Just what is the full operation of the light switch on a 308. I don't have a problem using it; I have lights when I need it, but I can't seem to get my head around how the six positions (three up/down x 2 rotational) are supposed to work. I'm not a stupid person per se, but I become a retard when I grasp that lever! I turn it away from me to switch the lights on, and when I pull it down from this postion I get full-beam. But beyond that, everything seems to be off. It is entirely possible that some part of my lighting is not performing as it should (god knows how I switch on my front fog\driving lights), but until I know the parameters of control, I may always be in the dark.....
Stig, The below Adobe Acrobat file is from the EURO 308 owners manual. Note the 'pull to flash' on a USA model i THINK makes the main beams go up and flash while in my Euro model the fog lights simply flash. Hope this helps. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Thanks, that's very handy. I'll check the flash thing, but I can't see any way to switch on my fog lights. The rear fogs are switched on with a switch on the centre console, but it has no effect on the fronts. Faulty wiring maybe?
The front lower fog lights (NOT parking lights) turn on when you use your high beams. At least that is how it works in the Euro car here. Since you mention rear fog lights, i believe those are also called tunnel lights. They are basically so that people BEHIND you can see your car.
Steven, your front 'fog' lights have been rewired to work off of the high beam switch. The lights in the Euro 308 grilles are only 'flashing' lights to signal you want to pass, etc. by pulling back on the headlight switch with the lights closed. Operating them continuously requires some minor rewiring. I recommend adding a relay operated by the rear fog light switch. BTW, since I've started servicing column switches, I've seen several headlight stalks with the contact ends melted off. Just fixed 1 & am starting another one. I strongly recommend adding a set of relays to switch the lights, with the relay coils operated by the headlight switch. This will avoid the switch melting down. Whatever you do, don't use a higher than stock wattage headlight bulb w/o doing the relay mod. Umm, on second thought, ignore what I just wrote, just send me your switch when it melts & I'll fix it for a small phenominal fee (Heheh...). ;^)
Verell, Do you recommend I go with a harness kit? I just switched my stock headlights out for Hella H4 60/55 +50%. Would it "add" further brightness? A small bump above stock USA wattage, but the same as Euro. The stock wiring should hold, right? Also, I'm interested in saving the stalk switch from damage, so a harness/relay kit would prevent that, right? Lastly, because the harness runs off the battery directly, is there any added drain to the battery? I just put in a new Optima red-top... Thanks, Greg
You are right, of course, though what 'melted' was the headlight relay (upper one, one or two in from the left) last year. The stalk is fine as i checked it a few weeks back during normal spring cleaning. Perhaps one day you can help me rewire the fogs so they operate on a separate switch as i would prefer this. Many thanks my friend.
BTW, if you post a question to a thread, & also PM someone about the question, pls just put a link to the thread in the PM so they'll know others will be expecting an answer in the thread. Yes, do strongly recommend a harness kit. With lights off, harness kit is NO additional load on the battery. With lights on, extra load of relay coil current is negligable. Make sure your kit has a fuse in the battery run, as close to the battery as possible. Most do, but in the past some cheap kits didn't. Preferably the high-current path (battery-relay-lights-ground) will be at least 12gauge wire to minimize voltage drop. Yes, with a relay harness, most 3x8 owners have reported noticably brighter lights.
Greg PM'd me too and I crafted a response for him that I wanted to share with the thread. Verell, our answers are in accord. One thing I want to make sure we're clear on: In my study of the wiring diagram, the headlight switch / lever / stalk does NOT carry the current for the headlights itself. Rather, it carries two signals: a +12V signal to indicate whether or not it was "activated" (rotated), and then a ground signal to indicate which of three positions the lever is in. These signals are sent to the relays in the fusebox which then control the lighting / activation logic appropriately. Actually, I should qualify this. This whole analysis is based on my 328 study and 328 wiring diagrams; the switch wiring might have been improved in 328s. Regardless of 308/328, a wiring harness is a good idea. I was unable to find one with fuses inline, but splicing my own was not a problem. --Mike Response to Greg: Hi Greg, I checked and am using 30amp fuses (total of two). Automotive-type blade fuses. In general, you should fuse as close to the battery as possible (as a rule). My fuses are about four or five inches from the battery, I'd guess. I don't recall how I determined the fuse rating - I think based on what the factory fuses were with some common sense on the draw of the headlights... maybe got some ideas from older threads on the subject as well. With the harness, there is no additional drain on the battery. The headights will draw what they will draw, with or without the harness. There may be a negligible amount of new current needed to keep the harness relays open, but this is truly negligible. With the harness, you are completely removing the current draw for the lights themselves from the stock system. The only current that goes through the stock wiring is the "signal" used to activate the stock relay from the headlight stalk, and the subsequent current routed by that relay to activate the harness relay. By the way, these questions should really be posted to the thread so that all can benefit! One reason for this is I think there is some misinformation going on. The headlight current doesn't go through the headlight stalk / lever. That lever merely controls signals to relays in the fusebox, which then route power to the headlights as necessary through a fair amount of stock wiring. But the large amount of headlight current itself doesn't flow through the switch.
