Light switch wiring

[ericindc]

I am replacing all the switches with a different set of light, dimmer and wiper switches. 

My first concern is the light switch, since thats the faulty one. Obviously I cant use the same blocks that attach the wires to the switches. I've looked at the wiring schematic in the factory manual and the diagrams here http://www.mymopar.com/downloads/1974/74ChallengerB.JPG  but I cannot tell what wires serve what function on the light switch harness. Primarily my concern is the power wire and ground, I can figure out everything else out from there. The car is a 74 challenger. 

My best guess at this point is that the pink wire is the power and the single black wire which eventually junctions to the ammeter is the ground.

Any help would be appreciated.

[cuda-cable]

Can't help with the wire colors off hand but if you're going to the trouble to change out the lite switch, consider hooking up your headlites thru relays direct to the battery, you get a lot better power to the sealed beams this way....i did it from a link on the web, could be thru our site here.

[ericindc]

I will eventually do that, but that can be done without ever messing with the switch.  I did that on my CJ7. Right now, i would like to just be able to drive without the light flickering on and off randomly.

[Bullitt-]

Pink is the power in..Lt green is power to to floor mounted dimmer.... THERE IS NO GROUND only power throughput.

In over 3-years of being on this forum I have never heard of a problem with this switch...Have you eliminated the floor mounted dimmer? Lots of problems with that switch & the plug. 

[ericindc]

Well, it is possible. I've already rewired the switch.   If the problem reoccurs, I will replace the floor dimmer.  I didnt really like the look of the stock switches anyways.

[71 DEPUTY]

lights flashing on/off is usually a sign that the circuit breaker inside the headlight switch is getting weak- after 30-40 years of use things do wear out- so either a new headlight switch replacement or as a better upgrade is to do the headlight upgrade- this takes all the heavy power thru the relays and not the headlight switch!!!

pink is for the dash light power feed
black with the tracer is battery feed- not fused at all except via the fusable link!!!
yellow- dome light ground- goes thur the steel base of the headlight switch
tan- goes to the fuse block for protecting the dash lights
light green is to the headlight dimmer switch

[ericindc]

Yeah, after some trial and error and some acrid electrical smoke, i figured the wiring pattern.  I hooked the black tracer wiring feed through a self-reseting circuit breaker, so that should help.

Now... the dimmer switch and windsheld wiper switch...


 

[73EStroker]

Convert the system to relays like I did. Then only the load of the relay coils (very small) is carried through the switch and dimmer switch. Side benefit is that you et a higher voltage at the lights.

[ericindc]

sigh, i think I messed up. I cant get the original wiper switch or dimmer switch to work now. On the bright side, at least the lights work. Oh well, i have to goto Anahiem for a week, I will deal with it when I get back. Hopefully I didnt burn out anything important.

[ericindc]

So I am about at my wits end with the wiring. I think a color blind monkey on acid designed this wiring harness.  I can get the dome light, parking and tail lights and headlights to work remapping the lights like this. Please note that I am converting to a standard 2 position pull light switch where 1st position is parking/tail lights, 2nd position turns the headlights on.

12 gauge black (B1): Batt in 
pink (b2): parking lights (position 1)
light green: headlights (position 2)
black w/green stripe: parking light (position 1)
black w/ red strip: parking light (position 1)

This seems to work, although I cannot get my dash lights to work. The bulbs seems to be ok, and Installed the dimmer switch on exactly as it was.  So I am at a loss. All the fuses are fine.

[dodj]

There is an 18ga black wire with a yellow tracer (blame the acidic monkey) coming from the light switch that powers the dimmer switch once you turn the headlight switch on. Maybe it was left off?

[dodj]

i have to goto Anahiem for a week

DC to Anahiem is a hell of a long commute!