Hi beams, saw thread once, need advice.

[Texsardo]

I just replaced my almost non existent old sealed beams with new all in one wiring harness with 2 relays, connections, H4 bulbs, etc. Power from alternator. All grounded and works soooo much better than old system. But of course, Hi beams still don't work. Pulling back handle in either hi or low beam flashes brights, just won't work for hi beam w/handle down. No blue light on dash either, of course I have never seen the blue light working.Now, I saw a thread somewhere once on this same topic. Think advice was either column switch was bad or fuses bad or bulb in dash needs to work etc, etc.
Anybody with this problem find the culprit?
Texsardo in

[aj81spider]

It sounds like a bad high/low beam switch. The fact that the high beams work when you flash them means the wiring and fuses are good. The wiring and fuses are the same for flashing and steady on. The only difference is the switch. The blue light should come on when you flash them (try holding the flash on and see if it does). If it doesn't then the bulb may be bad or that wire may be disconnected or broken. The blue light is driven from the other terminal of the fuse that drives the high beam on the left side in a 1979-80 (not sure what year you have).

[baltobernie]

... But of course, Hi beams still don't work...

1.) What year is your car?
2.) Before you installed the relays, etc. the high beams would not come on with the hi/lo lever down and the headlight switch On?

[Texsardo]

Baltimore's, it is a late '78 1/2 has '79 door handles and rear end I believe.
Correct. . Hi beam did not work before. But flashing using Hi/Low beam handle pulled in did not work either.
Now it flashes the hi beam when pulled. And the lights compared to now is like comparing the sun to the moon.
So you think it might be column switch?
Texsardo

[Texsardo]

Also tried holding the lever forward and sure enough, the little blue dash light comes on. Barely visible. Probably it needs cleaning and new bulb. I'm just hesitant to pull dash to get at but will need to sooner than later because all the dash wood needs replacing. Thanks for the tip.
Texsardo

[baltobernie]

Yeah, that blue indicator is only marginally better than the green "lights on" one. I think both lenses get ruined by UV.

I need to do a little more digging; I seem to recall that there were two Hi leads on the column switch, one for Flash, the other for On. Gimme a couple of days, unless somebody else can figure this out. AJ is probably correct with the column switch failure.

[aj81spider]

I checked the wiring diagrams for both the 78 and 79 and there is only one high beam lead on the diagram (blue in both cases) coming off the switch. According to the diagram the switch has two different internal mechanical assemblies that connect to the same output terminal.

Given that your blue light is on when you flash, I'd put a lot of money on you having a bad switch.

[baltobernie]

+1

[Texsardo]

OK, looks like I will be looking for a column switch, the whole piece with levers and all.
Texsardo