new barn find 84 Berlinetta, only issue is head lights. when turned on all 4 go on, when high beams are on driver side is bright, passenger side is barely on.
Also they do not turn off with switch. Is it ground issue, relay or switch?

 

The dim side sounds like a bad ground.

 

digital dash?

 

Yes it is a digital dash, have found some of the buttons are intermittent, have to keep hitting them.

 

Thanks, that is what I'm checking; other issues on the push buttons is because it sat so long. I'm trying contact spray first.

 

the lighting in the digital berlinetta is controlled by a light module that is mounted piggyback onto the ECM. failure there can cause weird and/or intermittent issues. member johninri may be able to provide some help.

mine failed years ago when it would randomly trigger the hazard flashers. swapped a different control module in.

you can also disassemble the pods and clean the contacts behind the face. mine took more effort than a spray of contact cleaner. I used some fine sandpaper cut into a thin strip that I could slide between the contacts. re-building it proper with a solder iron would probably be a better solution. you'll see what I mean when you open one up.

 

Thanks good info, when winter comes that will be my project.

 

See my signature for a helpful mental technique in cases like this.

THIMK: Anything that controls the low/high function, digital dash, analog dash, foot switch, column switch, .... controls BOTH sides at the same time, and does THE SAME THING to both sides. If the 2 sides are acting different, it CANNOT be anything to do with the dim/bright function control. HAS TO BE something that can only affect one side.

 

Pull the headlight harness plugs from the back of all the 'barn find' Berlinetta headlights. Use a wire brush to scratch all the headlight terminals really clean. I'd also use a small flat-head & screwdriver and/or wire brush to try and scrape the terminals in each of the Headlight Plugs too. You could use some die-electric grease - or just plug everything back together now that it's all real clean again.

Next,.... Use the metal brush to clean off the Headlight harness ground wires; should be one on each side of the upper Radiator support. ( Un-screwing then and re-torquing the grounds is always best IMO.)


Try the headlights ?? How are they now ??


If they are the same then I'd swap lights from side to side and re-test. Might be as simple as a dead / dying headlight.


If still not right after these 5-minute quick/easy checks,.... then I'd start looking for my voltmeter.

 

Thanks John, previous owner said you helped him out with dashboard issue.
What do you have for exhaust system on your 84?

 

Funny thing,.....

The night after I wrote a post into this thread I took my Berlinetta out of the garage to melt some rubber on the local back-roads; On my blast thru western RI farm-country I lost a headlight,... then it came on,... then it was off and stayed off. When I got home I opened the hood, giggled the connector a bit and my light started workin' again ! ( hope your fix was as easy ! )

My exhaust is the using the best combination ever right now ( based on the parts THAT I'VE USED before ! ); got Dyno Don Headers / Y-pipe, a Random Tech cat, and a Magnaflow cat-back. Sounds great low end but sounds even better once the RPM's start to climb !