Rewiring high beams to flash
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
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From: Macedonia, Europe
Rewiring high beams to flash Hi,
I want to rewire my high beams on my 01 camaro to be able to flash them at anytime not just when my lights are on..is this possible?
I want to rewire my high beams on my 01 camaro to be able to flash them at anytime not just when my lights are on..is this possible?
I think he wants to be able to flash his highs without having to turn his headlights on first, you know like how many people do to warn oncoming traffic of something ahead in the road (cop, accident, idiot on a bicycle, you know things like that), I would say if camaros are like firebirds when it comes to the actual switch, probably not and it's not a wiring thing so much as it is how the stalk just is, there is no lightly tap it, it's either on or off.
Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
Actually, there is a way you can rewire the switch. As Daniel says, you still have to pull once to turn on and again to turn off because of the design of the switch, but even that won't work unless you can route power to the high beams without the lights being on.
The Camaro headlight dimmer switch is wired differently from the Firebird. In the stock configuration, all power to the headlights goes through the switch which just flips between the low beam circuit and the high beam circuit.
The wiring modification involves bypassing the switch for low beams and then providing another power source to the switch for the high beams. Remove the yellow wire from the headlight dimmer switch B terminal and the tan wire from the switch C terminal then connect the two wires together and properly insulate the connection. Now splice a large gauge (10 or 12) wire into the red wire at the headlight switch and run it to the B terminal of the headlight dimmer switch (where the yellow wire was originally).
Now your low beams will work exactly the way they always did except that they will stay on when you switch to high beams (a side effect that most people appreciate). The high beams are now powered separately so you can flash them or use them without requiring the other lights to be on.
The Camaro headlight dimmer switch is wired differently from the Firebird. In the stock configuration, all power to the headlights goes through the switch which just flips between the low beam circuit and the high beam circuit.
The wiring modification involves bypassing the switch for low beams and then providing another power source to the switch for the high beams. Remove the yellow wire from the headlight dimmer switch B terminal and the tan wire from the switch C terminal then connect the two wires together and properly insulate the connection. Now splice a large gauge (10 or 12) wire into the red wire at the headlight switch and run it to the B terminal of the headlight dimmer switch (where the yellow wire was originally).
Now your low beams will work exactly the way they always did except that they will stay on when you switch to high beams (a side effect that most people appreciate). The high beams are now powered separately so you can flash them or use them without requiring the other lights to be on.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
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From: Macedonia, Europe
Daniel Richards, that is exactly what I need! As I live in Europe, this is used very frequently. I know that I will still have to click the switch on and off since the stalk is such that there is no tap on-off.
WhiteBird00, thank you for the instructions! Where do I find those wires though? Are they under the dash? I already did that one mod where my low beams stay on while I flash my high beams...
Also, have you guys ever heard of something as putting in another stalk from a Cadillac? I believe there was some talk around that but I cannot find the website.
WhiteBird00, thank you for the instructions! Where do I find those wires though? Are they under the dash? I already did that one mod where my low beams stay on while I flash my high beams...
Also, have you guys ever heard of something as putting in another stalk from a Cadillac? I believe there was some talk around that but I cannot find the website.
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,325
Likes: 342
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
Daniel Richards, that is exactly what I need! As I live in Europe, this is used very frequently. I know that I will still have to click the switch on and off since the stalk is such that there is no tap on-off.
WhiteBird00, thank you for the instructions! Where do I find those wires though? Are they under the dash? I already did that one mod where my low beams stay on while I flash my high beams...
Also, have you guys ever heard of something as putting in another stalk from a Cadillac? I believe there was some talk around that but I cannot find the website.
WhiteBird00, thank you for the instructions! Where do I find those wires though? Are they under the dash? I already did that one mod where my low beams stay on while I flash my high beams...
Also, have you guys ever heard of something as putting in another stalk from a Cadillac? I believe there was some talk around that but I cannot find the website.
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I recall that this has come up before. Isn't one of the limitations that the flash won't work on a Firebird unless the headlights are on and the doors are up? I recall that this mod will not open the doors and flash the lights with just a pull of the lever.
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Verdad Gallardo Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
Yup, that's very true. But in this case, the OP is asking about an 01 Camaro (despite the WS6 in the screen name).
It should be possible to modify the wiring of a Firebird to both raise the lights and flash the high beams but who would want to have their headlights popping up and down that much?
It should be possible to modify the wiring of a Firebird to both raise the lights and flash the high beams but who would want to have their headlights popping up and down that much?
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
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From: Macedonia, Europe
Ok, I see. If I splice into a yellow wire instead of a red one and connect it to where the yellow was on the headlight dimmer switch, then I should have power to the high beams even without the ignition on right? Since the yellow is usually a battery constant.
I want to also be able to flash the high beams even if the ignition is not on.
By the way, the WS6 in my screen name refers to a beautiful red 01 WS6 I had a few years ago and I sold it..still cannot get over that car.
It was a bright red, black leather, m6, low 30s mileage, perfect. It was also bone stock. All I did to it was a skip shift eliminator.
I want to also be able to flash the high beams even if the ignition is not on.
By the way, the WS6 in my screen name refers to a beautiful red 01 WS6 I had a few years ago and I sold it..still cannot get over that car.
It was a bright red, black leather, m6, low 30s mileage, perfect. It was also bone stock. All I did to it was a skip shift eliminator.
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,325
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From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
Don't EVER make assumptions about a wire based on how that color is used elsewhere in the car. Yellow wires abound in the car and only a small percentage are actually fused constant (battery) power.
In this case, the red wire at the headlight switch IS a fused constant power source although I have no idea why anyone would want to flash high beams without the car running. Remember that you must ensure you turn the high beams off or you will run the battery down very quickly - the headlights are not part of the "battery saver" circuit like the courtesy lights.
In this case, the red wire at the headlight switch IS a fused constant power source although I have no idea why anyone would want to flash high beams without the car running. Remember that you must ensure you turn the high beams off or you will run the battery down very quickly - the headlights are not part of the "battery saver" circuit like the courtesy lights.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
iTrader: (1)
Joined: May 2007
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From: Macedonia, Europe
So then if that red wire is a constant power source, will I be able to flash them while without ignition? Its useful while standing in place to signal someone you know...
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,325
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From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
Yes, the red wire at the headlight switch has power at all times regardless of the ignition being on or not - just like the headlights.
Not me - particularly with these motors!
