Interior lights pulsing

[seabeelt]

New issue on the new 71. It has the original alternator and external voltage regulator. Turning the lights on you can watch the lights rhythmically get brighter and dimmer. Rythem bases somewhat on engine speed. Radio interference is very high. So high it’s not worth turning it on

Separate issue. Headlights work but no high beams

[SteinOnkel]

Check all ground points
Check main alternator wire to battery
Measure voltage at alternator
Measure voltage at battery
Measure voltage at light connector

Do NOT let the car our of your sight while doing this and have a fire extinguisher handy. This is how cars usually burn down. I've seen an x5 go up in flames with exactly these symptoms, owner decided to just send it anyways.

[Ragno124]

When the lights change with engine speed, it's classic symptoms for a faulty voltage regulator. Replace first before you start going down a rabbit hole as it's a cheap and easy fix.

[seabeelt]

Thanks. I’ll give it a shot

[18Fiatsandcounting]

Separate issue. Headlights work but no high beams

The first check would be the fuses, which for the high beams are fuses 3 and 4 (fuse #1 is closest to the steering column). Another possibility is simply that your high beams in the headlights themselves are burned out.

However, since neither side high beam works, my guess is that you have a problem with the contact in the steering column electrical assembly. Believe it or not, I just fixed this yesterday on my '71 spider, as the high beams had been getting increasingly intermittent. The cause was the slow wear on the electrical contacts for the high beams in the little copper spring cantilever for the high beams. You can fix this, but it involves removing the steering wheel, removing the wires to the switch assembly (make sure to label so you know how it goes back together), removing the switch assembly, drilling out the various rivets to get it apart, fixing the issue with the contact, and then putting it all back together with new rivets (or small machine screws as I did).

It's not trivial, but it can be done. But, before you go to the trouble of disassembling, remove the two plastic cover halves for the steering column. Locate the contact for the high beam circuit (it's at about 7 o'clock as you look at it down the steering column), and use a non-metallic tool (a chopstick?) to press on that contact and see if your high beams come on. If they still don't work, then the problem lies elsewhere.

Other options are to put an external switch somewhere for the high beam circuit or try and find a used switch assembly that's in better condition.

-Bryan

[spider2081]

Separate issue. Headlights work but no high beams

If when pulsing the voltage to the headlights was reaching levels greater that normal I would expect the hi beam headlights to be one of the first things to fail.

I believe one of the easiest place to test the steering column Hi/Lo beam switch is at the fuses. 3 &4 are hi 5 & 6 are lo, If the voltage is present on the correct fuses the steering column switch is working. Also does the blue hi beam indicator work? If so the steering column switch is most likely ok. Often this can not be seen in daylight as the blue lens lets little light pass through. I have to throw a blanket over the windshield to see it.

I just helped a friend last week with no Hi beams. The right headlight bulb was bad and the left side fuse contact was bad.

[18Fiatsandcounting]

Separate issue. Headlights work but no high beams

...If the voltage is present on the correct fuses the steering column switch is working.

An excellent point Spider2081, and a much better way to test the switch. To restate: If the high beams don't work, and there is 12 volts on fuses 3 and 4 (ignition on and steering column lever in "high beam" position of course), then the problem is either the headlamps themselves or the wires/connectors from fuses 3 and 4 to the headlamps. The same would be true for the low beams and fuses 5 and 6.

In my case, though, it really was the high beam contacts in the steering column switch assembly that had gone wonky after almost 50 years. Along with the contacts for the feature that flashes the headlights when you pull the steering column lever towards you.

-Bryan