no headlights... running lights..... dash lights..

[chevyteeruk]

1987 chevy Silverado v20

I have no dash lights.. running lights... headlights... dome light... or cargo lamp... turn signals and brake lights work.

-fuses are good
-headlight switch is new
-connector for headlight switch seems fine plastic isn't melted
-no trailer wiring mess in back
-I am getting power to the switch at orange and red wire... but if I pull switch the volts at both wires go to 0 right away and nothing happens
-grounds are good on the core support for headlight wiring
- i ran a hot wire to a headlight to see if they worked when supplied power manually.. both came on running lights did not... and the brights indicator on dash had the blue bubble glow, but when i hit the switch on steering column to switch from brights to dims nothing happened
-there is 2 wires i traced from switch leading to where radio used to be, a orange and a brown, orange has volts but brown doesn't and if i pull switch theres no volts at orange.
-with switch pulled none of the other wires on plug read any volts either.
- fuse block was good on the back no corroded or frayed wires...

stumped any ideas???

 

[Thunder]

I had a problem similar to this on my blazer. Check your fusible links. That was not my problem but might be yours. I ended up running a wire from the positive post to the alternator stud. Everything works now.

 

[chengny]

-I am getting power to the switch at orange and red wire... but if I pull switch the volts at both wires go to 0 right away and nothing happens

Is that with the HL switch pulled all the way out (i.e. to turn the headlights on)?

What happens if you only pull it out halfway (the parking lights position)- do you get running lights/side markers then?

If the trouble only happens when the switch is in the HL position, try disconnecting the yellow wire that runs from the HL switch to the dimmer switch.

If that helps (allows parking lights with the H/L switch in headlight position), hook the yellow back up and pull the tan wire from the dimmer switch.