• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Headlight switch replacement

Horn’s 65

Horn’s 65

Member
Local time
9:14 AM
Joined
Jul 26, 2019
Messages
6
Reaction score
8
Location
Palmyra, VA
Morning,
I need to replace a headlight switch in my 65 Plymouth Satellite. I see that there are remakes for this unit with two different ceramic rheostat sizes,1 1/4" and 1 5/8" ceramic insulated rheostat. Many have the 8th terminal coming out the back on the bottom of the switch and a few without. I installed one with the 1 1/4" rheostat and 8th terminal but the lights in the instrumentation are dim except for the radio. My questions are this, does the rheostat determine the brightness of the dash lights and should I use only a switch with the 7 terminals? The unit i removed, which I have attached pictures of has a 1 5/8" ceramic rheostat but the part number on the bottom does not seem to exist. Up for any guidance, and thanks in advance.

IMG_0203.jpg IMG_0207.jpg IMG_0208.jpg
 
I replaced my headlight switch on my belvedere , I used a bluestreak and it kept failing to keep lights on the light were dimming and flashing on and off, so I installed a relay between the dimmer switch and head light switch , it works now. I was surprised the low quality of bluestreak
not he only one that had this issue , good luck
 
Horn’s 65 said:
The unit i removed, which I have attached pictures of has a 1 5/8" ceramic rheostat but the part number on the bottom does not seem to exist.
Click to expand...
Might do a little looking for any supersede numbers, for the old one you have. Later versions of the same switch.
 
Horn’s 65 said:
Morning,
I need to replace a headlight switch in my 65 Plymouth Satellite. I see that there are remakes for this unit with two different ceramic rheostat sizes,1 1/4" and 1 5/8" ceramic insulated rheostat. Many have the 8th terminal coming out the back on the bottom of the switch and a few without. I installed one with the 1 1/4" rheostat and 8th terminal but the lights in the instrumentation are dim except for the radio. My questions are this, does the rheostat determine the brightness of the dash lights and should I use only a switch with the 7 terminals? The unit i removed, which I have attached pictures of has a 1 5/8" ceramic rheostat but the part number on the bottom does not seem to exist. Up for any guidance, and thanks in advance.

View attachment 808019 View attachment 808020 View attachment 808021
Click to expand...

I'd send the original to http://www.jsrestorations.com/ and it will come back looking brand new
 
Wow, didnt know that, sorry
 
I would suggest you visit partshound.net
Tommy is usually very helpful.
 
I upgraded my dash lights to LEDs, then I remember a rheostat needs heat to generate resistance. D'oh! I need to rethink that.

A longer rheostat will reduce the voltage more than shorter one.

If you have dim dash light you could have:
  • A bad connection to ground. Clean up each socket and make sure you have a clean path to ground. The dash lights ground via the metal backing of the instrument panel. The way Ma-Mopar grounded the panel to the car was iffy at best. I tried running a ground cable before without luck because the issue was...
  • Bad / old wiring. The wiring could be corroded which could be reducing the volts to the bulbs. You can test the ohm from the socket to the switch plug. But, no front side probing! It messes up the latch. You can calculate the voltage lost by ohm and the length of wire. My harness was losing 0.5 volts with 0.06 ohms. If you have little or no lost then you might have...
  • Incorrect bulbs. You could have #161 where there should be #158. That would make your dash lights dim. You could try #194 but at 3.78 watts each, the bulbs might melt the plastic diffuser.
 
Triple Black 73 said:
I upgraded my dash lights to LEDs, then I remember a rheostat needs heat to generate resistance. D'oh! I need to rethink that.

A longer rheostat will reduce the voltage more than shorter one.

If you have dim dash light you could have:
  • A bad connection to ground. Clean up each socket and make sure you have a clean path to ground. The dash lights ground via the metal backing of the instrument panel. The way Ma-Mopar grounded the panel to the car was iffy at best. I tried running a ground cable before without luck because the issue was...
  • Bad / old wiring. The wiring could be corroded which could be reducing the volts to the bulbs. You can test the ohm from the socket to the switch plug. But, no front side probing! It messes up the latch. You can calculate the voltage lost by ohm and the length of wire. My harness was losing 0.5 volts with 0.06 ohms. If you have little or no lost then you might have...
  • Incorrect bulbs. You could have #161 where there should be #158. That would make your dash lights dim. You could try #194 but at 3.78 watts each, the bulbs might melt the plastic diffuser.
Click to expand...
If you have dim dash light you could have:
A BRITISH CAR LOL
 
slepr1 said:
Does this mean LED's won't work as a replacement (dash lights)?
Click to expand...

The #57 dash light bulbs needs work to be converted to LEDs as they ground to the cluster frame. I used these sockets which fit perfectly in the holes and then orientate the LED correctly in the socket. The LEDs themselves are cheap 194 wedge with 5 5050 smd per blub that puts out about 80-110 lumens a piece that are 30 for $9. I put a quick disconnect plug on the orange lead, wired the bulbs in parallel to create a harness as neatly as I could, then ran a round lead from the connector to a ground distribution point I've created on the frame.

The lights are brighter and whiter through the blue filter but no dim feature due to the headlight rheostat being incompatible. I'm really not sure if it was worth the trouble to tell you the truth. I did make an harness out of the original lights if I ever want to convert back.
 
im going to replace the switch in my 67 coronet wagon because i have no power on either side of the fuse going to the dash lights.ive read that this is powered from the light switch.also my gas and heat gage dont work but ill figure that out seperately.i was hoping to just put led bulbs in like i did on my chevy.this was simple .you just had to make sure the bulb was in the correct way.if i have the 67 cluster out can you tell me where to put power and ground leads to bench test it?
 
also autozone has 2 switches listed for this car.both look the same on the site and there is no descriptin on what is different.he ordered both in and i thought if i brought my stock one in that i might see something obviously different.will i be able to tell with them side by side?
 
cherokeechief79 said:
also autozone has 2 switches listed for this car.both look the same on the site and there is no descriptin on what is different.he ordered both in and i thought if i brought my stock one in that i might see something obviously different.will i be able to tell with them side by side?
Click to expand...
Do you have a wiring diagram? A diagram can really help. Is it factory wiring that you know of or some sort of hack job? These are also little things that helps out.
 
all factory wiring.
i just really want to know which pin in the circular plug on the back of the cluster to apply power too and where to ground it.is the ground a plugor the case itself?
 
If you had a wiring diagram, you can follow it. Look at www.mymopar.com. if they have it, it's free. Also, look at www.classicwiring.com. that has factory wiring(if they have it for your year), that is colored as factory
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

fireguyfire
69 charger dash switch?
2
Replies
36
Views
7K
droptop2bottom
D
furyus
headlight switch question
Replies
8
Views
680
Nacho-RT74
Nacho-RT74
J
Turn signal issue. Headlight or Dimmer switch ?
Replies
16
Views
1K
Geff McCarthy
G
snakeoil24
Head light switch rating #165
Replies
0
Views
464
snakeoil24
snakeoil24
joew94th
Aftermarket headlight switch/wiper switch
Replies
2
Views
401
493 Mike
493 Mike
Auto Transport Service
Back
Top