Cluster fun.

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73 Duster 360

73 Duster 360

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I took the instrument cluster out of my 73 Plymouth Duster awhile back to replace the fuel gauge and while I was in there I replaced all of the light bulbs. Now my fuel gauge works but my dash lights don't. I think I bought the right bulbs for replacement, I looked online and asked the guys at AutoZone and got the same answer from both.

Is it possible to twist them in wrong or not have them seated properly? The really weird part is some of the lights come on when I turn on my brights.
 
Not sure if this helps.

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Did you replace the sockets too? Most places will sell you the 1/2 inch sockets rather than the 5/8 that is correct. If you use the 1/2 the copper tabs won’t touch the circuit board, so they won’t light up. Been there, done that…..

Did you buy led bulbs? They will only work one way.
 
Mike69cuda said:
Did you replace the sockets too? Most places will sell you the 1/2 inch sockets rather than the 5/8 that is correct. If you use the 1/2 the copper tabs won’t touch the circuit board, so they won’t light up. Been there, done that…..

Did you buy led bulbs? They will only work one way.
Click to expand...

Not LED bulbs. But yes new sockets the image shows the new one side by side with the old one. New on left (top)

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73 Duster 360 said:
I took the instrument cluster out of my 73 Plymouth Duster awhile back to replace the fuel gauge and while I was in there I replaced all of the light bulbs. Now my fuel gauge works but my dash lights don't. I think I bought the right bulbs for replacement, I looked online and asked the guys at AutoZone and got the same answer from both.

Is it possible to twist them in wrong or not have them seated properly? The really weird part is some of the lights come on when I turn on my brights.
Click to expand...
autozone? yikes.
I would go to the napa in the village. (along highway 18) those guys know what they are talking about. Super nice too. they let me take home 5 DIFFERENT belt sizes because I did not know what size I needed and let me pay for the one I needed when I brought them back.
you'll see if you go there. just pictures all along the ceiling brace of all the customers drag cars.
 
--------" " "FIRST " " "--------- thing to do is to see if the "orange" dash lighting circuit is operating

THAT CIRCUIT is a bit of a trick

There are TWO sources of power to the light switch. One, from the ammeter circuit, supplies ONLY the head lights, nothing else

The second comes from the tail light circuit fuse, and supplies the tail, park, and dash light dimmer controlled lighting. That circuit goes to the dash light dimmer and through it, and OUT of the light switch on the TAN wire, which feeds TO the fuse panel TO the inst fuse, the fuse at one end of the panel---through that fuse and to all dimmer controlled dash lighting via ORANGE wiring.

So for that to work, the tail lights must be working, and turned on, the dash dimmer must be working, and turned "somewhat to the left" and the INST fuse must be good. Probe that fuse with the tail or head lights on, wiggle the dash dimmer and see if there is power on either fuse clip for that fuse
 
Looks like you have some new and some old.

All function the same?

Did they work before removal?

The brass contacts of the bulb holder have to be in contact with the parts of the cir board that the blue arrows are pointing to.

Screenshot_20220116-204629.png
 
Dana67Dart said:
Looks like you have some new and some old.

All function the same?

Did they work before removal?

The brass contacts of the bulb holder have to be in contact with the parts of the cir board that the blue arrows are pointing to.

View attachment 1715854260
Click to expand...
Yeah new and old. I only replaced the ones that had broken plastic and wouldn't stay in place. None of the ones I replaced worked before I changed them out but now none of them work unless my brights are on.

4spdragtop said:
Test the bulb/sockets while out of dash. I'm doing same thing right now.
Click to expand...

Tested each one and they all tested okay.
67Dart273 said:
--------" " "FIRST " " "--------- thing to do is to see if the "orange" dash lighting circuit is operating

THAT CIRCUIT is a bit of a trick

There are TWO sources of power to the light switch. One, from the ammeter circuit, supplies ONLY the head lights, nothing else

The second comes from the tail light circuit fuse, and supplies the tail, park, and dash light dimmer controlled lighting. That circuit goes to the dash light dimmer and through it, and OUT of the light switch on the TAN wire, which feeds TO the fuse panel TO the inst fuse, the fuse at one end of the panel---through that fuse and to all dimmer controlled dash lighting via ORANGE wiring.

So for that to work, the tail lights must be working, and turned on, the dash dimmer must be working, and turned "somewhat to the left" and the INST fuse must be good. Probe that fuse with the tail or head lights on, wiggle the dash dimmer and see if there is power on either fuse clip for that fuse
Click to expand...

I'll test each piece of that puzzle first thing tomorrow, but real quick from reading your post it sounds like if the tail lights aren't working the dash lights won't work. Am I reading that wrong or will a dead tail light kill my dashboard lights?
 
73 Duster 360 said:
Yeah new and old. I only replaced the ones that had broken plastic and wouldn't stay in place. None of the ones I replaced worked before I changed them out but now none of them work unless my brights are on.



Tested each one and they all tested okay.


I'll test each piece of that puzzle first thing tomorrow, but real quick from reading your post it sounds like if the tail lights aren't working the dash lights won't work. Am I reading that wrong or will a dead tail light kill my dashboard lights?
Click to expand...

