I have '80 El Camino w/optional gauges, w/o tach.

Today I was trying to repair my headlight problem, the high beam wouldn't work, but after I replaced headlight switch with another one and removed some self-made wires, all headlights quit working. Only interior lights (gauges/dome etc..), and parking lights are functional, BUT after I drove some time (about 0,7km) the switch went up in smoke, so I turned it off(again! it smoked instantly, if I pull it all the way out)! Well, all wires look factory installed, so what's up???

Oh, and I DO have chiltons repair manual with wiring diagrams, so I need something more understandable. I mean maybe some hint where to look (a fuse box?, or headlights?) And one more question: Here in Finland cars must not have yellow front marker lights, but mine is shining those yellow corner blinkers, which makes it illegal, but do they supposed to shine there in States? does it have anything to do with my headlight problem?

:( Wow this is petty difficult to diagnose at a distance. First of all I don’t think the problem was with the head light switch. Your original problem was most likely in the dimmer switch. If the low beam works and the high does not check the dimmer. When you changed out the switch you must have caused a short go back and retrace your steps make sure you wires are correctly connected and grounded. You need to be careful cause you can burn the car to the ground if you keep smoking things the way you are going. As for the side marker lights they are wired into the parking lights and should not cause a problem with the head lights if the color of the lens is an issue you might look at spraying them with a transparent dye or change the bulb to a red. At any rate go slow and be careful check to make sure you don’t have a bare wire contacting the dash and check your ground. There are a lot of sharp edges under there and you could have rubbed one of them. I’m wondering what wires you removed? Good luck

Thank you for your attention! I do understand that problem wasn't in switch, but dimmer, I failed to mention, that it was broken and I replaced it with another, BUT the wiring harness of dimmer wasn't factory anymore, it has 3 separate wires (yellow, green, and tan), and on opposite side there is 3-wire connector hangin under dash, so I beleave it is where those separate wires (from dimmer switch) must be connected?

The first place I went to mess with headlight switch was that it had broken "spring" which dims gauge lights and had burned tang inside switch! So I guess it wasn't completely a waste to cover that too? The short headlights worked fine with that old burned switch because it had additional wire connected from brown or green (don't remember now) wire and it went straight to aforementioned hanging 3-wire connector (Confusig huh?).. The purpose of that "jumper" wire is mystery to me, but it seems, that it made short lights work!

Puhleease, help me once more. I need my elky as daily transportation, so I need lights too, because where I live, winter days are quite short...

You diffenently need to retrace your steps & check your wiring carefully.

I sorry I can’t be more help or encouraging but it would be almost impossible to try to fix your problem without being able to look at what you have under your dash. You have probably shorted out the light switch and should have blown a fuse or burnt up the fusible link. What you need is a good wiring diagram of the model you have and then trace the wires one at a time. If someone has added wires you would need to find out what they were for and fix that problem first it sounds like someone made an improvised repair and when you changed out the wires you recreated the problem or caused a short. You could possibly find a wire guide on line. If you know someone with auto electrical knowledge perhaps they can simplify it for you so you can trouble shoot the light system. It is just to risky to start changing wires on a car if you’re not sure what they are for. You can set the whole car on fire. I’m afraid you need some on site help. Older American cars are simpler than most European cars as far as the electrical system if you check around you should be able to find a good mechanic that can help. I’m sure there are a number of people who have read your post but are reluctant to give you advice due to the risk of causing you a bigger problem than what you already have. I’m sorry but I just don’t want to see you burn up your car. Good luck to you Harald K:(

I replaced headlight switch with another one and removed some self-made wires,

Not sure I understand this, especially since you later say all wiring looks factory.

Did you use the same type of switch as a replacement?

If the parking lamps are working and the headlamps do not, this indicates that the fuse for that circuit is good. (Headlamps and park/tail lamps do not share a fuse.)

The headlamp switch for your car has an internal circuit breaker, this is why it seams unusual that the switch "smoked," of course, unless it's the wrong switch.

If that is the case, then you may have also smoked the fusible link as Harald stated, also, I believe you probably had a dimmer switch problem in the first place.

Go to our home page on the right side you will find the box with older articles scrolling up select the one that has the wiring diagrams once it opens find your year and blown it up it should be simpler for you to follow than the Chilton manual. You can then follow the color code from your switch and dimmer this should help you. You can also print these and it will make it easyer to follow from piont to piont. Just take your time one wire at a time you may find the problem. Harald K

:cool:

:? Yeah, thank you, guys. I go out and take this problem out, NOW! And I promise, this El Camino won't burn to the ground!!! I know I sound like total el stupido, but forgive me, when it's about my '72 El Camino, I ALWAYS manage to correct problems, because I'm familiar with whole car and I can easily pop that dash pad and look see.. But this '80 is a different story, because wires are going here and there and it's difficult to know or see them.
Thank again anyways and I report when I'm done.

I hope you find your problem. Yes, here is alot more wiring going on in there.

:D Oh YEAH, it's all working now!!!! I went to work on it at 11.15 and finished 17.20, so it was a long day, but it is WELL worth it. Both switches are working, but need to be replaced, they're worn and are "touchy". The last confusion was the "bright" indicator light, which turned ON, when I used lo-beam, and turned OFF when I used hi-beam... I wondered why the...But then I checked lightbulb socket on headlights and noticed, that previous owner had green and tan wire swapped places! :? When I switched them back according to electric diagram, everything worked like supposed to.

Now I have my elky back in business.

Thank everyone!

Great happy that you were able to sort it all out. I would hang on the the diogram for the future. Happy motoring to you. :D Harald K

I know I sound like total el stupido, but forgive me, when it's about my '72 El Camino, I ALWAYS manage to correct problems, because I'm familiar with whole car.....

When I was activly involved with the 76 I have I could yank the dash out and fix what ever in minutes. I knew everything about the truck inside and out. Then I started working on the 80 I have and it wass different. Its not really that different though. It was in ways, like how to remove the dash was different and some little things. But I have come to understand that GM doesn't actually do a lot of different things with their cars and trucks over the years.

Your not stupid just unfamiliar at this point in time. Its a smart person that asks questions or finds information rather than just giving up.