Yeah I dont think you can answer this...

[IH POWER]

Okay so i got in my truck tonight and when i pulled out the headlight switch my truck started turning over?!?!?! what in the heck is going on? so then i shut my headlights off and used the key to start it and then when i turned my headlights back on with my dash lights the starter kept turning over while i was going down the road. my headlight switch is a little tricky. you have to wiggle it to get the headlights on with the dash lights but that should have nothing to do with the starter right?? oh and i have no tailights. i got brake lights just no taillights. any help?

 

[Fordsandguns]

Sounds like your harness behind the headlight switch has melted and shorted. I repalced my switch and plug due to it melting the plud and switch. I got lucky though and the harness was ok.
From what I have been told here on OB, there is little tan wire that supplies power to the switch the is usually the culprit. I didn't have to trace mine (thankfully) so I can't help much beyond that but there are others here that can go from there.

 

[Fordsandguns]

Oh you need to disconnect the batteries as that tan wire is not fused and is a constant hot. Don't leave it with power, it can burn your truck to the ground!

 

[Devon Harley]

the same the kinda happened to me due to the dumbie i bought my truck from who tried to wire in a brake controller and was not getting power from battery he jus tied it in to stuff under the dash jus and idea to look at

 

[GOOSE]

You obviously have a pretty bad electrical issue as I have read some of your other posts and many issues are coming to surface with your truck. I believe you said that you already replaced your headlight switch, was this with a new one or a junk yard one? Next thing to look at is the wiring harness leading up to the switch. As stated, the supply wire to the switch is small and heat will take its toll on things over a twenty some year span.

You stated previously that you are not too savvy at electrical issues. Thats ok, you are at the right place for help. Get a good wire stripper and crimper from an electrical supply store or the electrical section at your local Depot or Lowes. http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...eyword=wire+stripper+crimper&storeId=10051The chinese cheapies suck and will disappoint you. Next you need some wire. Most of the ones supplying your switch are 18 gauge which will require red crimp splices. Blue are for 14 and 16 gauge wire, bigger than #18 wire. Yellow ones are for 10 and 12 gauge wire. I got a fishing caddy and filled it with a large stock of various crimp connections, real handy. Find your section of melted wires and cut out the damaged section. Cut new wires and splice them in to repair your harness.

Do some research on relays.http://napaonline.com/Catalog/CatalogItemDetail.aspx?R=ECHAR143_0252370213 You can use them to cut the amount of power going through your headlight switch so this issue does not happen again. There are even pre made harnesses to make installs easier and neater. http://napaonline.com/Catalog/CatalogItemDetail.aspx?R=ECHEC23_0215193739 Search this forum for the headlight relay mod. Your lights will be brighter and your switch will be cooler. Buy a cheap multi meter and keep it handy. You can check for voltage and use the resistance portion to check for bad wires, light bulbs, and many other things. Seeing the voltage drop from your battery to your lights will give you a new respect for how electrical circuits work. I had 12.5 volts at my battery with the engine off and 7.7 volts at my reverse lights. After a relay mod, the voltage jumped to 11.5. My reverse lights now look amazingly brighter when I look in the rear view at night.

Don't be afraid to dig in and don't be afraid to ask questions and post pics. Good luck dude. Now get busy.

 

[IH POWER]

well goose like you said i dig some digging in today and found the problem. i took my headlight switch apart and it was all fine and all the wires were completely fine. no melting or anything. but i realized that the other day i fixed my plow lights wire which used to have a splicer end which connected to the battery termnial bolt where the nut goes on at. well the splicer end fell apart so i just took stripped the plow light wire and clamped down with the negative battery termnial wire. well i did that in the day and two days ago and didnt drive it at night until last night. which is when i realized my problem. so anyways i took that wire off and left it off and reassembled my dash and my lights work fine now and the truck doesnt try and start when i turn the lights on. haha. so somehow that plow light wire was the issuse. i have no idea how or why but it just was.