| JakeArtie1994 | -- 04-30-2019 @ 8:18 AM |
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Hi, it is a pleasure to be apart of this club. I have a question, I just bought a 1937 ford four door sedan at the rod run in pigeon forge Tennessee last week. the headlights worked when I bought it. I brought it home to Michigan on a uhaul trailer and when I got home the lights don't work. I hope I can get some help on where to start looking. maybe something jarred loose on the 600 mile trailer ride home. any help will be appreciated. Thank you in advance. This message was edited by JakeArtie1994 on 4-30-19 @ 7:14 PM
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| nelsb01 | -- 04-30-2019 @ 12:49 PM |
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First question: None of the lights work? You mention the jarring drive home -- I was just in Michigan, and you are correct. I would first check to make sure that the battery connections are tight. I suppose you started the car and drove it off the trailer, you may already know that answer. The wiring bail is the next spot to check and see if it is still attached to the end of the steering sector. After that, it would be time to individually check each bulb. Jarring can break light bulb filaments. And, then each wiring connection, although I doubt that all the connections would be loose.
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| JakeArtie1994 | -- 04-30-2019 @ 2:49 PM |
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Yes I drove it off the trailer and the only lights that are working are the fog lights
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| MG | -- 04-30-2019 @ 2:56 PM |
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Check the fuse under the dash....
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| JakeArtie1994 | -- 04-30-2019 @ 3:04 PM |
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Thank you both very much for your input I will check those tomorrow
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| JakeArtie1994 | -- 05-01-2019 @ 1:18 PM |
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Well I tried both of those, the fuse was good and where plugs in at the end of the steering column was a little loose the One Snap wasn't in place but I snapped it back in place, and still no headlights. The only lights working are the fog lamps. No tail lights no brake lights no headlights This message was edited by JakeArtie1994 on 5-1-19 @ 1:19 PM
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| JakeArtie1994 | -- 05-01-2019 @ 1:22 PM |
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There was some oil around the housing that plugs in at the end of the steering column
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| MG | -- 05-01-2019 @ 2:14 PM |
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Did you test the fuse with an ohmmeter? Also, you can short across the fuse with a piece of wire to see if the lights return....
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| JakeArtie1994 | -- 05-01-2019 @ 3:04 PM |
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Thank you MG, i will try that
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| JakeArtie1994 | -- 05-01-2019 @ 5:50 PM |
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MG, thank you so much. I just looked at the fuse before and it looked good and took it for granted it was good I took it out it still looked good but I put a new one in all my lights work.
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| MG | -- 05-01-2019 @ 8:31 PM |
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Glad to help. Did you replace the fuse with the correct amperage rating? I think it's a 20 Amp fuse for your car....
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| 51woodie | -- 05-02-2019 @ 5:20 AM |
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Jake Nice car, and the one behind it too. After I bought my '46 Super Deluxe Coupe last year, I went and collected as many related manuals and parts books that I thought would help in restoring, repairing and maintaining my car. The most helpful tool I had when it came to sorting out the electrical, gauges not working and dim lights, was my multimeter. It can check volts, ohms, amps and a few other things. I quickly learned, that the old Mk-1 eyeball, can't tell how good a ground or electrical connection is, or whether a fuse has failed. Have fun and enjoy you new ride.
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| JakeArtie1994 | -- 05-02-2019 @ 7:57 AM |
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MG, yes i did, and it is a 20 amp. Again thankyou.
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| JakeArtie1994 | -- 05-02-2019 @ 8:02 AM |
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51woodie, thank you very much. Yes that was a real lesson for me. I looked at the fuse and thought it was good. And then when mg told me to check the fuse, I just took it out and put a new one in, and bingo all my lights work. I fell in love with this 37 when I saw it. I also have a 1918 Model T, but those are so simple it's amazing, and I have that's 64 Thunderbird you see in the background, and I'm also looking for a nice Model A.
