Key ignition question

[bookman51]

Found some time today and installed the new fuse holder and the key ignition switch. Easier than I thought. Started up the crawler and it runs. Key ignition works. Front lights work on L and B position. When I go to the D position with the crawler on, it dies. With crawler off, the front lights works in all three position. Rear light does not work in any of the three positions. Ran out of time and will do some trouble shooting tomorrow. I had the rear light working at one time. It is a sealed beam. So I will take it apart tomorrow and test it. I think there must be a loose connection or a bad ground. When I run a test light from the negative side of the battery to the screw on the back of the bulb holder, the test light lights up, so I assume a ground, but the light does not light up. So I will see if there is an internal lose connection....tomorrow.

[Stan Disbrow]

Hi,

The ILBD switch has a long contact strip, or track, internally for Ignition. This is probably all crudded up at the far end, where the Dim position is. That would be why it quits running at the far end. The Bright contact is probably cruddy as well, and probably the Dim as well. So, that might be why the rear light cuts in and out. Or, as you note, ground troubles thru the fender.

Stan

[bookman51]

Stan, I will look but if I recall, the light switch does not look like it is meant to be taken apart, at least not easily. Can it be taken apart and cleaned?

Thanks

Larry

[Lavoy]

I took one apart ONCE, it sucked. No, they are not meant to be taken apart, but if you can get the little tabs bent back without breaking, you might be able to do it. However, when I got the one I did take apart, it was junk inside any way. So now the way I take them apart is throw them in the garbage and install a new one.
Lavoy

[bookman51]

Lavoy, Thanks, Larry

[bookman51]

It could be a faulty switch. I switched the rear light to work of the same terminal as the headlights. Now everything works, and I do get brights and dims, and the crawler does not die on the last setting (dim). I do not have the red light anyway with the sealed beam in the rear light. What I do not get is headlights without the tail light being on. I can live with that. My guess is that uncle (who inherited the crawler from his father (my grandfather, who purchased it new) used it for years with no lights. Thanks everyone. Next task is to put the hood back on and test the next fasteners I got from Lavoy.