Headlight wiring

[erratic50]

I've seen numerous wiring diagrams, etc, but I have not seen pictures documenting some of the key points of the headlight wiring on the 86GT's.

Does anyone have good pictures of what the headlight wiring looks like as it goes from the switch to the lights on the 1986GT ? Specifically where it branches out from the single lead inside the car to the wires required to feed the four eyes.

Back when I had the dreaded headlamp flickering with random on/off with my 1986 GT. It got bad enough that it even did it on low beam. I was forced to do a roadside repair. I was able to trace the wires for the low beams and cut into them and proceeded to add in a relay and home run to the solenoid right on the roadside in a matter of about 10 minutes ..... and I had a sleeping little guy with me in the back seat.

Fast forward nearly 20 years later and frankly I don't remember a whole lot about where I found the wire that came from the switch for the low-beams, but I know I added a relay there and ran a hot lead from the battery to the relay then reused the wires going to the headlights.

The advantage of carrying an emergency spare starter relay I suppose.....

We noticed with both my car and my son's 86GT both idling at night with the headlamps on is just how much brighter the lowbeams are in my car than his. It got us thinking -- its probably time to tackle doing the headlight relay thing fully on both cars in the most cost effective and clean manner possible.

We'll probably also do some stuff to make the side marker lights indicate turning as a safety oriented change as well.

[droopie85gt]

On my 85, the low beams and high beams are tied together with splices then a run goes across the firewall to the passenger side and one set goes to the drivers side. I cut them back at the splice, tapped each one to a relay. So outters come on with low beam and inners only with high beam. I think I could tie the triggers together with a diode in between, so the high beams would keep the low beams on, but I am using aftermarket led headlights that have 2 sets of elements. On the low beams I just have the bottom wired up. On the high beams I have both wired up and it seems very bright. When and if I ever drive it, I'll see if I need the low beams on also.

The relay mod is very good, because you limit the current thru the headlight switch, so it won't get as hot and should last longer, PLUS, you don't get much voltage drop across that old switch and wires...hence more volts to the lights and brighter lights.

[Sitdown]

If you do come across any good 86 diagrams, please post them here. I can try to snap some images of my 86 HL harness / Fuse panel when pulled down after the holiday.

I posted one diagram HERE if you havnt seen this one yet...

[wraithracing]

http://vb.foureyedpride.com/showthre...79-1986-in-PDF

[854vragtop]

Just insert the relay trigger spade connectors from your relay box build into the factory sockets. That way you don't have to cut any factory wiring. I used dielectric grease to prevent oxidation on the spade connectors. I also trigger each Hi-beam and Low beam relay from BOTH the LH and RH sockets by using a Y connector just in case one of the spade connector/socket connections was to come loose, oxidize, etc. I've been running Hi-beam, low beam, and fog lights with this same set-up since 2007 without any issues. And, I haven't had to replace my Hi/low beam switch since.

http://vb.foureyedpride.com/showthre...lays-installed



https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/ECHLS6235


My box was a 4" x 6" x 2" Radio Shack box with an aluminum sheet metal piece that fit inside the box. This is the closest one I found on Amazon (without the aluminum sheet). You'll have to source something to mount your electronics to (plastic or metal). https://www.amazon.com/Circuit-Speci...s%2C155&sr=8-2

The 20 amp circuit breakers were also from NAPA.


Here's what you'll need:
4x6x2 Project box
3 relays
3 relay sockets
4 NAPA Echlin LS6235 headlight sockets
2 20 amp circuit breaker (I probably should have wired the fogs and Hi-beams off the same breaker, since the they never run at the same time). Both breakers are fed by +12v that connect to the starter solenoid (large red wire).
wire (I matched the gage on the LS6235 sockets, but forget what it is)