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| TomO | -- 05-02-2019 @ 8:15 AM |
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Your 37 is a very nice looking car, it looks like it was well cared for. You should do a visual check for frayed wires in the headlight circuit. There has to be a reason for the fuse to blow. Tom
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| JakeArtie1994 | -- 05-02-2019 @ 8:37 AM |
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Thank you Tom I did look everything over pretty well and laid under the car looked at all the wiring and it all looked good. When I loaded the car in Tennessee the lights worked and I didn't have them on for 600 mile trailer ride home and when I started it up to drive it off the trailer it was night here at home and I had no lights so I'm thinking the jarring of the trip may have ruined that fuse, because it was just a little thin line fuse. But I don't think it's a frayed wire or anything because they worked when I loaded the car 600-mile ride later I started the car and they didn't work so I don't think the fuse blew while the lights were on. Thank you for the compliment on the car, it's only got fifteen thousand seven hundred miles on it and old couple in Virginia owned it, and it is clean underneath is it is up above it is a very nice car oh, that's what made me fall in love with it. The radio doesn't work and the clock doesn't work but I will address that later. Before I bought it I had a guy looking over that knows a lot about old cars because I didn't think that mileage could be true, and he said yes he believes it to be true and the car has all the earmarks of sitting in a garage all its life oh, it's got a paint chip hear a paint chip there from things being dropped on it or hit against it. He said he would believe that the odometer is correct. The odometer does work and the speedometer works gas gauge works at meter works everything in the car works very well. And it literally drives like a dream.
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| JakeArtie1994 | -- 05-17-2019 @ 2:35 PM |
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Well I just want to drive the 37 today and again no headlights or tail lights,. Why does the fuse blow when I'm not even using the car the last time I started the car the headlights worked. No I want to drive it today and no lights again
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| 4dFordSC | -- 05-17-2019 @ 3:33 PM |
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Might be the brake lights. Replace the fuse and check that the headlights work again. Then step on the brake pedal and see if they still work. If not, the problem is somewhere in the brake light circuit. Just a thought.
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| 40 Coupe | -- 05-18-2019 @ 7:11 AM |
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what size is the bad fuse? I believe it should be 20.A if too small that could be the problem, if the proper size there may be additional electrical problem.
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| trjford8 | -- 05-18-2019 @ 7:21 AM |
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All the lighting terminates in the switch at the bottom of the steering column. There's a short somewhere in that switch. Could be a loose wire, bare wire, etc. It's most likely in the stop light circuit and that is what is blowing the fuse. If it's in the brake light circuit be sure to check the brake light switch. It could be bad. This message was edited by trjford8 on 5-18-19 @ 7:25 AM
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| TomO | -- 05-18-2019 @ 8:01 AM |
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Replace the fuse and check that the stop lights work several times. If the stop lights work, the problem may be that the fuse blows when you turn on the headlights. This could be a short inside the switch or a bare wire. Examine the wires going to the headlights, paying special attention to areas that have clamps and where it passes sharp edges. Do the same for the tail lights. If you do not find any spots where the insulation has rubbed off, you will have to remove the lights switch at the bottom of the steering column and inspect it. Make sure that the pillar lights do not cause the fuse to blow. The wire for them come directly from the fuse to the switch. If the insulation on it is bad, it could blow the fuse when the wire is vibrated enough to touch a ground. You can eliminate this by disconnecting the blue wire with a red tracer (the thinnest wire of the 2 on the fused side of the fuse). If the fuse stops blowing you will have to fish a new wire to the pillar light switch. Tom
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| ken ct. | -- 05-18-2019 @ 8:06 AM |
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YES checking the fuse would be my first order of business as the fuse carries all the lites. Right on MG. ken ct
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| MG | -- 05-18-2019 @ 8:53 AM |
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Are the connections at the fuse block tight?....
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| JakeArtie1994 | -- 05-20-2019 @ 4:28 AM |
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well guys, its the fuse block I think. I replaced the fuse and the lights work again. checked the fuse I took out and it was good. an hour later I turned the lights on and no lights, so I reached to the fuse block and just twisted the fuse and wiggled the block and the lights would come on. so MG I think your right, things are not tight at the block. I will try to see how to tighten things up. its a chore to get to being a big man. I'm going to try to get a mirror in there to see everything.
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| JakeArtie1994 | -- 05-21-2019 @ 7:34 PM |
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Thank you Tom and mg and everybody for your input. You all have taught me things I need to know I know bought a 1930 Model A fordor, and it needs some work. I'm hoping to start it tomorrow.
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| MG | -- 05-21-2019 @ 11:28 PM |
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So, did you get your headlight problem fixed? If so, what did you find to resolve the problem? ....
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| JakeArtie1994 | -- 05-22-2019 @ 5:38 PM |
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Mg they're still working. But I'm sure at some point I'm going to have to tighten all the connections on that block. Maybe give everything a good cleaning with some lights and paper and tighten everything up. But they haven't quit working since the last time I pinched the fuse holder together and my grandson tried to move the block around the headlight started working and they haven't quit again but I'm sure it will so a good cleaning and tightening is going to have to take place. Thanks for asking
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| MG | -- 05-22-2019 @ 5:49 PM |
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Good for you, Jake! Enjoy you car....
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