Are my lights truly this bad, or am I being stupid?

[MidLifeCrisis]

Ok - can you flash the highbeams by pulling the stalk (with the headlight switch in the off position)??

[California Dreamin]

Yes I have the same set up, but;

1 click is candle light level (side lights)
2 clicks gives me full beam
Pulling the lever gives me the same as 2 clicks on the button

Maybe a wiring fault skipping out main beam? I have 2 different levels of lighting (dipped and full beam), rather than 3 (dipped, main beam and full beam)

There are only 'Two' Dip & full beam .. unless you count the side light lol.

OK...so you might have early lamps....please confirm this tomorrow by quoting/describing numbers & look of the headlamp bulbs.

If it does turn out to be an early setup then you can 'Improve' on the current bulbs by fitting a 'Hybrid' style bulb...Old fitting with H4 bulb.
Like these:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-X-Halogen-B ... 43d0ab62d0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Suzuki-Samura ... 418252f7af" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Martin

[CovKid]

Sounds more like dipped bulbs not working fella - not full. Check bullet fuses VERY carefully. You're getting flashed because you're on full beam in the dark. Usually its the fuse/s or relay no longer working.

Yes I have the same set up, but;

1 click is candle light level (side lights)
2 clicks gives me full beam
Pulling the lever gives me the same as 2 clicks on the button

Maybe a wiring fault skipping out main beam? I have 2 different levels of lighting (dipped and full beam), rather than 3 (dipped, main beam and full beam)

[bigherb]

Are the dip beam bulbs actually working?
Lets establish what you have first.
Engine running.
First click of the light switch you should only have the sidelights. Make a note how bright that is.
Second click of the light switch you should have headlights which should be noticeably brighter than the sidelights.
One pull of the dip switch should change over from dip beam to main beam or visa a versa, which should still be brighter than the sidelights.

[MidLifeCrisis]

I think I may have confused the issue by referring to main beam and full beam ..... prob not the right terminology .... but I think his issue is;
1) First click of switch - sidelights on correctly
2) Second click of switch gives him 'full beam' (regardless of the stalk status)
So prob seems to be that he can't get 'dipped' headlights - they are always selected to 'full'

So I'd suggest that the issue is with the stalk switch (unless a PO has been in there and messed with the wiring)

[TobyGilden]

That is exactly it.

There is no difference between the full beam (pulling the lever) and the main beam (second click on the button).

So is it a wiring fault? My van seems to have a lot of wiring faults..... Not sure what the previous guy did to it

[MidLifeCrisis]

How handy are you with a multimeter??

[TobyGilden]

Reasonably handy, I use one most days for work

[CovKid]

More or less same principles apply as earlier campers. This may help:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/inf ... wiring.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

VW kept the colours consistent fortunately. Each pair of matching bulbs on T25 (like earlier campers) are paired using white and white/black wire colours, the others yellow and yellow/black so not hard to follow.

'J' is relay, 'E1' is lighting switch. This circuit never really changed so earlier diagrams are useful.

The two dipped bulbs (although each has its own fuse if you look at fusebox), are supplied by one input to fusebox - same with full beam. Its exactly the same on the T25. It therefore seems likely that either a fuse has a hairline crack in it, or more likely fault at lighting switch, or malfunctioning relay. Well, unless a wire has accidentally been pulled from back of fusebox. Less likely to be an earth problem since full beam works.

Its somewhat fresh in my mind as I've been in the fusebox today snipping those wires out so the circuit is imprinted in my head. Use the above diagram and it shouldn't take long to find the culprit. Lucky guess - faulty relay but see how you get on.

[bigherb]

More or less same principles apply as earlier campers. This may help:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/inf ... wiring.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

VW kept the colours consistent fortunately. Each pair of matching bulbs on T25 (like earlier campers) are paired using white and white/black wire colours, the others yellow and yellow/black so not hard to follow.

'J' is relay, 'E1' is lighting switch. This circuit never really changed so earlier diagrams are useful.

The two dipped bulbs (although each has its own fuse if you look at fusebox), are supplied by one input to fusebox - same with full beam. Its exactly the same on the T25. It therefore seems likely that either a fuse has a hairline crack in it, or more likely fault at lighting switch, or malfunctioning relay. Well, unless a wire has accidentally been pulled from back of fusebox. Less likely to be an earth problem since full beam works.

Its somewhat fresh in my mind as I've been in the fusebox today snipping those wires out so the circuit is imprinted in my head. Use the above diagram and it shouldn't take long to find the culprit. Lucky guess - faulty relay but see how you get on.

FFS what has a 1972 bay window wiring diagram got to do with a T25?
T25's don't have a headlamp relay and are wired totally different depending on year.

[CovKid]

Post 85 are different I'm sure. More lights for one thing. Pre-85 certainly do have a relay. If they didn't the stalk switch wouldn't last long.

[itchyfeet]

Bentley shows no relay in pre 85 wiring diagrams

don't overlook both bulds failed, happened to me once after going over a big bump

[TobyGilden]

Right, since being home from work I have had a play around.

I decided I wasn't happy with the spade connectors plugging onto the earth crowns, so I've stripped the worst of them back and put new ones on. Since doing that all of the lights are working as they should do, however, when main beams are on the dash goes dead - I lost the dash lights and indicator LEDs but when the stick is pulled for full beam I do get the LED for that - is this an earth fault? Could this be linked to my fuel gauge not working? If so can't I jury re-wire a new earth for the PCB?

[CovKid]

Can not only see headlamp flash/dip relay, you can hear (and feel) it click if you flash your lights. No way would you want a 10amp+ draw through a lighting stalk - well, not for long. Its different on the lighting switch itself (though to be fair thats why people retro-fit relays to reduce burn on lighting switch contacts) but if you use the stalk to go from dipped to main, it most definately uses a relay.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TYPE-25-Headl ... 0844653874" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

https://www.vwheritage.com/shop/1119415 ... terminals/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'm damned sure I don't own the only T25 with a dip/flash relay. If the relay sticks on full, thats all you'll get - full.

Bentley shows no relay in pre 85 wiring diagram

[marlinowner]

Yes, connect a ground directly to the instrument PCB to see if that works. With no ground the instrument panel finds a route to earth through the main beam circuit and headlight bulbs. Use a multimeter on one of the instrument panel lamps to find which side of the lamp is ground (put lights on, one side of the bulb will be 12v, the other will be lower but not 0v, that's the one that should be grounded), turn off lights, connect that side of the bulb directly to ground and see if it then works properly.