Hi / Lo headlight Switch repair thread
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Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Cambridge Ontario Canada
The key to the whole thing is the actuator.
Picture one: The plunger after it has been removed. You may need a magnifying lighted ring if you er , are of advancing years ..over 40 .. and looking at such small things becomes difficult.
As you can see it is comppletely melted. What we are trying to accomplish is to build the plunger back up to original specs. so it can again mbe functional. rememberwe have to fit inside our original specs of 2.5mm by 2.5mm by 6mm so a vernier guage would be very helpful. After you get the actuator out make sure to clean all the old melted actuator out of the switch. if you don't the repaired switch may bind. I used a dental pic and i worked great for this.
The first step for me was to grind it completely flat ( or sand it ) . to give us a base to work on.
Then i drilled a very small hole in the flatened area and also into my piece of donor plastic that happened to be 2.5mm by 2.5mm.... bonus.
Then i used a couple of pieces of LED lead to act as a pin to put the 2 pieces together.
Picture 2
actuator base ground flat with hole drilled in. small drill used in my dremel , steady hand needed for sure. Plastic donor piece from a plastic window clip. LED used as donor clip . I ened up using a small staple folder over but it all depends on the hole size.
Picture 3. Assembled piece all ready for test fitting.
Picture 4.. and I think this is the most imprtant. After assembly i took it apart and mixed up some JB weld. put a small amount in between the sections and glued them together. Then I coated the whole think in JB weld filling the cracks and gaps.
After 24 hours of drying time I grinded it back down and trimmed it to original dimensions. Fine sand paper or any fine sander will do but it is important to keep it square and to original dimensions.
After the final trimming and testing you carfully put back the plunger and arm assembly .Pull up the contacts slide in the plunger and carefully maneuver all back into position. make sure it does not bind, even when you pull the lever to activate the secondary set of high beam flasher contacts.
add a drop of dielectric grease to prevent arcing and smooth operation and you should be set to go ..... allmost...
check with a meter before assembling.
Picture one: The plunger after it has been removed. You may need a magnifying lighted ring if you er , are of advancing years ..over 40 .. and looking at such small things becomes difficult.
As you can see it is comppletely melted. What we are trying to accomplish is to build the plunger back up to original specs. so it can again mbe functional. rememberwe have to fit inside our original specs of 2.5mm by 2.5mm by 6mm so a vernier guage would be very helpful. After you get the actuator out make sure to clean all the old melted actuator out of the switch. if you don't the repaired switch may bind. I used a dental pic and i worked great for this.
The first step for me was to grind it completely flat ( or sand it ) . to give us a base to work on.
Then i drilled a very small hole in the flatened area and also into my piece of donor plastic that happened to be 2.5mm by 2.5mm.... bonus.
Then i used a couple of pieces of LED lead to act as a pin to put the 2 pieces together.
Picture 2
actuator base ground flat with hole drilled in. small drill used in my dremel , steady hand needed for sure. Plastic donor piece from a plastic window clip. LED used as donor clip . I ened up using a small staple folder over but it all depends on the hole size.
Picture 3. Assembled piece all ready for test fitting.
Picture 4.. and I think this is the most imprtant. After assembly i took it apart and mixed up some JB weld. put a small amount in between the sections and glued them together. Then I coated the whole think in JB weld filling the cracks and gaps.
After 24 hours of drying time I grinded it back down and trimmed it to original dimensions. Fine sand paper or any fine sander will do but it is important to keep it square and to original dimensions.
After the final trimming and testing you carfully put back the plunger and arm assembly .Pull up the contacts slide in the plunger and carefully maneuver all back into position. make sure it does not bind, even when you pull the lever to activate the secondary set of high beam flasher contacts.
add a drop of dielectric grease to prevent arcing and smooth operation and you should be set to go ..... allmost...
check with a meter before assembling.
Last edited by theiceman; Feb 5, 2014 at 12:10 PM.
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From: Sunny Oregon
There is this thread by our Pals at Pelican as well.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsc...-pictures.html
More pictures an discussion.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsc...-pictures.html
More pictures an discussion.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Cambridge Ontario Canada
yeah someone was reading that and Pmed me because the pics were gone ( there is a link to this thread ) .. when they booted me out of the club earlier this year they reduced my pic ability .. so ultimately hurt other users I guess as the pics were deleted
oh well ...
oh well ...
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From: Santa Rosa Beach Florida
I finally got around to replacing my slightly malfunctioning switch last weekend, very straightforward with this thread. Many thanks!
Mine didn't operate on 'brights'. Sometimes the brights would come on, but the high beam indicator didn't light. Then the brights just quit coming on.
Anyway, I put it up for sale here on ebay. If a Rennlister wants it, when you make an offer, let me know you're a member and I promise to make special appropriate concessions. Thanks,
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Porsche-911-.../291583821858?
Mine didn't operate on 'brights'. Sometimes the brights would come on, but the high beam indicator didn't light. Then the brights just quit coming on.
Anyway, I put it up for sale here on ebay. If a Rennlister wants it, when you make an offer, let me know you're a member and I promise to make special appropriate concessions. Thanks,
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Porsche-911-.../291583821858?
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 979
Likes: 140
From: Santa Rosa Beach Florida
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 979
Likes: 140
From: Santa Rosa Beach Florida
In case someone wants to repair one, here you go...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/291595193846...84.m1555.l2649
Ends tonight
http://www.ebay.com/itm/291595193846...84.m1555.l2649
Ends tonight
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From: Sunny Oregon
If you are electrically handy, you can install the relays yourself. Below is the circuits I installed.
If not, you will need to get a kit but be sure it is for 911's built before 1974 as our fuse panels are a bit different than the later ones.
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Harry, I'm certainly no expert on the early cars, but in doing some digging for Martin, it looks like there was a high beam relay for the headlight flashers through 1968? But it looks like that changed for 1969? I sent Martin a link to this thread: https://www.early911sregistry.org/fo...elays-Analyzed
I just wasn't sure whether it might also apply to a 1969.
Mark
I just wasn't sure whether it might also apply to a 1969.
Mark
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Harry, I'm certainly no expert on the early cars, but in doing some digging for Martin, it looks like there was a high beam relay for the headlight flashers through 1968? But it looks like that changed for 1969? I sent Martin a link to this thread: https://www.early911sregistry.org/fo...elays-Analyzed
I just wasn't sure whether it might also apply to a 1969.
Mark
I just wasn't sure whether it might also apply to a 1969.
Mark
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Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Cambridge Ontario Canada
Mark, I am not either but looking at my copy of the 1969 wiring diagram, it appears that the headlight power goes through the hi/lo beam selector switch on the column. The relays I show above, remove the actual headlights current from this circuit which in turn reduces the risk of the high current burning out the hi-lo switch.
when you say Hi Beam Flasher.. are you talking about the " flash to pass feature " ? that is a different set of contacts in the hi/low beam switch so i can see that being on a relay.