Engine Bay Lights Modification

[sdg3205]

Recently, another forum member added a 2nd identical engine bay light, which was a smart upgrade if you ask me.

I'd like to do the same, and take it one step further; I want them to operate off the headlight switch. The engine bay switch is a complete disaster. The DMC ones keep breaking on me and Hervey sent me something that looked like it went through a wood chipper (I think this was an accident and he made good and gave me a credit). It also never worked properly.

I'd tie the 2 engine bay lights into the side marker circuit so they'd run on the first position of the switch in an emergency.

Open to advice!

EDIT - I'm also looking for a wiring diagram that includes the side marker lights. I don't see them in the head light, tail light or directional schematics.

[Spittybug]

While I haven't added a second light, I ditched the ridiculous switch and replaced it with a couple dollar micro toggle switch that I mounted right in the light itself by simply drilling a small hole in the lens side. Simple to do and gets rid of the mess on the firewall.

[David T]

The engine bay light is a piece of cr-p. If you leave it on for any length of time it gets hot inside, the plastic melts and the brass parts short out. The switch is not much better, the parts fall out of the bottom.
David Teitelbaum

[TTait]

Putting them on the headlight switch may be an issue. The headlights draw a fair amount of juice, if the car is not running you will be killing the battery really fast. If the car is running, don't get your necktie caught in the fanbelt...

I purchased two lights very similar in size to the oem ones at Pep Boys, except these have individual on/off switches on them and are twice as bright. You can bypass the oem switch if you like by jumping the two wires together and then turn on the new switches manually, or do what I did and leave the switch active and simply turn the switches off when I don't need them.


2894


2895

[sdg3205]

I should have mentioned I run LED's in the engine bay light, so heat and draw should not be a factor!

Also, I'd run them off the side markers, or position 1 of the head light switch.

[Farrar]

I used a rocker switch from Houston.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIhzmPTbNP8

Farrar

[Chris 16409]

I used a rocker switch from Houston.

Hey Farrar, I like that rocker/dummy switch idea. Did you run the new wires to the original ones that plugged into the old switch? When my engine light switch decides to crap out, I may give your mod some more thought. How did you wire the light attached to the lower engine compartment cover?

I've seen Hervey sell two kinds of engine bay switches. One looks like the original, and the other is metal.

Here's a picture of the metal one:

http://www.specialtauto.com/delorean-parts/images/switch-engine-comp.jpg

[Bitsyncmaster]

Putting them on the headlight switch may be an issue. The headlights draw a fair amount of juice, if the car is not running you will be killing the battery really fast. If the car is running, don't get your necktie caught in the fanbelt...


+1


You could use a mercury tilt switch but then you need to mount it on the engine cover.

[ramblinmike]

+1


You could use a mercury tilt switch but then you need to mount it on the engine cover.

I like that idea. I know GM cars from the late '70s had this. I might try and find one.

[Bitsyncmaster]

I like that idea. I know GM cars from the late '70s had this. I might try and find one.

I just bought 30 on Ebay for $10 + $6 shipping.

These are just glass tubes so I need to mount it in something. Rated at 0.8 amps at 20 volts.

[Farrar]

Hey Farrar, I like that rocker/dummy switch idea. Did you run the new wires to the original ones that plugged into the old switch?

No; the terminals for the original light switch were badly corroded and the stock switch was broken. Since I was installing two festoon sockets to the engine compartment cover, I wanted to run wires which I could easily disconnect in the event the engine cover is removed. I ran a small wire through a grommet (already extant) in the firewall and connected it to the door lock breaker (I have no door lock module) and ran ground to the engine. In between there are bullet connectors which I can unplug, facilitating removal of the engine cover.

By the way, the Hervey switch you posted looks an awful lot like one of the "pin switches" located here: http://www.sherco-auto.com/switches.htm (You'll have to scroll down a bit to find them.)

If you want a better look at my engine compartment lighting system, let me know -- it's daylight out now so I can get some pics for you if you like.

Farrar

[Bitsyncmaster]

I just bought 30 on Ebay for $10 + $6 shipping.

These are just glass tubes so I need to mount it in something. Rated at 0.8 amps at 20 volts.

I got thees switches. If you buy from China, open your box outside. One was broken and mercury got all over the place. Very hard to clean up and mercury is very dangerous to handle.

It's on my list of "to do" projects for my car. I plan to just epoxy this switch with standard flat pins into a block and clip or double sided tape it to the engine cover. Could also do the same to the trunk cover.