Okay, I've done the search thing and can't find a specific answer to this, but forgive me if this is already out there already Having trouble with my light switch ... the lights pop up quite readily, with no delay at all, however when I turn them off they usually just sit there still in the "up" position for 5, 10 even 20 seconds, then they'll suddenly go down ! I will check the fuse box, but I'm suspecting the switch on the column myself. I want to take it off, open it up and hopefully just clean it all up, but I can't figure out how to get it off !! Do I have to remove the steering wheel ? How do you get the big metal cowel off ? Thanks ! 308GTS '80 Euro
Neville, before you tear into the column I'd check two other areas. The relays for the headlights, and the diodes on the headlight motors. Good Luck!
To remove the switch you will have to take off the steering wheel and steering wheel hub. The assembly is held in place with a big nut under the horn button. Once the nut is off, a puller will need to be used to remove the hub. Under the hub is the switch assembly. The hassle comes in the nut holding the hub to the steering shaft. It requires a special tool. Once you see the nut you'll know what I mean. Good luck with the project but check the other things listed here first. That is normally your culprit.
Same thread, new victim... My Euro 308 headlight switch appears to have failed. Was working fine, then one evening got in and when I flipped it down heard a small sound from inside the column and no headlights. They do work if I use the flash-to-pass by pulling the lever, so for now I have a piece of wood fabricated to wedge between the clock and the lever. Works, but... So, looks like I've got to get that switch assembly out and try to effect repairs. Anyone got ideas on a home made tool to remove that hub nut? I'm thinking of picking up a short iron pipe and grinding it down to give me the four nibs needed to engage the nut.
See http://www.parrotbyte.com/kbc/ferrari/308/Horn.htm Regards, Kerry Image Unavailable, Please Login
Please don't skip this step. It is not uncomon for older relays to hang for a bit. First of all, the springs get weaker and the pole piece gets magnetised. Both cases tend to cause the relay to hang for a short time after the internal electromagnet's power is removed. Just swap the relay out with a new one.
I can appreciate checking the relays, but if I pull the lever as in a "flash to pass" the headlights do come up and work. So, the relays appear to be OK, it's getting power to them that appears to have failed. Or, I could be wrong...
Verell may post here soon, he watches this headlight switch stuff. The actual switch is inside the end of the stalk. There is a bushing of sorts, or a plug if you will, in the inner end of the knob on the end of the stalk. By carefully removing the bushing, you can slip the knob off of the stalk to expose the switch. Be careful, there is a ball bearing inside it you do not want to lose. Once you see it, you may understand how it works, whats wrong with it, and how to fix it.
If you slide off the plastic switch cover (the thing you twist to turn the lights on/off), watch out not only for the ball bearing Artvonne mentions (anybody know where to find a replacement?), but there is a little spring in there as well, so keep an eye out for that. Kerry's excellent site (www.parrotbyte.com/kbc/ferrari/308) also has a photo of a tool he made for putting the spring/bearing back in the end as as the painful looking process to take the whole stalk out. Since I lost the damn bearing, I had to short the brass connectors inside the switch (which turns the headlights down) with electrical tape! If I ever need lights (enduro at Willow?) I'll just take off the tape! Hey, it's no block of wood, but it works!
Pen, Check with Verell. I believe he has replacement ball bearings and springs. Actually, he can service and repair the entire setup for you and make it better than new. Regards, Steve
in 1980, only the knob on the end of the stalk is in the circuit for raising the headlamps, so the switches in the stalk base don't matter. No need to pull the steering wheel. could be sticky/dirty contacts in the headlight (lifting) motor relay, or even residual magnetism holding the relay closed. if the interior lights go off immediately, it's not the stalk switch. When the stalk knob is turned, the interior lights relay and the headlight (lifting) motor relay should power. They both should release when the knob is turned off. I'm not sure if the ignition key needs to be in the run position for the interior lights relay to get it's 12V, so make sure it is when doing this test. The lamp buckets will raise/lower anytime. don't confuse the headlamp (lifting) motor relay with the LH and RH headlamp motor relays. The headlamp (lifting) motor relay powers the LH and RH relays depending on the positions of the lamp buckets and the stalk knob. In the US spec cars, all three of these relays are the same, so you can swap them around and see what happens. disclaimer: the above does not apply to 308qv's or 328's. edit...oops...answering the question from 2005. I think pat is saying that his lights don't come on unless the stalk is wedged into the flash position...yeah, that's the switches in the stalk base or a crappy fuse/fusebox connection. In 1980, there's no relays in the lamp lighting circuit. The stalk base switch(es) is carrying the full current load to the headlamps.
PenP, Yes, I have the twist knob bearings & springs. Go to my profile & send me eMAIL with your address & I'll drop a ball & spring in the mail. You'll have to trim the spring to match your switch as a couple of lengths seem to have been used. These threads have pix of the inside of a 328 switch twist knob. The newer 308 (early 80s) switches are the same. http://www.ferrarichat.com/discus/messages/256120/212999.html http://www.ferrarichat.com/discus/messages/256120/240466.html Earlier switches (308 GT4s, some, maybe all the carb'd cars) had the contact straps wrapped around the plastic piece that is molded onto the stalk. Not sure exactly when they changed, but I have the molds to repair either style. monzagorilla, Several people have indeed used a piece of 1-1/4" iron water pipe from Home Depot to make the ring nut tool. Pipe has the advantage that you can use a comfortably long piece, drill a hole thru the end to put a long screwdriver thru for leverage. Here's Carmen's picture of one of the first ones reported to Fchat: http://70.85.40.84/~ferrari/discus/messages/256120/251088.html Got your eMAIL, will send you pricing, tips on switch removal, etc. tonight. re: DISTRIBUTOR CAPS: Have had to shelve the effort until they really go NLA. I concluded I could make them, but they'd cost about the same as the ones that are available. Too many small brass pieces that have to be machined. Also talked to one of the large aftermarket distributor cap makers. They wanted $10K up front for tooling/Engineering, and payment up front for 1K pieces at $25 or so each.
Another simple thing to check before pulling anything apart are the ground wires on each headlamp. I had a similar problem arise with my old QV and both ground wires were loose. Tightening them fixed the problem.
PenP, Put a couple of balls in the snail mail. One's a 4mm, the other is 3.96mm (5/32"). Measure your hole with calipers to see which one you need. (Actually, the smaller one should aways work). Sorry, but I seem to be out of the springs. Let me know how it goes.
