HELP WITH TEMP GAUGE & HEADLIGHTS

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I have a 1959 Rambler Six Custom. After the last show we entered it in ended at 10 pm, I got in to head home and found I had no headlights at all. Everything else seemed to work, blinkers, taillights, brake lights, etc. So I parked the car there at the country club where the show was and came back to get it the next morning. After about 2 miles I noticed that my temperature gauge was pegged out on max! I immediately pulled into a gas station and shut it down. Imagine my surprise (and relief) when I popped the hood and found a normally warm engine and no radiator hissing. I started the car again and watched the temp gauge climb right into the normal range. I put it in gear and headed down the road only to watch the gauge max out again. Again, no over heated engine... obviously an electrical problem. Anyone know of any problem that might cause my temp gauge to work intermittantly and headlights to quit working altogether but everything else works: taillights, brake lights, blinkers, stereo, vent fan, gas gauge, etc. Help if you can!
Dave

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McTeach Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Apprentice Joined: Jul/28/2016 Location: Roseville, CA Status: Offline Points: 45	Post Options Post Reply Quote McTeach Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: HELP WITH TEMP GAUGE & HEADLIGHTS Posted: Sep/07/2017 at 6:07pm
	I have a 1959 Rambler Six Custom. After the last show we entered it in ended at 10 pm, I got in to head home and found I had no headlights at all. Everything else seemed to work, blinkers, taillights, brake lights, etc. So I parked the car there at the country club where the show was and came back to get it the next morning. After about 2 miles I noticed that my temperature gauge was pegged out on max! I immediately pulled into a gas station and shut it down. Imagine my surprise (and relief) when I popped the hood and found a normally warm engine and no radiator hissing. I started the car again and watched the temp gauge climb right into the normal range. I put it in gear and headed down the road only to watch the gauge max out again. Again, no over heated engine... obviously an electrical problem. Anyone know of any problem that might cause my temp gauge to work intermittantly and headlights to quit working altogether but everything else works: taillights, brake lights, blinkers, stereo, vent fan, gas gauge, etc. Help if you can! Dave
	McTeach Roseville, CA 1967 Rogue Convertible/290 1959 Rambler Six Custom

rocklandrambler Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Feb/09/2013 Location: Nanuet, NY Status: Offline Points: 3953	Post Options Post Reply Quote rocklandrambler Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Sep/07/2017 at 7:25pm
	Install a new temp sending unit and see if that doesn't solve the problem. If the '59 Rambler has quad headlights did you see if the high beams worked? Replace one low beam light and try that.
	Past AMC's 1974 Hornet X (new) 1975 Gremlin X (new) 1964 Classic 660 Cross Country 1965 American 440-H

McTeach Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Apprentice Joined: Jul/28/2016 Location: Roseville, CA Status: Offline Points: 45	Post Options Post Reply Quote McTeach Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Sep/07/2017 at 7:33pm
	It does have quad lights, but none of them work. That's why I thought wiring. Went from four working lights to none instantly. So sending unit? I'm wondering why everything quit at once, so yeah, it could be the sending unit, but that wouldn't have anything to do with the lights would it? Just coincidence that the gauge and the lights quit at once?
	McTeach Roseville, CA 1967 Rogue Convertible/290 1959 Rambler Six Custom

pacerman Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Supporter of TheAMCForum Joined: Jul/03/2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 9057	Post Options Post Reply Quote pacerman Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Sep/07/2017 at 8:19pm
	It is two separate problems I think, and is just a coincidence that they occurred at the same time. The temp wire is pretty obviously grounding out on something. You might have a bare place with no insulation that is touching a ground. I advise you to try cycle the dimmer switch a few times to get you headlights to work. Headlight current goes through the switch and it is in a location where it can get wet and corrode. If that doesn't work start tracing the headlight current at the fuse panel and see how far along in the circuit that you have power in order to find the fault. Joe
	Happiness is making something out of nothing.

