[Roadsters] a few questions with my start up (please help)

[John F Sandhoff]

> 1. All lights work except headlights any thing I can look for tried
> 2 relays same result 1 of the 3 wires are hot to the headlights.

You have a '69 :-)

On '69 and '70, there is a separate fuse for each headlamp. The fuse
provides +12 to the 'common' filament connection; and the other end
is GROUNDED to light the bulb.

The hi/low relay switches which filament goes to ground. Unless the
internal contacts are cooked, you'll get either high or low to come
on.

The final ground (the on/off action) happens at the headlight switch.
I suspect your switch is bad. After 40 years it gets grease and gunk
on the internal contacts, and you have no lights.

NOTE: The switch gets its ground via the heavy-ish black wire that
bolts to the frame behind the steering box. Yup - the ground on these
cars is quite sub-optimal. If that frame connection is dirty, lots
and lots of weird things happen (lights brighten/dim along with
flashers or brake lights, weird charging issues, etc etc).

> 2.Leaky oil hose from block to distributor has any one cut out
> the center hose and clamped a new center section in?

Keith, didn't you reman some of these, along with the oil gauge
to block hose??

> 3.Then there is the idle...

I still vote for vacuum leak. OR... are you sure the cam timing is
correct, and not off by a tooth? OR... could be fuel mixture
OR... "if it's looks to be a fuel problem, then it'll turn out
to be electrical..."

What do compression readings look like?

> NOW I JUST WANT TO DRIVE IT

Engine runs OK at speed, right? Just never let off the gas :-)


-- John
     John F Sandhoff sandhoff at csus.edu  Sacramento, CA