Main Beam troubles

[craigie76]

Hi,

Recently bought a 68 bus converted to a camper with rock & roll bed by the previous owner. It's a left hand drive and has a few niggles. Main problem at the minute is that the main beam does not work. The blue dash light comes on when I flash but nothing else. Fitted some spots/driving lamps and when attached to the white main beam wire nothing. Attach them to the yellow head light wire and they work but as this is not really allowed I need to get the main beam working. As you can guess I am new to VW's(well my mum had an 86 polo years ago) so looking for a few pointers. My current thinking is that there is no power getting to the main beam and/or no switch. Am I right in thinking that the stalk only controls the flash and does not turn on the main beam permenantly? The switch that control the head lights has 3 settings - off/side lights/head lights. When side lights are on the fuel gauge reads full possibly indicating a short circuit somewhere. When head lights are on the fuel gauge reads normally. Seems I have a switch missing to control main beam and a wiring fault. Behind the dash is a birds nest and if I had the money would proberly buy a new wiring loom and fuse box but until then I need to fix the main beam as MOT is due in a couple of weeks.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers.

 

[Araon]

is it an import or uk bus....

 

[craigie76]

Swedish Import, imported 5 years ago I think. Lights changed to UK spec, lenses anyway to pass previous MOT.

 

[wilgartw]

are you getting full beam when you flash when you have no lights on?

get your multimeter out, and test either side of the fuses with high/main beam on.

in order of checking.

if you are not getting power to the bottom of the fuses pull out the fuse box. if not to the top clean/replace the fuses. if you are getting power to the top of your fuses move to the bulbs and test.

test to see if you are getting power out of the relay when you expect it. like you said just test the power in, and power out on the red and yellow wires.
the thin wire that goes to the stalk, should get an earth when flashed (use continuity to voltage test at this point)

take the cover off the relay, and clean everything up.

replace the relay.

 

[craigie76]

No full beam, only dashboard light works when using stalk to flash. I'll invest in a volt meter or try borrow one and check wires. Clean points etc. Just to clarify where is the main beam switch supposed to be located? They did not have foot buttons similar Land Rovers did they?

Cheers

 

[wilgartw]

in answer to oneofyour questions.

the stalk controls flash and highbeam.

when you have no lights or side lights on. the stalk will flash your high beam.

when you have main beam on, your stalk will toggle between main beam and high beam.

where are you based?

 

[craigie76]

Near Tadcaster, North Yorkshire. Going to try lights now, I may be just being stupid...

 

[craigie76]

OK with main beam on and using stalk by pulling towards the steering wheel as in flashing high beam activates dash board light but the high beam does not come on.

Thanks for your advice so far but what do you suggest is up apart from checking power to lights?

 

[wilgartw]

if the blue light comes on then you are getting power to the relay, and the stalk works.

my bet is the relay either needs a clean up or replacing. but don't discount corroded fuses, or loose wire.

 

[wilgartw]

i was in north yorks on monday. i could've given you a hand.

does the high beam flash with no, lights on?

you really need to get a multimeter, or at least one of those screwdrivers with a light in it.

 

[wilgartw]

what year is your van? edit - just read it's a 68...

 

[craigie76]

The high beam does not work with the lights on or off. I have an electrical screwdriver so I'll check the connections at the fuse box and have a look at the relay connectors.

Thanks for your tips.

 

[wilgartw]

if you connect fuse number 3 to fuse number 4 for a quick second, the high beams should come on as well as main beam. if they do you've ticked the box for wiring after the fuse box, and bulbs.

The high beam does not work with the lights on or off.

i am still going with a relay issue.

when you have full beam on, and you pull the stalk does anything happen? does main beam go out?

 

[Araon]

your Hi beam indicator shares the fuse so if this lights on a flash and your high beams dont flash you have a fault after the fuse i.e wiring to bowls or filament problem, the fact that you cant select a permanent Hi beam would indicate that theres an issue with the relay not latching too.


that said I'm not sure what changes there are around europe I know austria had its own headlamp relay and Italy had a couple of differences.....

 

[craigie76]

I've had a closer look at the fuse box and traced the wire from fuse 4 and it seems to power the indicators. After checking the haynes wiring diagram it looks like this could be the problem. Fuse 3 is high beam (white wire) fuse 5 is main beam (yellow wire) fuse 4 is black/white wire leading to front indicators.

I think previous owner may of wired the lights up to the wrong fuses. If the high beam and indicators are wired up to fuse 3 and 4 respectively (which are linked on the fuse box) then circuit to high beam is incomplete? Or do i have it all wrong?

Cheers for you patience

 

[wilgartw]

if it has been working previously then don't start changing it.

it should have 2 fuses though, or else when a fuse blows you lose both lights.

do the high beams work if you short between 3 and 5?

 

[Araon]

I thought it was fuse 3/4 high beam L (Y)/R(Y Bk) 5/6 main L (W)/R(W Bk) and fuse 3 hi beam indicator lamp.

therefore Hi L should at least be working on a flash since the indication illuminates on the dash.

 

[craigie76]

High beams have never worked since I have had the bus. Looking at the wires ignore my earlier thoughts on the indicator.

The wires are as Araon said except 4 was (W Bk) and 6 was (Y Bk). I tested both wires by shorting to fuse 2 and found (W Bk) to be main beam Right and (Y Bk) to be high beam Right. Just as it should be.

So by shorting 3 to 5 and 4 to 2 I can get both Hign beams working proving bulbs and wires out of fuse box are OK.

I think time to check relay as mentioned earlier.

 

[Araon]

Yeah sorry thats what I meant :? can you suffer pigment dyslexia :roll: but surely w / Bk is Hi beam

 

[craigie76]

I thought it was fuse 3/4 high beam L (Y)/R(Y Bk) 5/6 main L (W)/R(W Bk) and fuse 3 hi beam indicator lamp.

therefore Hi L should at least be working on a flash since the indication illuminates on the dash.

My fuse box looks like this now.