head light switch replacement help.

[Lawrence0485]

Hey guys..the other morning I went to leave for work and when I went to turn on my lights, my dash and running lights didn't come on..I couldn't find any blown fuses so I assume that the switch has went bad..which way is easier to replace it?
Pull the gauges and replace through that opening or just do it from under the dash?
By the way its an 86' k10.

Would have searched but for some reason this site won't let me search from my phone...

 

[4X4HIGH]

It's not that hard to remove from under the dash. Just remember that you have to push in that little button on the side of the switch as you're pulling the switch stalk out in order to remove the stalk so you can continue to remove the switch.

 

[Lawrence0485]

Do you mean that the button is behind the dash on the side of the switch? I checked last night and had no luck..

 

[livid4dirt]

Do you mean that the button is behind the dash on the side of the switch? I checked last night and had no luck..

Maybe this will help ya. That little silver button, push on it remove stalk, then unscrew big nut on front of panel. Then you will be able to drop it out from behind the dash.

 

[Lawrence0485]

Freekin sweet!! Thanks!!
I'm new to the chevy thing...I'm an air cooled vw freak.

 

[livid4dirt]

No prob, glad to help.

 

[dremu]

Maybe this will help ya. That little silver button, push on it remove stalk, then unscrew big nut on front of panel. Then you will be able to drop it out from behind the dash.

At least on my '74, it's pull the stalk out to "on", then push the button, then pull the stalk again. Just to be clear, as it's annoying as all getout to push that button and then pull the stalk from "off" ... and have it not work. Which I managed to do like 47 times last weekend

-- A

 

[Lawrence0485]

Ok so I had tied my running light circuit to my low beams just to get me through a day or two. Well I got f#%kin pulled over yesterday morning after dropping the boys off at daycare for not having any tail lights..didn't get a ticket but I was so p!ssed about..
Any how there seems to be a big amp draw on the tail lights...may have been what killed the light switch..I found a handful of those plastic fold over splice things on the harness under the bed, I cut them out and fixed with butt spices and heat shrink. That didn't fix the prob but Atleast it won't be a problem in the future.

I moved on to the bulbs in the tail light housing. Noticed that the side marker bulbs were blown so I replaced them. I also noticed on the driver side that the dual filament bulb was a little black like it was blown but both filaments still lit up. So I put it back in and everything was working like it should.

Got up this morning to leave...lights came on and started flickering. So I bypassed the switch altogether with a wire direct from the battery to were I tied the low beams and running lights together (temporary till I got to work). Worked till I got to day care and guess what.....no tail lights again!!! The wire that feeds the tail lights was really warm (not melt down fire warm but close) so I unhooked the tail lights and rested my foot on the brake pedal just to make the brake lights come on so I wouldn't get pulled over..

Today when I get off I'm going to replace that dual filament stop/turn/tail bulb that was black but still lit up, Maybe its pulling to much. I also pulled both of those bulbs driver and passenger and checked the sockets for direct ground short. They checked out fine. I will replace that bulb today and hopefully that will work till I can replace the headlights switch when I get paid.

Wiring is one of my pet peeves, I get so angry when I see those crappy plastic clamp splices, wire nuts and that red wire you can get from the parts house. Sometimes id like to line up the po's and b@#ch slap them lol.

Any how I'm done ranting now..guess ill get to work lol. If you guys have any other ideas let me know. I can wire old vw's in my sleep but I'm new to the chevys. Do any of you know were I can download a wiring schematic for the 86 k10? I'm about ready to gut this thing and start over lol

 

[livid4dirt]

There should be a diagram here on CK-5, use the search at the top of page. You should find what you are looking for. There are plenty of members who have posted diagrams.

 

[Lawrence0485]

Cool when I get home to the laptop ill dig into that. Thanks.

 

[Lawrence0485]

Well after putting new dual filament bulbs in the back the big amp draw has seemed to have gone away. I checked the housing and the harness and they are in good shape. Must have been the blown but still lighting bulb pulling to much.

 

[K85 Octane]

good to hear

also, make sure the bulb is the right one. I originally has some dual filament bulbs in the back but would pop after a couple brake light checks. Found out I needed a different #bulb once I looked it up in a book.