I searched all the archives for possible problems for 3x8 lightswitch problems. Just trying to get a little closer to the problem. Last Sat night coming home from SJ Grand Prix 1 mile from home getting fule. As I leave the gas station turning the steering wheel my lights go out. Fumbling with the stalk I'm able to keep lights up for a short time then down. This happens many times until I get home. Are the contacts bad and need dressed? Why would they go off turning the steering wheel? In the garage they stay up fine. It seems vibration or accelaration affects this as well. I'm a little apprehensive about taking things apart, hearing the horror stories of the spring and BB. My car is an 87 328. Thanks for you help in advance.
You can remove steering wheel & can see most of the column switch's workings. Usually you can easily see enough to diagnose the problem without having to actually remove the column switch. Actually, you can also remove the switch assembly from the steering column w/o having to deal with those pesky springs & balls. They only become an issue if you're removing stalks from the switch assembly. Unfortunately, since your lights are going up & down my guess is that you've got a cracked contact arm on the headlight switch & the steering column motion is moving the switch body just enough to jiggle the contacts into making/breaking. You should be able to see all the contacts operating once you have the steering wheel & hub off. The other possibility is a bad connection between a wire & a contact. Unfortunately, all the connections are on the bottom of the switch & require it's removal. Still don't have to remove the stalks tho. STEERING WHEEL REMOVAL Put masking tape around the horn button to protect the wheel. Pry the horn button out gently with something smooth like a plastic putty knife. Or slip a loop of fishing line or dental floss around the horn button & pull it out. Once you have the horn button out, unplug the wire from it. Tie about a foot of fishing line or dental floss onto the connector. You'll need it to fish the connector out later. Use a ring nut tool to remove the large ring nut holding the hub down on the splined shaft. This thread illustrates a home-made tool you can use: http://70.85.40.84/~ferrari/discus/messages/256120/251088.html or you can buy a FER105 tool from Baum Tools: http://tools.baumtools.com/index.jsp?index=2&newIndex=1&menu=ferr for a mere $85 or so + shipping. If you're using the Baum tool, it's a very snug fit inside the steering column. You must Push the horn wire down into the hole in the hub it's coming up thru. Otherwise the Baum tool will cut the insulation on the wire(been there). The fishing line or dental floss on the wire is so you can pull it up out of the hole when reinstalling the steering wheel. Once the ring nut is off, grasp a pair of the steering wheel's spokes & give a good yank. If you're lucky it'll come off in your hands. IF HUB DOESN'T COME OFF FAIRLY EASILY: If it's stuck on, then you'll need to remove the steering whell from the hub so you can use a steering wheel puller to remove it. Remove the 6 allen head screws. The screws are loctited on. Use a hex socket with an hammer drive impact tool, or a butterfly impact air wrench to break the screws loose. Don't use one of the cheap L shaped allen wrenches. They generally just strip the hex out of the screw. You need the impact to break the loctite free. Once the wheel is off, 2 holes for the steering wheel puller are usually exposed. They're metric threads, so make sure that the puller bolts are also metric and easily screw into the hub. CAUTION: The US SAE bolts that come with some pullers are almost the same size. They'll go in about 3 threads, then start stripping the threads in the soft Al hub. If metric bolts didn't come with the puller, you'll have to buy metric bolts. NO PULLER HOLES: Some cars don't have the 2 puller holes. You'll have to get some 5mm metric bolts & washers that fit the steering wheel holes. While you can usually pull the wheel with just using a pair of 5mm bolts, it's safer to make a pair of 1/4" steel strips with holes thru it for 2 bolts, & slip the ends of the puller thru the strips. That way 2 bolts at eacn end take the pulling force. You might want to consider drilling & tapping a pair of puller holes while you have the hub off.
Thanks Verell for the information. I'll give it a go this weekend. Fortunately I can borrow the column tool. Sounds pretty straight forward after removal. If something is cracked I'll use the glue you suggested in a thread I saw somewhere else. I hope that won't be the case. Will post pics and findings!
