[Healeys] Headlamp switch

[Bob Spidell]

Not a bad idea, but not sure it's necessary.  My BJ8 has almost 190K 
miles and the only switch that has ever failed--I've owned the car since 
64K miles--was the O/D switch (once, and not surprising, as it gets used 
the most).  The O/D relay can be problematic, but there's no practical 
way to service it (you can carefully open up the box and file the points 
in a pinch, but doubt you could do it more than a couple times without 
breaking some of the tangs that hold the cover).

One switch and one relay failure in 190K miles; dang that Lucas stuff is 
terrible.



On 10/1/2015 3:55 AM, Oudesluys wrote:
> Forgot to mention to clean out old switches by injecting plenty of 
> WD40, operating them say 20 times and then rinse them out as well as 
> possible with WD40.
> I do this on a regular bases, say once every 5 years and hardly ever 
> have any switch problems
> Kees Oudesluijs
>
>
> Op 1-10-2015 om 9:38 schreef Oudesluys:
>> It may have been the switch but as the wiring harness was replaced 
>> recently it may have been a loose connection.
>> Inspect the loom carefully for molten/damaged wires along the line 
>> especially when a bundle of wires are wrapped together.
>> It is always advisable to use these old switches for operating a 
>> relay that in turn will switch the headlights. The same goes for any 
>> items using a fair bit of electricity, blower motor, windscreen 
>> wipers, horns etc.
>> Kees Oudesluijs
>>
>>
>>
>> Op 1-10-2015 om 6:48 schreef Ross:
>>>
>>> Gents
>>>
>>> On a recent outing I noticed smoke emanating from under the dash 
>>> when the headlamps were switched on. My 13 year old son thought we 
>>> were going up in flames and decided to walk home. With the lights 
>>> off no more smoke or burnt plastic smell occurred and I easily beat 
>>> my son home. I disconnected the what was left of the two red wires, 
>>> no damage to any other wires. The switch is the original Lucas unit 
>>> for a 1958 100-Six. Should I assume that it was the switch that 
>>> failed or should I be looking for something else. The harness was 
>>> replaced during the restoration but the switches were kept.
>>>
>>> Thanks
>>>
>>> Ross Maylor
>>>
>>>

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