84_Carrera

So I was at my folks' today showing the new addition to the family, and went to demonstrate the flash-to-pass headlight switch function on the steering column. As I pulled back on the switch, it started to smoke! (YIKES!).

Is this a common thing, time for a new switch I presume. I hear horror stories about wiring on the older 911's too - anything I need to watch for?

FWIW, the lights did not trigger either. Short somewhere else? It was raining today as well. '84 Cab. Thanks!

Bill Gregory

They can wear out. If you have higher wattage headlight bulbs, that can put additional electrical stress on the turn signal assembly, too.

84_Carrera

Thanks Bill. I don't know what the PO had in there for lights, honestly. Will look at that too while I'm in there.

DGaunt

Sounds like a short to me. The original wiring puts the full 12V load of the lights through the switch, so if you have a short somehere in the circuit, the poweris there to smoke something. Do the regular high beams work OK? If so, it sorta confines the short to the switch area, if not, look for scorched wires everywhere.

i have 100 watt hi-beams in my '76 and the switch handled it well for some time, then started acting up, so I put in realys and now the switch only controls the relay. Much better set-up in general and absolutely the right thing to do if you upgrade your Hi's.

r911

You'll need to replace that switch - not cheap.

Put in the relays. This motivates me to get off my duff and do mine right now...

There is a nasty unfused wire to the dash lights that shold be fixed also - search on Pelican or here for that. Somebody ought to compile a whole electrical fix list for these cars.

Until I bought old 911s, I thought it was only the British who should be banned from using electricity....

84_Carrera

Brights work fine, so must be the switch then. I'll ask the PO about the lights as well.