Lotus Europa Headlights won't turn on..THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN SOLVED.

[Bud]

I have a 74 TCS...4170R...that was in storage for a long time and I am in the process of restoring it. I have done most of the work but now I am on electrics. I have inspected the wiring harness and it is in good condition other than the horns are missing.
I have verified that there is power from the switch to the front electrics headlight  and ground is ok.
I can get the side markers and parking lights to work but nothing for the lights...has anyone had this problem and is there a sure fix for it as it has been very frustrating. at one point when I had the hazards on and blinking, we got dim front headlights? I have no idea where the issue is and would appreciate any assistance I can get.
Thanx...Bud

[SilverBeast]

I'd suggest you first
(i) Check the fuse that covers the headlights
(ii) run a long ground wire from the battery negative (for diagnostic purposes only) to the ground you are using for the headlights

You could have blown filaments on the bulb. Try just connecting one light to a 12v battery independently of harness by disconnecting the wiring to the headlight in the front compartment

[Bud]

did all of this and more to confirm we had power to the new lights and everything seems right but no lights. I thought that maybe it was the central ground and will clean that up tomorrow. There is something really weird going on as if Lucas was lurking in the background

[4129R]

The earth wire for the headlights is bolted to the closer plate, just below the radiator hose, and the closer plate is bolted to the front crossmember of the chassis.

I run a thick earth wire internally from those earth rings by the radiator hoses, through the footwell, past the fusebox, and earthing to the chassis via the bolts holding the brackets at the bottom of the dashboard to the chassis, so the earth is not affected by external rust and corrosion. 

[dakazman]

did all of this and more to confirm we had power to the new lights and everything seems right but no lights. I thought that maybe it was the central ground and will clean that up tomorrow. There is something really weird going on as if Lucas was lurking in the background

     If you have power to the light, were you on the socket behind bulb?  using a jumper cable from battery earth did the new bulb turn on ?
 check both sides also. wire run goes from the radiator side to the horn side.  there are also several junction blocks under front lip of bonnet.
  dakazman

[Bud]

Thanx guys...I will look and try to find everything

[SilverBeast]

On my UK TCS, the harness exits in the middle and splits to power the left and right headlights independently. My lights are a bit dim. I need to check my earth. Mine didn't have a closing plate when I got it and grouding is done through a hole to the steering rack. I intend to run an earth and a fused high power live feed from behind the dash and install fusebox and relays for dipped/main beam, horn, radiator fan and cabin fan. In the front compartment.

It's possible that corrosion in the connectors in the front compartment is causing enough resistance to drop all the power in that instead of the light. Using a multimeter will read correct voltages at bulb connectors with no load (bulb not fitted) and reduced voltage with bulb fitted. I believe others have had issues with the rivets attaching the spade terminal's to the fuse box.

[Bud]

RE 4129R...can you be a little more specific on your detail as I don't know what a closer plate is. I thing it iswhere a lateral support is but not sure.

We did have the lights on last night connecting power to the blue wire on the light switch and a ground on the door channel. The low beam high beam worked as it should but I am still searching for that elusive ground in the front harness. And to top it off I believe someone may has chopped off the wire to the horn

[SilverBeast]

Closing plate is the metal plate that bolts to the underside of the car between the bottom of the chassis T (the beam between the front suspension) and the fibreglass under the nose storage compartment (where the spare wheel is stored). One of the bolts that comes into the floor of this compartment is next to the radiator and the black ground wires are usually fastened to that, so the ground path can pass through the bolt, onto the plate and then to the chassis.

As I said above mine is grounded to my steering rack.

The closing plate stiffens the front end fibreglass, so it is less susceptible to crack at the top of the front wheel arches and also prevents a little of the road dirt getting to the rack.

[dakazman]

  Bud, that means that the ground on the door channel is a good ground, however not for the isolated headlights. remember, these cars are plastic and mostly everything connected to it needs a separate wire. good thing is, the light is good.
 
  Go to the back of the light assembly and follow the black wire run. follow it, to a metal stud or bolt.

Dakazman

[Bud]

Well after putzing around for almost two weeks trying to find the right ground, once again I bit the bullet and added a ground wire  from the wiper motor to the front ground...Now I have headlight and parking lights, side lights, horn, hazzards, fan, interior light and gauge cluster lights. Why did I wait so long to just do it?
Thanx to everyone who participated with you helpful comments and patience.
Things are moving long nicely again