1980 headlights not working; radio and windows work randomly

[yalcin]

OK, riddle me this. It's a 1980 automatic. Everything was fine until a few days ago. Now, this situation is:

-The headlights don't work (no high or low beams)
-The auxiliary lights do work (middle setting of the headlight switch)
-On startup, the power windows don't work and the turning signal blinking speed is slow; but the these both usually return to normal after a few minutes of driving
-The radio no longer automatically turns on upon ignition, but does activate when switched on
-If the headlight switch is switched on (all the way down), the power windows and the aux lights both cut out; and usually the radio cuts out too
-Occasionally, the radio keeps working, even after the car is turned off and key is removed

No problem with ignition. Does this look like anything? I've check the grounds under the hood and dash, seems fine. Can't find anything wrong with the fuses under the dash. Other ideas for what to check? Does this look like a textbook grounding issue, or something else?

[fiat218]

Get a 5 speed

Seems odd that all that stuff don't work,I mean they are not really linked to each other

[GeorgeT]

Go through all your electrical connectors: clean them, apply dielectric grease and reconnect - don't forget the grounds.

[azruss]

It is odd to have all that happening as they use separate grounds. May want to take a look at the hazard switch.

[yalcin]

Thanks for these replies! I'm glad people agree this is odd. These problems all emerged together, suggesting a single source. GeorgeT, thanks, I'll do that.

Meanwhile, azrus: yeah, my hazard certainly needs repair... When I first realized my headlights didn't work (driving at night of course), I hit the hazard button. Hazards worked perfectly fine (except when the headlight switch was placed to the full on position -- then the hazards cut out, just like the power windows and basically everything else), but then the button would not return to the depressed (off) position. That was a great day... anyway I've since learned this is a common problem with the hazard. I haven't had time to disassemble the button and try to fix it, so I just have it artificially pressed down for the moment.

Anyway, I've read that a lot tends to be connected to the hazard, so perhaps that's where the problem is... Thoughts about what to check first? I know how to clean grounds and check fuses and clean connections, but not much else... I'm a total rookie at electrical stuff and trying to learn this as I go. Is there like an obvious first thing to check about the hazard switch wiring?

Thanks for the ideas.

[yalcin]

OK so let me focus on just one part of the problem, since it's hard to deal with this all at once.

Upon starting the car, the headlights, wipers, electric windows don't work, and the blinkers are slow. However, when I drive for a while and rev the engine, the electric windows and blinkers return to normal.

So the basic question is: how is this even possible? Why would revving the engine restore some of the electronics? Has anyone ever experienced this?

One hypothesis is that there is a loose electrical connection somewhere in the engine compartment, and when I rev the engine, the heat that is generated causes the metal to expand, and this restores the electrical connection. Does this seem correct, or is it crazy? Is there some better explanation?

If the heat theory is correct, this would at least tell me that the loose connection is located in/near the engine compartment. All ideas welcome... Thanks a lot!

[RRoller123]

Try having the battery tested under stress at a local garage, unless you have a battery stress tester (unlikely). They will do this for free and it only takes a minute.

[yalcin]

RRoller thanks for the battery load test idea, I went and did this yesterday. Turns out the battery actually was bad, so good call! I replaced it.

However, unfortunately, the electrical problems remain, and appear to be unaffected. (Main difference is that startup seems faster.) So the hunt for the problem continues... maybe this problem was caused by the bad battery somehow.

Any other ideas welcome...

[RRoller123]

Glad that helped! Check and clean all the grounds next. 2 Pods on the inside fender wells in the engine compartment, 1 under the dash behind steering. The crimp connections could be bad. I redid pretty much all of them, with soldered joints.

[seabeelt]

I was going to suggest the battery since it is common to all but Pete chimed in nicely. The next coomon to all item is the alternator. Have yor alternator tested also.

[RRoller123]

That is good advice.

Pete

[yalcin]

Thanks a lot, I will definitely check the alternator -- makes a lot of sense.

I've dremeled all the crud off the inside fender ground pods and their connections, added star washers and dielectric grease, so those should be good. The pod under the dash is practically gleaming so I haven't taken it that seriously as a possible problem, but I guess I'll go over it just to eliminate that.

[yalcin]

Pete and seabeelt, you nailed it on the alternator. Had it checked today by two different guys -- it's bad. Voltage unstable and too low. Thanks a lot! I just ordered the 95A alternator everyone seems to like from Auto Ricambi. Will update when I get it and drop it in.

Thanks again -- huge help.

[yalcin]

OK problems solved. Alternator diagnosis was correct, props to seabeelt. All my electronics are back from the dead, headlights included.

Getting the new alternator in sucked. The car has a big new radiator replacing the stock fans or whatever it was, and the radiator didn't leave enough room to get that giant bolt off the lower mounting bracket. Had to remove the radiator just to get the old alternator out. Then had to crowbar the upper mounting bracket a bit to get the new 95A alternator to fit. Then it needed a slightly smaller belt. But once finally in, everything lit up immediately on the first try.

Now that I have some amps, time to upgrade the stereo. Anyway, thanks guys for steering me towards the solution.

[RRoller123]

great!