Re: Intermittent power drop when headlights are turned on

Posted by Tim Cole On 2012/2/3 21:31:44

Dear CaptainBristol:

Let's try a few basic things:

What happens when the motor is not running and you turn on the lights? If things are normal then you have a regulator problem.

If not, then disconnect one head light. Still pegged? Disconnect the other. Still pegged? You have an intermittent short circuit.

You can confirm be disconnecting the voltage regulator battery wire with the motor idling.

Next a word of advice on your gauges. The Packard manual advises against trying to use the ammeter as an indication of discharge rate. Thus I would follow Howards advice, buy an accessory ammeter, and hook it up in series with the main harness takeoff at the starter. Then see what the readings are when you turn on the headlights.

Off the top of my head I would suspect a faulty dimmer switch on the floorboard, or a short at the switch. Who knows, maybe the parking lights are going out when you turn on the headlights due to a short circuit.

A short in the harness can hopefully be isolated by wiggling along the harness and disconnecting wire at the switch.

Hope this helps.