I replaced both the halogen headlight with the conventional sealed beam bulb, and also replaced the dimmer switch. UPS must have had a different driver on my route, since the packagage with the dimmer switch was delivered to one of my neighbors, so I didn't get it until after I installed the non-halogen bulb. This gave me a chance to try the solutions independently of each other.
With all sealed beam headlights on the car, the headlights still flickered on high beams. So much for the lower current draw of non-halogen headlights. A check of the old dimmer switch revealed that it was quite warm to the touch. Not hot enough to get burned, but uncomfortably hot. Out of curiousity, I felt the headlight switch and accidentally touched the rehostat (the part that dims the dash lights). Ouch! Now I know what you're talking about with the headlight switch normally being warm.
In dismay, I put the car away to wait for the new dimmer switch. Two hours later, my neighbor stops by to drop off the errant package. Inside was a brand new Motorcraft dimmer switch. Hopes rising, I set about replacing the switch. Naturally, the replacement switch, even though marked with a C0 Ford number, seemed to be a little different than the factory original dimmer switch. It plugged right in, but the base was a little narrower, which forced me to drill a new hole in the floor so I could mount the switch. Why do the jobs that look the simplest become so complicated???
Anyway, I tried running the headlights on high beams with the new switch, and for the short test I had time to run, the switch never heated up, and the lights never flickered. I'll know better once I have more time to let it run on high beams for a good long time.
On a side note, I tested the voltage output at the headlight connector while replacing the bulb. On battery voltage (engine off), I saw about 10.75 volts (this was before I installed the new dimmer switch). I couldn't find any literature that would tell me if that's ok or not. I assume there should be a little voltage drop because of both the length of wire involved and the circuit going through both a headlight and dimmer switch. Don't know if that's enough to give me a 2 volt drop or not. The light is nice and bright, though, so that I'm going to assume that everything is otherwise ok.
Thanks for all your help and suggestions. I may not be out of the woods yet, but the future's looking a lot brighter (no pun intended).
Joe
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