Hope so too

Don't let the smoke out.

I have never had success at putting the smoke back into electronic or electric components.

Tony

Either I got a bad switch or I have a different issue and it is worse than a hot switch.  Replaced the switch and it fixed the dash lights.  Went for a drive last night. After 45 minutes with the low beams on the lights went out and then came back on at fast intervals. Both the right and the left went out together. The running lights and tail lights were unaffected. Turning off the lights for a bit allowed them to work again for a moment or two. Using the high beams made it happen almost instantly. Did I get a switch wit ha bad breaker in it or is there something else going on? Where is the most common place to start looking for a short or something on these? Could the sockets go bad and cause this?

The sockets could very well go bad. If using the high beams makes it happen immediately, there's your first place to test.

Posted by: @tiny

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The sockets could very well go bad. If using the high beams makes it happen immediately, there's your first place to test.

This car has 4 bulbs.  No power to the highs unless they are on.  When the highs are on all four bulbs are lit.  It happens with the lows only on also, two bulbs.  With the exception of the grounds the passenger side just branches off of the drivers side.  On the drivers side there are four wires that go to a plug on the fire wall.  On the other side of the firewall there is another plug that connects to a pigtail going the staring column and the dash.  Hoping to avoid having to open up any of the harnesses.  

When we got home last night we checked the sockets and wires and nothing was warm.  To be safe we disconnected the battery.  Called the parts store today and they ordered an additional switch, they stated I could have gotten a bad one.  Still going to remove the bulbs and check for corrosion.  

It is indeed possible to get a bad switch. It was probably made by the Hop Sing switch company.......

If the issue is isolated to the headlights it could be the dimmer switch or the connections to it. I believe it’s mounted on the external surface of the steering column under the dash. 

Installed the replacement new switch and no headlights at all.  Running lights etc. still worked.  Took a multimeter to the wiring and all looks good.  Used electrical contact cleaner to clean up the old switch.  Now the headlight work.  The dash only works on the brightest setting.  The resistor gets hot if I dim the lights and the dash does not light at all.  I think the issue is with the dimmer in the switch for the dash lights.  The parts store ordered a different brand switch for me to try.  For now I can drive as long as the dash is at full brightness.  

Its fixed!  The different switch from NAPA worked great.  This was a part labeled as heavy duty.  It felt heavier than the original.  The resistor in the front of the new part was bigger than the Delco one that was in the car.  Dash lights properly dim and the headlights work no issue.  Not sure why the first two parts did not work in the car and mine required a heavy duty version but it did.  

HI - I have been restoring a lot of GBodys from mid-80s...mostly El Caminos.

Just a tip - if you are running Halogen lights instead of the stock lights.. you will need to add relays, as the stock electrics cant handle the power needed 

I can send you the wiring diagram if you'd like.

-Chase

Thanks for the tip.  My 87 LS came with the Euro nose.  It had stock halogens since it did not use the sealed beam bulbs.  Only the 87 and 88 LS trim had this front end.  I had not thought about the others not having the halogens.  Wonder if that was the issue with the switch.  Well it is working now.  Saved the original Delco switch just in case.  With all the practice swapping them out it is now a 5 minute job.