The tail light circuit must have power. Check the fuse the tail lights are on, and make sure that fuse has power on both fuse clips with the light switch in "park." That could very well be "it."
 
shittyslant6 said:
autozone? yikes.
I would go to the napa in the village. (along highway 18) those guys know what they are talking about. Super nice too. they let me take home 5 DIFFERENT belt sizes because I did not know what size I needed and let me pay for the one I needed when I brought them back.
you'll see if you go there. just pictures all along the ceiling brace of all the customers drag cars.
Click to expand...

I love that NAPA problem is I'm across town and have my car torn apart. Lol AutoZone was in walking distance.
 
67Dart273 said:
The tail light circuit must have power. Check the fuse the tail lights are on, and make sure that fuse has power on both fuse clips with the light switch in "park." That could very well be "it."
Click to expand...
Do I need to reassemble everything before I can check that out will there still be power to the fuse with the instrument cluster out?
 
Did a little digging and found this. It wasn't stripped when I found it I did that in anticipation of connecting it back SOMEWHERE. Any insight into where this connects?

I put my volt meter on it and just get ground whether key is on or off. So I'm assuming the power comes from the side that's disconnected.

16424601934977993656608416704813.jpg
 
73 Duster 360 said:
Do I need to reassemble everything before I can check that out will there still be power to the fuse with the instrument cluster out?
Click to expand...
No you can do that with the cluster out BUT

You must bolt the ammeter terminals together (the large red and large black with eye terminals) and BE CAREFUL, those two ARE NOT FUSED except for the "fuse link" which is darn poor "protection."
 
67Dart273 said:
No you can do that with the cluster out BUT

You must bolt the ammeter terminals together (the large red and large black with eye terminals) and BE CAREFUL, those two ARE NOT FUSED except for the "fuse link" which is darn poor "protection."
Click to expand...


Okay so all 7 of my fuses seem to have power. But I have no tail lights and no horn. I suspect that broken orange wire is to blame. I am studying the manual and having a hard time understanding the wiring diagrams I also have no idea which fuse is THE fuse. Since everything I see online indicates there are supposed to be 8-10 fuses and I only have 7 slots in my fuse block.
 
73 Duster 360 said:
Since everything I see online indicates there are supposed to be 8-10 fuses and I only have 7 slots in my fuse block.
Click to expand...
Well that part is easy. Everything you saw is not for your car's wiring.
73 Duster 360 said:
I am studying the manual and having a hard time understanding the wiring diagrams I also have no idea which fuse is THE fuse
Click to expand...
Well '73 diagrams are more difficult than the early ones.
Fortunately for you, this is '73 week.
Several others have just been posting about '73s and we were just looking at that fuse box.

The '73 and new wiring diagrams have a lot of information packed in and cover various options.
We need to follow and highlight just the ones we are interested in.
This often means on computer or paper, highlighting or redrawing that circuit of interest.
The wires are all given Letter-number identifications.
First letter and number is the circuit. If that wire has a branch or a new section, it will get a letter added.
For example. R6 is alternator output wire. R6a is a branch or new section from R6.
Connectors are similarly identified. C for Connector E for Engine, I for Interior. then a number.

Before the wiring diagrams in the electrical section there is a list of what each fuse is for.
 
Cut and pasting from the other '73 wiring threads

This is the basic power feeds for a '73 Duster unless it has the fleet type alternator or rear window defrost grid.
Of the 7 fuse slots:
2 fed from the main splice are always hot.
3 were fed from the key switch.
upload_2022-1-14_11-20-50-png.png


@67Dart273 posted this from a '73 Factory Service Manual
fuse-jpg.jpg


The written list of what the fuses are for is on pages 8-114 and 8-115.

FYI.
There's a 1974 Master Tech filmstrip and booklet about wiring diagrams. It covers the new style of diagrams introduced in 1973 and explains all of the wire codes. pdf version here: Browse MTSC by Model Year – 1974 – MyMopar
One topic not covered in that booklet is keeping track of the circuit. It might be covered in the filmstrip, I forget. It was covered in the 1960's version of the booklet. Basically it comes down to tracing or drawing just the circuit you're interested in. I think that's even more true on these later diagrams.

Complete listing of the Master Booklets and films is here:
Master Technician Service Conference - Chrysler's Training for Mechanics
Once you know the year to look under you may want to go to the mymopar website to see view them.
 
L is for Lights, H is for Horn
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On a different note
73 Duster 360 said:
I put my volt meter on it and just get ground whether key is on or off. So I'm assuming the power comes from the side that's disconnected.
Click to expand...
There may have been no voltage because a switch was off. For example if that is a wire for some lights, and that wire is after the light switch.
 
The plot thickens!

I noticed there is no connector in this part of the plug that runs down to the brights switch. I obviously took out the cluster and I don't see a loose wire/connector hanging around anywhere.

Looks like it's supposed to be light green. When I pull off the kick panel and lift the carpet it's light green at the foot switch then becomes yellow goes up behind the instrument cluster into a loom that branches off.

Long story short it looks like it MIGHT be the yellowish wire that attaches to orange wire in my picture above. I assume if I am right then by turning on the car, the headlights and the foot switch, that orange wire should be hot.

Here's my question: First, am I right or do I have this backwards? And second, if I am right what is the easiest way to test that wire without completely reassembling the cluster?

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