1st gen/88 main headlight/ dimmer switch wiring diagram?

[rangeron33s]

checked the tech articles and couldnt find anything for the 1st gen. on the dimmer switch/ headlight switch plug i need to know where 2 of the wires go. (trying to find out why these 2 melted) one wire is red with a yellow stripe, and the other is light brown or tan with a white stripe any help with where these 2 wires go would be alot of help

 

[huh?]

according to the haynes manual, tan/white wire goes to fuse #4, and is "HOT AT ALL TIMES".

the red/yellow wire goes from the main light switch to the dimmer switch.

a week or two ago, my headlights became "intermittent". i ended up pulling off the steering column shroud and removing the blinker lever thingy(two torx screws on left side of column). two wiring harnesses connected to it. one of them, the topmost one, i think, had one wire that was getting hot enough to melt the plastic plug. that particular wire had a pretty dirty connector(terminal?). scraped away at the male and female components of the connection with the pocket knife for a few minutes and ended up with headlights way brighter than ever.

anywho, dirty connections = resistance = heat = possible charred wires/connectors. my inertia switch plug also was pretty much twisted out of shape due to some dirty connections.

[/blahblahblah]

 

[huh?]

just got back from picking up my daughter from my sister-out-laws and took a moment to open my steering column. the wire i referred to in my previous post is the red/yellow one.

 

[Hammermechanic]

Here ya go: http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/EDiagrams/files/Diagram_Headlights_1983to1989.JPG

 

[rangeron33s]

thank you for the help!!! will go back out tomorrow and check wich fuze that is. snowed a bit today. im a little confuzed on one thing though. dont call me stupid but which one is the freakin dimmer switch? i thought it was the one the you pull out and then twist to dim the lights. but everyone keeps calling that the main headlight switch. so is the dimmer switch the brights switch?

 

[huh?]

so is the dimmer switch the brights switch?

it is.

are the wires fried along the entire length or just at the plug?

 

[rangeron33s]

Just at the plug and the plug itself is melted a bit too Where the wires go in

 

[fyre82]

I've had the same issue.
I cleared all of the burnt plastic out form around the connection,
cleaned it then plugged it in before the rest of the plug.
Another one that will do the same is the main loom under the brake reservoir. Hot wire there will melt the plug.

Good luck
Rich

 

[rangeron33s]

i will try cleaning all the connections. im getting a new gauge cluster this weekend from the junk yard so im hoping to have all the electrical issues before that so i dont ruin this one too. but i check fuze number 4 and on the fuze diagram it says 4 is a 15 amp for the instrument cluster. i checked in the spot that is supposed to be 4 and it is one of the metal ones but it is the one with the black button on it. am i looking at the wrong one? there is a 15 underneith of it. on the metal one it says bat above one tab and aux above the other one. thanks for all the help again. every one of these posts is getting me closer and closer to being done with all this electrical crap!!!

 

[CAD]

After you get everything cleaned up and working right apply a coating of dialectric grease (you can get it at any auto parts house) this will keep any future corrosion down. Went through on my 88 ranger and applied to all connectors that I could get to, as it sat unloved for 15+ years.