What is it?

Flash to Pass is used to signal other drivers on the road that you wish to pass them. It can also be used as a friendly wave to other rotorheads.

To use flash to pass on most other cars, one simply pulls back on the combination switch stalk, and in turn the high beams will illuminate, signalling other drivers. In our cars, pulling the stalk still illuminates the high beams, however since the lights are retracted, it is pointless.

What my modification does is flip up the lights and turn on the high beams when the combination switch is pulled back toward the driver. All other functions of the headlamps function as stock. This includes high beams, and the switch that raises the lamps, without the lights on.

What you will need:



(1) Phillips #2 Screwdriver
(1) Suitable power diode. (Costs less than 25cents)

I used a 1N5408 diode. This was a diode I had lying around, and was probably overkill for this application. (Blocks up to 400V DC)
You can also use:

RadioShack Part# 276-1114 (2500mA diode)
NTE5800 to NTE5809
1N5800 to 1N5809

Practically any 2.5 - 3A diode with a suitable reverse blocking voltage.

How to go about it



Start by removing the five screws holding the bottom of the plastic covering the steering column. Gently pull the bottom cover off. You may have to remove the trim ring around the ignition as well.

Once you have the plastic off, you will notice it is connected to the car still via the wiring to illuminate the key. Just leave it hanging, unless you need the extra room.



Look for a six pin while plastic plug. This is what we are going to be adding the diode to. Unplug the connector by depressing the latch at the top and wiggling until it is free.



The following wire colours are for a 84/85. You will want to check your year of RX-7 follows the same colours. A brief check of both the 79 and 83 wiring diagrams show the same colours used as the 84/85.

We want to find the Red wire and the Red/Blue Stripe wire. The Red wire is the trigger circuit to raise the lights.

The Red wire with a Blue Stripe is the circuit for the high beam lamps. What we want to do is bend the diode into a U shape and then push it into the socket of the Red and Red/Blue wire. The lead on the white line side of the diode MUST go into the Red wire socket.



Now all that is left is to reinsert the plug into the combination switch. Take care and ensure that both the connectors on the steering column and the diode all make good solid contact. You can test out the different functions now. Try pulling back on the stalk and ensure the lights pop up briefly and then retract. Ensure the high beams illuminate as well as the high beam indicator in the gauge cluster. Test all your turn signals and lights.



Once you are satisfied that everything is working, replace the cover and try it all again. Sometimes things can get jostled when you screw the cover down.

If something doesn't work, try removing the diode and re-seating it. It may take a few tries to get everything into the position for optimal contact.

A little added tech

How this modification works is by allowing the high beam current to not only illuminate the high beams but as well to provide a little current to activate the headlamp raising circuitry.



We use a diode because we do not want the current from the headlight raising circuitry to flow through to the high beam circuitry. Diodes only allow current through in one direction, thus making them a perfect device for our means. The diode is shown in red in the schematic above.

 

Archive.

 

Cool write up, reminds me of the old Porsche's that flipped the headlights up when the flash to pass was activated.

Got a video of the mod in action?

 

Hell yea! I agree it's archive worthy. +1

 

Excellent! This really is cool. With the Diode explanation, you've also helped me troubleshoot another problem. Thanks again!

 

+1 on archive..gangsta.

:AA:

 

i am so doing this tomorrow and getting a vid put up on youtube.

 

what an awesome idea! +1 for archive!!!

 

wait till i get a vid up for the archive

 

That is awsome. I have toyed with that idea for a while. I always thought it was stupid to have a flash to pass with the headlights down. I will definatly be adding this to the list. Thanks!

 

archive!!!!

 

amazing!

Im soooo doing this

Here, have a cookie

 

here is a video of the flash to pass mod
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9NRSKLL7As

 

i posted a new one because you archived it before i could get a vid up please add this to that thread

 

Cool. You weren't kidding when you said you'd get it done quickly! It is strange that for a car made back in the day that it didn't have the correct provisions to flash to pass. The definitely took care of it with the 2nd Gen though. Cool mod, I won't do it just because messing with the wiring on a car this old scares me. If you hold the flash to pass lever do the lights stay up or cycle?

 

cycle that what i was trying to show you'll kind of ricerish but ill keep it for a while. see how i like it if i dont like it after a while ill take it out its just pushes in not even a big deal to take out

 

Sometimes I hold the flash to pass back to see street signs and stuff. .it'd be weird if the lights cycled!

 

The high beams do not cycle. The raise/lower operation will cycle ONLY if the headlights were already down to begin with. If the headlights are on and you pull back the lever, the high beams come on as normal, and no movement occurs in the lights.

I don't know whether I would call this ricer as it adds a function virtually every other car has.

 

I'm talking about when the are down if you hold the lever back and drive like that its kind of ricerish. i could see some people getting a hold of this mod and driving like that just to turn heads. i do like it if you are going to use it as intended.

 

I just read the other thread and now saw the vid. I think I have a diode laying around I can try this with. It so easy to do why not? Good mod for a first gen.

 

in case people are wondering : https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.php?t=727517

 

i want them to add my vid i wish they would have waited like i asked the mods to do. and they wonder why we talk about them.

 

I might be interested in this but I need to clear things up since I'm still a bit confused.

This is kind of what I'm thinking how it works (correct me if I'm wrong):
The flash to pass only works when the headlights are down/ no lights on/ pull on the high beam stick/ it stays flashing/ pull on the high beam stick/ turns the flashing off?

 

I think this is way better then the flash to pass lenses in the second gen's bumper. Definantly one to do.

 

it is a pretty good mod for not actually doing any real wiring i would like to do something to get a little better time delay on it. ill play with it if i feel like getting under there and doing tests on it.