Headlight switch for 61 Valiant 100

[Kens Toy]

I need a new headlight switch for my 61 Valiant.

My question is do the 61 and 62 Valiant take the same headlight switch?

Thanks, Ken’s toy

[TerryB]

33 minutes ago, Kens Toy said:

I need a new headlight switch for my 61 Valiant.

My question is do the 61 and 62 Valiant take the same headlight switch?

Thanks, Ken’s toy

Ken- 1960 and 1961 are the same. My parts book shows MoPar #2209329 and Auto-Lite SW-290 as the numbers.  1962 is a different number from 1961 in both MoPar and Auto-Lite books.

[Bloo]

What's wrong with the switch?

 

One thing few people are aware of is that four headlight systems originally had 37-1/2 watt-per-bulb high beams, and modern replacements bulbs for them have 50 watt-per-bulb high beams. Before 1968 Mopars had a 15 amp circuit breaker in the headlight switch. 1968 forward had a 20 amp breaker in the switch. If someone replaces all four bulbs with new ones, they total about 15 amps. On a pre-68 this will kick out the circuit breaker on high beam.

 

Plugging in a later switch can fix that on some cars. A side-effect is the parking lights stay on with the headlights. 1961 might be one year too old for that trick, but maybe not since it's a Valiant. Do you have a picture of your old 1961 switch?

 

Welcome to the forum!

 

 

Edited November 12, 2022 by Bloo (see edit history)

[wangwilko]

Would an LED bulb fix the problem as they will draw less Amps as LED Watt size would be less than old conventional.

[rodneybeauchamp]

Also the original switch may be repairable. Most can be taken apart by bending the metal tabs that secure the switch housing giving access to the internals. More often than not a thorough cleaning with a Dremel wire wheel will bring the contacts up better than new. With some dielectric grease as a lubricant it will probably switch on and off for another sixty years.

 

Take plenty of photos before and during disassembly so you know how it goes back together. And don’t forget to do each of the terminals inside the block and on the wiring harness as they will/may be corroded. My ‘63 Buick shown in these photos under went that process and is now 100% reliable.

 

And post your results here if you choose that route. Much cheaper and more rewarding than just bunging in an aftermarket unit made over there! 😀😀😀😀

 

Just my three bobs worth

Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀😀

[Bloo]

2 hours ago, wangwilko said:

Would an LED bulb fix the problem as they will draw less Amps as LED Watt size would be less than old conventional.

 

It should. Is yours kicking out the breaker? If so another thing to look at is the dimmer switch, as they can get corroded and leak current to the floor. That will kick the breaker out even if the bulbs are not too big. Unbolt it from the floor to see.

 

As for the bulbs.....

 

37.5 watts x 4 bulbs = 150 watts

150 watts / 12.8 volts =  11.7 amps

 

50 watts x 4 bulbs = 200 watts

200 watts / 12.8volts = **15.6 amps**

 

Most of those cars had and probably still have some original bulbs in them. The problem arises when someone replaces all four.

 

 

[Kens Toy]

Hi, thanks for all the tips, actually my only problem with the switch is the dash lights. I have to fiddle with the switch to get them to work but they won’t continue to stay on. Other then that the switch works fine.

Never thought about taking it apart and cleaning it up. 
I actually haven’t been able to get the switch out of the dash. Can’t get the knob and shaft to release?

I do need to replace the outer headlight bulbs as high beam in one is burned out. Is there anywhere I could find old stock bulbs?

 

[keiser31]

NICE car! Those two doors are tough to find.

[Oldtech]

Pull the knob all the way out. Lights on, then push the button on the back and wiggle the knob. May have to try a couple of times. 

[F&J]

26 minutes ago, Kens Toy said:

I actually haven’t been able to get the switch out of the dash. Can’t get the knob and shaft to release?

Look at Rodney's first pic of his Buick switch.  Look at the middle of the steel switch body and see there is a tiny domed button facing up. Push that in while pulling the entire knob shaft out.  Most cars of that era are like that. Mopars should have that button too.

 

 

Auto parts store should have that sealed beam or they could order one from their daily warehouse delivery. But check to see if it's really burned out first by seeing if there is voltage at the light.  

[Kens Toy]

Thanks for the info. I’ll let you know how I make out.

Not only is the car a 2 door it’s also a stick, original 3 speed on the floor. It had 59,000 original miles on it when I got it.

Thanks again for everyone’s help!

[rocketraider]

More!😎 170? 225? Hyper-pack?

