84 Ranger headlight issue

[AdamEvans69]

Ok. I was driving my truck the other night. whenever I turned on the hi-beams, they would work good. For about 2 minutes or so. And then they would cut on and off at random. When it does this, the dash lights stay on, and the running lights stay on. JUST the headlights shut off. Well, the other day, I picked up some new housings, and some halogen conversion bulbs. 50 watt I believe. I know they pull a little more power than the stock bulbs. Now when I'm going down the road, my dim lights do the same thing my brights were doing. If it helps, when I did the new bulbs, the passenger side harness clip was a bit loose on the plug-in for the new light. I need to be able to drive my truck at night. HELP.

 

[chicagodude]

I suggest first you drive it till it starts acting up and then mess with that "harness clip". With the lights on, wiggle around the suspect connection while you monitor the headlights and see if it causes the problem. If that's not the problem, I'd check the headlight switch first and then all connections to the lights. There's a bad connection somewhere and you will have to trace it down. If it turns out to be a tough diagnosis, you may need to get a service manual that has the electrical schematics.

And always exercise caution when working on electrical systems. Electrical/electronics are extremely unforgiving for careless mistakes.

The following link to ebay auction looks like the electrical manuals for your Ranger:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1984-Ford-B...135?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35c5a357ff

 

[kimcrwbr1]

Check out the light switch connector and wires and see if they are getting hot. You may need to pull the cowl around the steering column and inspect the turn signal dimmer switch and see if it is getting hot also. Trace all the wire connectors under the hood and take them apart and clean with electrical cleaner then use some dielectric grease to put them back together. Not only is it nice to see at night the cops frown on you driving without headlights. Also feel the fuse block if it is getting hot high resistence equals heat!

 

[AdamEvans69]

Thanks y'all. I went out and checked, and the connector to the passenger side headlight is loose on the headlight. I messed with it while it was having the problems and it didn't really do anything to help/make it worse. But I feel like the clip being loose definitely can't be helping it at all. How should I go about getting the clip tighter on the bulb plug?

 

[AdamEvans69]

Okay. I finally got the ranger to do it's headlight nonsense. I jiggled the headlight switch (The one that controls the headlights and running lights) and it seemed to make it worse when I moved it around. So should I spend the money on a new headlight switch?

 

[Mark_88]

Money? Go to a junk yard and grab one if you can find a first gen Ranger. I used to have two spares but tossed them when I thought first gens would make a come back...now I can't find them anywhere.

Did you check the main connector just inside the hood on the driver side? That connector disintegrated on my truck and cause all kinds of problems with lights and stalling (complete electrical system failure). I spliced in a trailer hitch connector that looked so bad that some mechanics chucked their cookies just looking at it. So I finally patched in the one PsychoPete sent me about a year ago and all has been wonderful since.

 

[AdamEvans69]

I got the new connector, installed it. I went to the junkyard and the only 1st gen there had already bee stripped of its headlight switch. So far the new one is doing good though.

 

[JoshT]

I had that same problem on my 84 about 10 years ago, changing the switch fixed the problem on it as well. A couple years later I was looking for second vehicle so I could park and rebuild the 84. One of them was another first gen, it had the same problem and the owner installed a house light switch in the grille and bypassed the interior switch. I RAN from that one, who knows what else the @%!#$ might have done to it.

Headlight switches have always been an issue on these older vehicles, especially when trying to improve the lighting. It doesn't take much to fry a switch. On this 86 I bought a couple years ago it was actually the connector to the head light switch that burnt up because of too much current going through it. Don't know if they were working when I got the truck cause the engine bay was already in pieces, but when I tore apart the dash the connector was physically burnt. Unfortunately I don't recall taking any pictures of it. Needless to say it's getting a new connector, a relay harness, and probably a new switch. I'd rather replace it now than have to tear it back apart later.

If you want to save your head light switch, buy or make a relay harness for your headlights. It'll reduce the power going through the switch making the switch last longer. It may also make your head lights brighter, because the power doesn't meet as much resistance on the way to the lights.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

If your adding any high amp draw appliance never use the stock wiring. Allways use a relay and a fuse and wire direct to the battery
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/parts/1984-Ford-Ranger-2WD/Headlight-Switch/_/N-ik8k8Z9ciaj They have the connector also.