McTeach Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Apprentice Joined: Jul/28/2016 Location: Roseville, CA Status: Offline Points: 45	Post Options Post Reply Quote McTeach Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Sep/07/2017 at 9:08pm
	Thanks, I'll try tracing down the temp wire... maybe just replace the wire and see what happens. I'll also try the dimmer switch, but doubt if it's been wet or corroded... the car has been garaged for many years and has not been driven in the rain. Also not humid up here in Nor Calif. Probably just a bad case of 58 year old wires.
	McTeach Roseville, CA 1967 Rogue Convertible/290 1959 Rambler Six Custom

bigbad69 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Supporter of TheAMCForum Joined: Jul/02/2007 Location: Ottawa, Ont. Status: Offline Points: 6668	Post Options Post Reply Quote bigbad69 Report Post Thanks(1) Quote Reply Posted: Sep/09/2017 at 8:31am
	I'm not familiar with the 59 Ramblers, so I'm assuming the temperature guage works similarly to later models. If your fuel gauge is operating correctly, then I would say the IVR (instrument voltage regulator) is good. Try disconnecting the temp sense wire at the sensor. Does the gauge still peg at maximum? If it does, you probably have a short in the sense wire. It kind of sounds like it is intermittent and driving the car jiggles the harness enough to make and break the short. If the gauge stays a zero, then suspect the sensor. I'm with pacerman. The headlights are a separate problem. Pull the plug at the dimmer switch, then turn the headlights on. Using a voltmeter or test light, verify that one of the terminals on the harness plug is hot (12V). If none are hot, there is likely a switch problem. If there is power to the plug, use a short piece of wire to jumper the hot terminal to either of the other two terminals. That should light either the low beams or the high beams (or both). Repeat the test this time jumpering the third terminal and verify headlights are on. If this all works, then the dimmer switch is bad. If none of the headlights light, then there is a wiring harness problem. The first thing I would suspect is the headlight ground point.
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McTeach Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Apprentice Joined: Jul/28/2016 Location: Roseville, CA Status: Offline Points: 45	Post Options Post Reply Quote McTeach Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Oct/12/2017 at 9:01pm
	Thanks, cycling the dimmer switch worked... the lights came back on and both lows and highs now work, but since I didn't actually fix anything, I'm afraid it may happen again. Should I replace the dimmer switch just to be sure? I put on a new temp sending unit and that seemed to work although I did notice a maybe bare spot on the wire near where it attaches to the sending unit. I'll tape that up just to make sure. Thanks again.
	McTeach Roseville, CA 1967 Rogue Convertible/290 1959 Rambler Six Custom

gtoman_us Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group Joined: Jul/10/2007 Location: E. Nebraska Status: Offline Points: 3869	Post Options Post Reply Quote gtoman_us Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Oct/12/2017 at 9:41pm
	You need to replace the dimmer switch. Common symptom
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tomj Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Jan/27/2010 Location: earth Status: Offline Points: 7544	Post Options Post Reply Quote tomj Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Oct/13/2017 at 12:11am
	in my experience the foot dimmer switch fails, or the contacts in the multi-function headlights switch overheat, over time, arc and wear, then fail suddenly. years ago in ny '63 wagon i pulled onto the freeway from some arizona rest stop, pulled the head light switch out, FLASH then darkness. in/out/in/out got me some flicker. i ended up jumpering it somehow and driving home. i spent a couple years pulling that switch and making a new contact from a brass screw, etc. PITA. temp sensor: if it's still happening, when it fails and pegs the gauge, stop the car, running and all, lift the hood and gently pull the wire off the sensor. it should fall down to COLD. if it does not, then the wire is shorted to chassis somewhere along it's length. if it does, the sensor may have failed. or maybe the slipon connector os shorting to the head? you can try on/off wire a couple times to make sure. then you can know where to put your effort.
	1960 Rambler Super two-door wagon, OHV auto 1961 Roadster American, 195.6 OHV, T5 http://www.ramblerLore.com