[Bloo]

For the dash light problem, look at that spring-like thing on the front in @rodneybeauchamp's picture. Yours won't be exactly like that but it will be sort of close. Ensure that the wiper contact that runs on the spring is clean, and that the front of the spring is clean. Also look at the wiper itself. It turns with the knob. How does it make connection back to the switch and still move? It may be dirty at that point.

 

Edited November 12, 2022 by Bloo (see edit history)

[pfloro]

6 hours ago, Kens Toy said:

Thanks for the info. I’ll let you know how I make out.

Not only is the car a 2 door it’s also a stick, original 3 speed on the floor. It had 59,000 original miles on it when I got it.

The "big" clear picture you posted is great. 

I think many of us would like to see more pictures (inside, outside, and under hood)...! 

It's a not often seen example of compact car history.

 

Thanks,

 

Paul

 

PS:  My first car was a 1973 Plymouth Duster so I have a certain "alignment" with the Valiant line...

Edited November 13, 2022 by pfloro (see edit history)

[Rusty_OToole]

I would use the more powerful bulbs and add a relay.

[Frank DuVal]

On 11/11/2022 at 11:20 PM, Bloo said:

If someone replaces all four bulbs with new ones, they total about 15 amps. On a pre-68 this will kick out the circuit breaker on high beam.

Only the Halogen high beam lamp (H5001)  is 50 watts, not the high filament in the low beam lamp (H5006). That is still 37.5 watts. But, two high beams at 12.5 watts each over stock, 25 watts total is still almost 2 amps above stock, which as Bloo says is only 12 amps total. Now it is 14 amps.

 

Interesting, the original 4000 (replaced the 4002) sealed beam is 60 watts on low beam. Still only 37.5 watts on high beam.

[Frank DuVal]

On 11/12/2022 at 2:03 PM, Kens Toy said:

I do need to replace the outer headlight bulbs as high beam in one is burned out. Is there anywhere I could find old stock bulbs?

New Halogen is OK amp wise, the H5006. Both filaments are only 37.5 watts.

 

But, 4000 is still a good lamp number for the low beam. Internet search to find one at a good price, many are way expensive.

[Bloo]

44 minutes ago, Frank DuVal said:

New Halogen is OK amp wise, the H5006. Both filaments are only 37.5 watts.

Good to know. They must have pulled back a little when they went to Halogen? Some sealed beams are 50+50+50+50 on high beam. I have measured several cars pulling over 15 amps back in the 80s. The bulbs may not have been halogen, probably weren't. Halogen was not standard issue then, if it was available in sealed beam it would have been an upsell thing. As you know, 4001 and 4002 were the originals, but those weren't on the shelves in the parts stores anymore. Still, 14 amps would probably kick the breaker if you stayed on high beam for a really long time. It is thermal. 2 headlight sealed beam systems got their wattage bumped up later on too, but in my experience it was never enough total wattage to cause a problem.

 

I'd still like to see what the original poster's switch looks like. A common fix for breaker overload was to plug in a switch from a 68 or later car with a pull switch, a switch from something like a 70 Duster for instance. You could tell it had been done because the parking lights stay on with the headlights on the 68-up 20 amp pull switch. That trick probably works on pull switches back to 62 or so. Maybe the 60-61 valiant switch is one of the long ones like in late 50s Chryslers. That would explain @TerryB's findings in the parts book. On the other hand, Valiants got lots of new tech ahead of the rest of Chrysler (like alternators for instance). Maybe it has the newer switch pinout and a newer swtich would plug in. Back in the mid 80s a good friend of mine had a 60 Valiant, and I remember that thing running around town with the headlights and parking lights on at the same time. It probably had a later switch in it (I guess). What I don't know is if the wire harness was hacked up to make that happen.

 

13 hours ago, Rusty_OToole said:

I would use the more powerful bulbs and add a relay.

Me too. Circuit breakers are terrible for headlight performance. They're too lossy.

 

@Kens Toy, nice car!

 

 

[Frank DuVal]

On 11/13/2022 at 8:08 PM, Bloo said:

Back in the mid 80s a good friend of mine had a 60 Valiant, and I remember that thing running around town with the headlights and parking lights on at the same time.

On GM cars of the early 60s, this is just move one of the terminals in the plug to another position. A common modification back then. It plugs the parking lights into the taillamp circuit, which is live in both parking and headlamp position. Same switch, just different wiring. I'm sure the Chrysler switch of the 60s is similar.

 

 

[Bloo]

Hmmm... There may have been a way. The only time I recall it changing though was when a "late model" 20 amp switch was used.