Where do you find the headlight relay?

[FLYINGFISH]

Hi 323's

Having owned and driven two 323's (B3 Engined 1300/BF Chassis) for 15 years now and done just over 500 000 km's I have never had to look for the
headlight relay. I have looked in the usual spots but found nothing. I no longer have brights, but will only remove the on/off controls to check this
unit once I have found and checked the relay, when I find it.

Okay, the Mazda 323's here in South Africa I am sure are slightly different, but the basics remain the same surely.

Do any fellow 323 owners have some suggestions?

Regards,

Flyingfish.

[SgtRauksauff]

it should be up above/beside the main fuse panel under the dashboard.






If you need the FSM in PDF format, shoot me a PM, I'll get you the link.


--sarge

[FLYINGFISH]

Where do you find...???

Hello Sarge

Thanks, I had a quick glance up there yesterday with a MAG-light but after a days work....not.

I will open up Saturday and have a good look, the car in question can be seen on the following link;

http://www.wihandyman.com/forum/showthread.php?46586-323-south-africa&p=611652&highlight=#post611652

Thanks again

Flyingfish.

it should be up above/beside the main fuse panel under the dashboard.


[ATTACH=CONFIG]53584[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]53585[/ATTACH]

If you need the FSM in PDF format, shoot me a PM, I'll get you the link.


--sarge

[SgtRauksauff]

HAH! you know, for some reason I didn't even realize that it was a BF, and not a BG. Actually, it looks like there is NOT a relay at all...




At that point, I'd make a relay circuit myself, just because of the better light output you'll have. Looks like it might be the combination switch...


--sarge

[FLYINGFISH]

Hi Sarge

Home early today, but minus a tooth though.

The WD you attached looks more like what I am looking at when I view my Mazda.

In the previous message you mention a link, still available?? I for the love of money
cannot get the PM off as you suggested.

Useless info, my first car was a 1973 Mazda, 1300. Great little car when having just left
school and joining the Air Force. Never gave trouble and drove it for many years. I still
saw it around many years after selling it.

Regards,

Flyingfish.

[FLYINGFISH]

Now they work as advertised after a good clean.

Thanks Sarge.

[SgtRauksauff]

I'm glad it worked! I'm surprised that Mazda didn't use relays.

If it were me, I would make my own relay circuit, with better wiring (14ga. minimum), using on side's existing wiring for the relay triggers. I've done that in the past, even on cars that do have relays, and the light output is just better.

--sarge

[FLYINGFISH]

No longer working again

Hello Sarge

Yip, it died again. I still have low beams but no highs again. No point in trying to
obtain a combination switch from a breakers yard. As my 323 is of the last built
in 2003, July 17 (some papers were left in the glove box when I got the car and it
rolled off the the line on this date), I doubt I would find anything good.

In a previous message you mentioned "I would make my own relay circuit, with better
wiring (14ga. minimum)" would you please provide some more info on this for me. I follow
what you are talking about but as I never have done it before,I'm a little cautious.
Any chance you can mark it out the wiring diagram from last time ?

Regards,

Flyingfish

[SgtRauksauff]

danielsternlighting.com is a good place for resources involving lighting on vehicles.

Here's one page in particular that is very good: http://danielsternlighting.com/tech/relays/relays.html

What this will do is take the heavy load away from the switch, so it does not spark and wear out the contacts. It will still need to be repaired in order to function, but it will last much longer because it does not have full current running through the switch.

--sarge

[FLYINGFISH]

No longer working again

Hi

Thanks, I will look into as do this as soon as, off this week.

Marc.

[me109]

My BG doesn't have a relay either. One day I'll get around to addding one.

[FLYINGFISH]

Hello Sarge

Thanks, all done and working now.

I installed a relay and at the same time upgraded the standard wiring to 4mm and then upped the gauge from the combination switch to the relay. The combination switch I took apart again to check, all is physically working, not a burnt contact in sight. I never did check the resistance of the wiring for the headlights at all so I cannot say if this was the problem or part of the problem. The electrical system is charging to spec, I checked again yesterday after completing the relay mod.

But with a relay in the system (I drove and played with Alfa Romeo for many years, my Guilletta 1.8 Lusso was wired the same with a relay, I still have 2.0 GTV in the workshop on stands in storage with a relay wired the same) now the load is certainly off the combination switch and all the power coming straight from the battery with a fuse to protect all (here I used a novel idea I think.... I will post some pics later this week of how and where it all went).

In all the job took me about 25 hrs to do (with my 12 year old son doing the gofer work, poor kid. But he is learning), any slower or quicker than others I do not know. But being an airplane structures engineer I know I work slower and more meticulous than most. As for cost, I will add the money this week as well.

Flyingfish

[SgtRauksauff]

Great, I'm glad that everything's working again. I'm looking forward to the photos!

[FLYINGFISH]

Headlight Relay Added

Hello Sarge

Sorry for the delay in posting the pics, not been well.

I hope I have attached the pics correctly, the net work is very slow here at work, weather messing everything about and bombed out 3 times so far. Snowing today......yes in South Africa on the Highveld (OR Tambo Airport). Bloody cold though.

As can be seen in the pics the novel idea I mentioned is the use of a used fuse box from another Ford Meteor (Fords version over here of the 323 in the 90's, got this from the local breakers yard) for the fuse in the modified headlight set up. I'm sure someone else has already used a fuse box from another Ford/Mazda idea, but the aftermarket fuse boxes/holders I came across were horrid looking items not fit for a wheel barrow.

There was SNAFU doing this job......I forgot about the little blue indication light on the dash indicating when the brights are on, I know. On the wiring diagram. Never gave it a thought until it came to testing the modified set up. I will add a blue LED into the modified lights bright circuit or have to open up again and look for the original wire to the dash indicating light for the brights.

Once again, thanks for the help.

note-the spares shop I always use, argued with me that the car should have had a factory relay. No matter how I tried they remained skeptical.

Regards,

Flyingfish

[SgtRauksauff]

Wow, NICE refit! Better than stock in every way!!