяць тому

    Kiwi, I am going to have to check my cars for that. My '63 Savoy has the same problem sometimes as does my 1969 Kingswood wagon.

  • @kyleswainston3032
    @kyleswainston3032 Місяць тому

    On camera you definitely notice a difference. Nice truck too coming from a Mopar guy.

  • @butcher390
    @butcher390 Місяць тому +2

    You're right ✅ Kiwi
    Bad ground or high resistance
    on the ground circuit
    Nice thick ground strap !!
    You wouldn't happen to have a link
    To those succulent ground straps ?

  • @sonnymiller1486
    @sonnymiller1486 Місяць тому +2

    👍WOW!! A Real Mechanic. ❤ Ya, Brother.

  • @robertdinicola9225
    @robertdinicola9225 Місяць тому +1

    In the marine world we ground (bond) all underwater and above water metal parts. Engine to broze and stainless thru hulls, any towers or masts even the radios and put a big sintered bronze ground plate that has huge surface area. It keeps corrosion at bay coupled with anodes in the water

    • @kiwiclassicsandcustoms9160
      @kiwiclassicsandcustoms9160  Місяць тому +1

      Auto electrical stretches my mental abilities enough. Marine electrics is next level bud, rather you than me 😳

    • @robertdinicola9225
      @robertdinicola9225 Місяць тому

      @kiwiclassicsandcustoms9160 i love it! Been in it for over 25 years.

    • @mr.morelock
      @mr.morelock Місяць тому

      @@robertdinicola9225 Buddy bought a new boat, was told to make sure to add new zincs, the old ones wore out. Went over to have a beer, er, to help out, and he was planning to screw them onto a thick section of fiberglass in the back. Education incoming...

  • @pockets5628
    @pockets5628 Місяць тому +1

    Now put relays in to power the headlights, one for low beam and one for high beam. On the drivers side rad support, and take power for them direct from the battery or better direct from the alternator. And then you will have the same voltage at the lights as the alternator.
    1 volt drop from battery or alternator to the headlights is a lot.
    Benefit is also the interior lights, signal and tail lights will all become brighter as well!

    • @kiwiclassicsandcustoms9160
      @kiwiclassicsandcustoms9160  Місяць тому

      Your right!! I tried to talk him into some higher wattage lights that would definitely required relays but he wasn't keen. Just wanted to stop the flickering. 😁👍

  • @ytwatcher8288
    @ytwatcher8288 Місяць тому +1

    worked on the F100 headlights today also haha

  • @TAVOAu
    @TAVOAu Місяць тому +1

    The Valiant lost its one single body ground, the next least path of resistance was the temperature gauge sender. Some things worked poorly with the temp needle flicking up and down.

  • @popsmustangshop
    @popsmustangshop Місяць тому +1

    Good Info Thanks!

  • @DanEBoyd
    @DanEBoyd Місяць тому +1

    Oh man, no engine-to-cab ground?? My ten years-newer F150 came to me that way, and the only problem I noticed was that the starter would run away - where I'd have to yank a battery cable to stop it! In one of my initial look-overs, I noted that missing ground, and after I grounded the cab to the engine, the starter never ran away again! I guess the instrument lights may have gotten a little brighter, too. I cleaned a lot of contact points brightening them up - and made sure that they were 168s instead of 194s.
    A ground from the cab to the hood is said to cut down on radio interference too.

    • @kiwiclassicsandcustoms9160
      @kiwiclassicsandcustoms9160  Місяць тому +1

      Grounding the hood is as new one on me but it makes sense, thanks for the tip!😁😎👍

  • @fishgeralding9224
    @fishgeralding9224 Місяць тому +1

    I was grounded, but I got off my ass, finished fixing my house and property from the storm damage. Ungrounded myself, and scaddled my ass down to Vero beach. Lol

    • @kiwiclassicsandcustoms9160
      @kiwiclassicsandcustoms9160  Місяць тому

      Glad to hear you've come out the other side bud ! Some well deserved R&R by the sound of it 😁😎😁

  • @jdsmith556
    @jdsmith556 Місяць тому +2

    In newer vehicles grounds are extremely important. A ECM BCM PCM whatever you want to call it, is basically a controlled ground.

    • @DanEBoyd
      @DanEBoyd Місяць тому

      I remember back in the mid '90s, talking to a guy who worked for a police cruiser upfitter, and when I asked him how they got all of the different OEM vehicle lights to flash in different sequences, and he said that they were doing that from the ground side of the lighting circuits.

    • @kiwiclassicsandcustoms9160
      @kiwiclassicsandcustoms9160  Місяць тому

      Negative ( ground ) switching is modern car thing for sure. It's a great idea that I've used more than once 😁😎👍

  • @AlanSchildroth
    @AlanSchildroth Місяць тому +1

    Body grounds . . . the more the better! You have to protect your positive leads better, make sure they are away from the ground wires and wrapped. Things start to sizzle! Love the intricate vibes of making sure the grounds are working and how much resistance they are putting forth. Is it like over 4 amps you must change the wire?

  • @bcbloc02
    @bcbloc02 3 дні тому

    Good way to ruin some crankshaft bearings when it starts raking thru them coming up the driveline to complete the circuit.

  • @argylesoxx
    @argylesoxx Місяць тому +1

    Why was the voltage measured at the lamp socket with no load (lamp not installed) lower than the battery voltage? The other lamp was installed and drawing current causing the voltage drop across the residual resistances in the +12 and GND paths.

    • @kiwiclassicsandcustoms9160
      @kiwiclassicsandcustoms9160  Місяць тому +1

      You get a voltage drop with the power routing to the light switch and then back to the headlights. My test wasn't meant to be an exact science test but it did expose the fault pretty clearly.

  • @Kenjh71
    @Kenjh71 Місяць тому

    Good job! And next step is to upgrade to headlight relays.

  • @nickbruni8041
    @nickbruni8041 Місяць тому +1

    👌🏼✔️⚡️

  • @craigbenz4835
    @craigbenz4835 Місяць тому +1

    I wonder if Tony's purple people eater has any ground problems.

  • @Grandadsjunk
    @Grandadsjunk Місяць тому +1

    Very common problem

  • @jayweiss4378
    @jayweiss4378 Місяць тому

    Looking sharp with that haircut my man 😎

  • @jseal21
    @jseal21 Місяць тому

    I was always told on older cars you need two braided ground straps, one for the engine to body and a body to frame, I never thought about truck bed's needing their own. Makes sense why you do though.

  • @gulfy09
    @gulfy09 Місяць тому +2

    We don't like quick videos 😮

    • @kiwiclassicsandcustoms9160
      @kiwiclassicsandcustoms9160  Місяць тому +2

      I'm sorry mate, there just wasn't a lot to this story but I felt like it was good info for you guys. I'll do better on the next one😎👍

    • @gulfy09
      @gulfy09 Місяць тому +1

      @kiwiclassicsandcustoms9160 I was just kidding around..

    • @kiwiclassicsandcustoms9160
      @kiwiclassicsandcustoms9160  Місяць тому +2

      Oh I know bud!! I took it as a compliment!!! 😁👍