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Heeelp! No main beamBenzBoy
@benzboy
Club Retro Rides Member 7
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Mar 17, 2006 15:49:55 GMT
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Right, I'm preparing to put the Volvo thru its MOT, and the main beam and headlight flash doesn't work. My suspicions lie with the relay... it could be the switch, but as it's both the flash and the main beam that don't work I'm (possibly incorrectly) ruling this out. So, my questions are: a) Is there any way I can test the relay? b) Would the relay fail on just one part of the headlight operation, or if it was duff would I be more likely not to have any headlights at all? c) If it does turn out to be the relay, what do you reckon the chances are of rigging up a generic relay just for the flash / main beam? The reason I ask this is because it's a Volvo only part, and that means £££. d) How long is a piece of string? Thanks
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Mar 17, 2006 15:53:58 GMT
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Are you sure it's not the bulbs? I'm surprised that the relay is that special & unique.... Have you asked on the Volvo Owners Club forum?
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Last Edit: Mar 17, 2006 15:55:11 GMT by Paul H
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Mar 17, 2006 15:54:47 GMT
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check all your fuses
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once again rocking with 1117cc and 4 gears!
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Heeelp! No main beamBenzBoy
@benzboy
Club Retro Rides Member 7
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Mar 17, 2006 15:58:48 GMT
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It could be the bulbs, but it's just that neither main beam works. The main beam light doesn't come on on the dash either I've checked the fuses - they're all fine and dandy. Electrics aren't my favourite subject
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Mar 17, 2006 16:02:00 GMT
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check there all good connections to the bulbs, to me thats the only downside to volvos so confusing electrical wise www.turbobricks.com the'll be able to help you out
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once again rocking with 1117cc and 4 gears!
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том
Posted a lot
"If in doubt, flat out!"
Posts: 2,707
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Mar 17, 2006 16:06:50 GMT
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spray WD-40 on all your electrics.
Listen to see if the relays clickin.
If all else fails, strap 2 maglites to the bonnet ;D
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1988 V8 Rangey Bobtail :: 1968 Volvo Amazon 133 Ratrod :: 1977 Land Rover 88 :: 1985 Opel Monza GSE :: 1983 MKII Fiesta
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Heeelp! No main beamBenzBoy
@benzboy
Club Retro Rides Member 7
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Mar 17, 2006 16:12:02 GMT
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spray WD-40 on all your electrics. A while ago my dad thought he'd try and help me by spraying WD40 inside my broken flasher unit on my Benz. It got extremely hot then exploded. I told him it was broken ;D Good thinking on listening for the clicking. I'll wait til the weekend when I can rope my girlfriend into helping me
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Mar 17, 2006 17:38:06 GMT
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if the relay doesn't click then it is either a fuse, or the switch, or the relay itself. if it clicks but no light then it could be the wiring to the lamp, or both the bulbs (not unknown!). Is the relay in the main fusebox or is it out in the engine bay? Bad earth is unlikely in the fusebox as they'll all be earthed together, but my rocco has a relay duct-taped to the back of the headlamp unit (an upgrade - switches battery current to the main beam) and this looks a likely candidate for going wrong every time it gets wet.
Volvo may want you to believe that the relay is a bespoke item but if you can get a photo of it, or better still if there's a diagram on the top, chances are a place like RS or Maplin might stock an equivalent for a couple of quid. I used to work in the latter and we stocked an impressive range of supposedly hard-to-find automotive items.
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Never trust a man Who names himself Trevor. Or one day you might find He's not a real drug dealer.
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Mar 17, 2006 17:55:01 GMT
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Start at one end and work your way back. Bulbs would be the first thing to check as its normally easiest. Then see if you have 12V at the wire to the bulb. Then check to see if you are getting power out from the relay, then power to the relay and a signal to the relay. It helps with two people. I see no reason why you couldnt swap it to a standard relay if you had to.
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Heeelp! No main beamBenzBoy
@benzboy
Club Retro Rides Member 7
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Mar 17, 2006 18:00:10 GMT
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if the relay doesn't click then it is either a fuse, or the switch, or the relay itself. if it clicks but no light then it could be the wiring to the lamp, or both the bulbs (not unknown!). Is the relay in the main fusebox or is it out in the engine bay? Bad earth is unlikely in the fusebox as they'll all be earthed together, but my rocco has a relay duct-taped to the back of the headlamp unit (an upgrade - switches battery current to the main beam) and this looks a likely candidate for going wrong every time it gets wet. Volvo may want you to believe that the relay is a bespoke item but if you can get a photo of it, or better still if there's a diagram on the top, chances are a place like RS or Maplin might stock an equivalent for a couple of quid. I used to work in the latter and we stocked an impressive range of supposedly hard-to-find automotive items. The relay is screwed to the inner wing, so well exposed to the elements! I'd have thought if it was broken though, I'd have no lights at all. Also, the dipped/main beam works off the same bulb, so to have both bulbs just blow the main-beam part would be some going! Hmm, so it could well be the switch. Which will be a abstrad cos I haven't found a decent scrappy down this way yet.
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Mar 17, 2006 18:13:22 GMT
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The relay will just work the main beam, not the dipped too (it is only a simple switch and can't do off-dipped-main, the dipped will just run directly to the lights through a fuse) so i'd start there. unscrew it from the wing and make sure it's bare metal mating to bare metal. borrow the missus' nailfile and rub it all back till it shines as the relay will earth through the mounting lug.
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Never trust a man Who names himself Trevor. Or one day you might find He's not a real drug dealer.
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Mar 17, 2006 21:06:41 GMT
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It's the relay. The soldered connections go. Open it up, re-solder and hey presto. Nearside wing, usually just infront of the suspension turret, aluminium body. The fuse box is also notorious for bad connections. Clean all the fuses up and rotate them in the holder. Lucky for you, I've done all this on mine!
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Last Edit: Mar 17, 2006 21:12:20 GMT by wagoneer
Peugeot 307sw - Suzuki SV650S - MX5.
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Heeelp! No main beamBenzBoy
@benzboy
Club Retro Rides Member 7
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Mar 17, 2006 23:19:21 GMT
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Ah, cheers for all the replies! I'll have a crack at it tomorrow if the temperature rises above Baltic. ;D
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