fenderman93

On my 86 2.8 v6 the headlights work great; but if i turn on the headlights and then switch on the brights, after about 5 mins they (both the headlights and brights)shut off and then flicker on and off. Now the indicator light in my dash (for the brights) also goes off with it. If i shut all the headlights completely off for about 5 mins and let them "cool off" the regular headlights will work great if turned back on. But if i turn on the brights, this will happen everytime. I've been told that its probably a bad high beam relay, but i also have been told that the 86 camaro didn't come with a high beam relay (which sounds like bad info to me)so.... mighty camaro gods is there a high beam relay on my 86, and if so where is it exactly located?
Thanks for any and all help!

Drew

iTrader: (58)

It's more than likely a failing headlight switch. The switch has a built in circuit breaker. When you hit the lights, more current is drawn through the switch which is tripping the breaker. There's no relay in the circuit. If there were, the current to the headlights wouldn't be drawn through the switch and you wouldn't have that problem.

fenderman93

Ok well im suprised, i thought there was a high and low beam relay contained within the wiring for the lights (along with the switch) so that definitely simplifies things. So just to be clear your talking about the headlights switch in the steering column, correct (not the on/ off light switch **** thing to the left of the steering wheel)? Can you realistically change that out or...i know it gets tricky after you get so far into the steering column?

Drew

iTrader: (58)

No, I'm talking about the headlight switch in the dash, not the hi/lo beam switch.

There's no relay for the headlights. Fog lights yes, headlights no. It's all laid out very clearly in the wiring diagrams. Fusible link provides power to the headlight switch, from the headlight switch to the hi/lo switch, from the hi/lo switch to the high beam indicator in the dash, and the high beam filaments in the headlights, from the headlights to ground.

fenderman93

Alright, well that wont be so hard to replace! Thanks for the help and really detailed answers.

Filthybottles

I get the opposite. I pull the headlight switch and they don't come on. I will work high beam switch back and forth and if i'm lucky the lights will come on low beam. If i'm not lucky, i have to keep working the high beam switch till it's the just the low beam and not high beams. I've changed the headlight switch and the switch in the steering column. just super frustrating.

henryd3

iTrader: (128)

Your headlights don't come on at all? Or you can't switch between high and low beams? Switching is actually done by the switch further down the column and actuated by a long rod that runs down there. You can get down under the dash and push in and out with the rod into the switch to switch back and forth. If that works you just need to loosen the two screws that hold the switch in place and slide it up toward you until the slack is gone . tighten and then try it out.

Filthybottles

They come on sometimes but other times I have to pull the highbeam switch and work that until the low beams come on. It's weird. I'll have to look into what you described in about 3 months when it comes out of storage for the winter!

fenderman93

fenderman93

Sorry for the late response this fixed my problem, its the headlight switch to the left of the steering wheel. You were 100% right

so FYI for other peeps reading this, you have to use a long screwdriver to push the tab in at the bottom of the switch to completely remove the headlight pull out ****. then unscrew the plastic headlight **** guide from the switch using needle nosed pliers and the switch will come right out

Drew

iTrader: (58)