Troubleshooting dim Driver's side top light -- 86 suburban

[Ogre]

Hi y'all.

I have an '86 GMC Suburban.

The top light on the driver's side is extremely dim when operating low-beam. It seems alright in high beam, but I need to check it again tonight.

I've replaced the bulb, and re-done the ground wire, but haven't been able to fully trace back the orange wire (I'm assuming this is the low beam positive power).

I have this wire coupler at the firewall where I can trace the wire to, but beyond that I'm at a loss.

Thanks!

Roger

[rockman20]

A dim headlight like that is almost always a ground.

Try taking a piece of wire and attach it right to the ground terminal on the back of the light and then push the plug over that. Then touch the other end of the wire to a ground.

Sometimes just redoing the ground on the frame end or wherever it mounts to is not good enough. Sometimes the connector has a poor connection in it or the wire going into that connector has a poor termination.

[crackajacka]

wiggle the connection around does it work like it should after moving it to a certain position? is the connection coroded, or what about the connects on the headlight its self?

[Ogre]

Rockman was right... I had redone the wire from the connector to the y-connection where the ground wires were coming together for the parking lamps... When I tried what he said and grounded it "around" the connector, lo and behold it was light again.

I got a new connector from O'Reilly's overstock, and it's good to go again!

Thanks rockman.

[rockman20]

Glad to hear you figured it out. Chased this same problem on my 86 Accord with the flip up lights. What a pain in the arse that was to follow the harness.