mainbeam lights dont work

Post by **ralphh85** » 25 Oct 2006 07:10 pm

sorry to be a post whore but...

main beam dont work at all, i believe it was a relitavly sudern stop just worked one day and then stoped, its not a fuse i believe as i thnk my bro has cheaked the obvious so any ideas?

anyone else had this problem?

anyway im off for chinese now so thanks in advance

Ralph

Post by **pettaw** » 25 Oct 2006 08:51 pm

Hmm, does the stalk that turns main beam on feel floppy at all? or does it feel fairly solid. I don't know of any specific common problems with relays etc, but that stalk can come loosened from the steering column mounts fairly easily and can stop the flashers working properly.

Take the bottom cover off and see if the screws on the lower half of the plastic bracket are at all loose or whether the bracket is broken.

Post by **classicswede** » 25 Oct 2006 10:24 pm

Andy's answer is the most likely - just a couple more thoughts on this type of problem.

I have had a couple of relays go down on main beam. If the relay is faulty main beam should come on with the stalk and go off again when you release.
Relays are under the dash.

It could be a bad connnection on the lamps but again this would normaly only be one lamp affected.

Post by **ralphh85** » 28 Oct 2006 09:48 pm

erm the stalk feels fine i think, the lights do not come on at all tho.

is it easy to get the stalk off? i presume if i can then put a multi meter in the 2 connectors for main beam on resistance and see if the switch is working, and try putting wire in to the connector to see if that turns the lights on?? would tell me if its the stalk or not.

think monday or tuesday once the metro is fixed i will pull volvo appart and clean the dash connector while im at it!

Ralph

Post by **Vart** » 30 Oct 2006 01:58 am

I've had something similar to this, follow the speedo cable along, my 340 earthed thru this for main beam. check the connection on the brown wire to the speedo ground. maybe i'm dumb to recommend it but mine died suddenly and checking this sorted it.

cheers

Post by **Chris_C** » 30 Oct 2006 11:54 am

Nah, good call Vart, I've seen 300's earthing different circuits through the choke cable before...

Ralph, definately right with the multimeter test, lets us know the results

Post by **ralphh85** » 31 Oct 2006 02:47 pm

well, 4 wires coming off the stick, i pulled them off 1 by 1 and 2 of them stoped one of the indicators working another one stoped both indicators working, the other didnt do anything!

grounded this wire and it turned the mainbeam on and off!!!

this left either the sweitch to be nakerd and not passing the earth through, r the earth was not on the switch. went scrappy got switch for £2 and noticed there was an earth on one of the switch bolts, mine didnt have this.

got home and switch was fine but the earth was not on the switch so problem solved

one step closer to an as new volvo lol.

Ralph

Post by **SteveP** » 31 Oct 2006 03:09 pm

Nice work, rather satisfying getting things working properly isn't it? Trouble is, it's a slippery slope...

Post by **Chris_C** » 31 Oct 2006 06:52 pm

What do you mean it's a slippery slope... as long as you fix everything in 5 years, the stuff you've fixed won't break again for a while!!!

Nice one Ralph, glad to see you got it sorted.