73moparman
Well-Known Member
hello i have a 73 duster with the non ralleye gauge cluster and i have no dash lights, i cant imagine all of the bulbs are burnt out, could it be the switch??
73 duster dash lights
- Thread starter 73moparman
- Start date
-
67Dart273
Well-Known Member
Fuse box diagrams: These are out of the 74 manual, so I hope they are the same
First, do ANY dimmer controlled lamps work? Radio? Heater bezel? Gear selector?
If not, then..............................
NOTICE that "cavity one" also refers you to "cavity eight"
That's because the dash lamp circuit is a little trick.
Headlight ONLY that is NOT park, tail, or dash lamps is supplied by a separate power lead.
Tail, park, and dash lamp power comes FROM fuse 8 TO the tail / park/ dash light circuit of the headlight switch , so check that fuse and make sure your park/ tail lamps are working.
Then that power internally in the headlight switch goes to the dash lamp dimmer control, OUT of the control and TO cavity 1 , the instrument lamp fuse. This fuse WILL NOT get power unless............
Tail fuse in cavity one is good and working
Lamp switch is in tail or head "on"
Dimmer control postitioned IE "bright"
Then at this point you should have power TO that fuse in cavity 1
So get that far, then check that you have power on both sides of fuse 1
From fuse 1, power goes OUT to all dimmer controlled lamps.
First, do ANY dimmer controlled lamps work? Radio? Heater bezel? Gear selector?
If not, then..............................
NOTICE that "cavity one" also refers you to "cavity eight"
That's because the dash lamp circuit is a little trick.
Headlight ONLY that is NOT park, tail, or dash lamps is supplied by a separate power lead.
Tail, park, and dash lamp power comes FROM fuse 8 TO the tail / park/ dash light circuit of the headlight switch , so check that fuse and make sure your park/ tail lamps are working.
Then that power internally in the headlight switch goes to the dash lamp dimmer control, OUT of the control and TO cavity 1 , the instrument lamp fuse. This fuse WILL NOT get power unless............
Tail fuse in cavity one is good and working
Lamp switch is in tail or head "on"
Dimmer control postitioned IE "bright"
Then at this point you should have power TO that fuse in cavity 1
So get that far, then check that you have power on both sides of fuse 1
From fuse 1, power goes OUT to all dimmer controlled lamps.
Was it working previously / recently? Could just be some corrosion in the dimmer pot. I had my car apart for a while and just put power to it for the first time in several months a few days ago. I had same problem initially. I rotated the dimmer end to end several times and they started working. The more I work it the better they get.
73moparman
Well-Known Member
Never have worked..ive rotated the dimmer switch and everything..when I get some time ill tear into it and see what I can figure out from your guys information..thanks a lot. I appreciate it.
Never have worked ? I'll bet they did. If they never worked during the time ou've owned the car... There is one fuse that doesn't show any power at either end until the park lamps are pulled on. If a new fuse there will blow immediately when the park lamps are pulled on... Orange wires are the ones to inspect. These go to radio, ash tray, many more places.
If the ignition switch has ever been replaced, the orange wire going to the column shift indicator may be in the wrong position in the switch connector. I've seen this before. Hope this helps.
If the ignition switch has ever been replaced, the orange wire going to the column shift indicator may be in the wrong position in the switch connector. I've seen this before. Hope this helps.
tekslk
Well-Known Member
New switch 15 dollars not worth the aggravation. ebay or rock auto
73moparman
Well-Known Member
Are they hard to replace?
tekslk
Well-Known Member
Very easy they unplug, than there is a button you push to pull your knob out 15 min job at best, or worse.
67Dart273
Well-Known Member
There's no reason at all to replace the switch until you've made a couple of very easy checks.............................................................................................................................................
Disconnect neg battery cable. remove Phillips head screw at fuse box. Gently move fuse box up , back, down, so it rest behind its support bracket. Pull head light switch full on.
Reach in on right side behind dash and push small release button to completely remove knob/stem. If you don't have dash bezel nut tool ( most don't ) you can use snap ring plier, etc.. I usually just use a small screw driver or pick to push the nut counter clockwise which rotating the switch left and right to loosen the nut and spin it on off.
The switch will now move back and down from behind the dash to access its harness connector. Notice the small locating tang where the switch is positioned in the dash. That's where I got the small amount of movement in the hole.
No need to push the release button on the new switch when reinstalling the stem.
The new switch should have a male spade connector at the very back for a ground wire. If your model car doesn't have a chassis ground wire to put there, I recommend you make one and put it there.
Reach in on right side behind dash and push small release button to completely remove knob/stem. If you don't have dash bezel nut tool ( most don't ) you can use snap ring plier, etc.. I usually just use a small screw driver or pick to push the nut counter clockwise which rotating the switch left and right to loosen the nut and spin it on off.
The switch will now move back and down from behind the dash to access its harness connector. Notice the small locating tang where the switch is positioned in the dash. That's where I got the small amount of movement in the hole.
No need to push the release button on the new switch when reinstalling the stem.
The new switch should have a male spade connector at the very back for a ground wire. If your model car doesn't have a chassis ground wire to put there, I recommend you make one and put it there.
73moparman
Well-Known Member
I dont have a fuse panel like yours mine just has seven 20 amp fuses..
73moparman
Well-Known Member
None of the dash lights work, heater lights, shift indicator..nothing except the dome light works, what could be the problem??
67Dart273
Well-Known Member
Did you read anything I posted?
Did you make any checks?
Do you have power AS DESCRIBED at the instrument fuse?
In other words what have you done?
You can't just sit here and guess. Neither can we
I do not have a 73 shop manual. If you have the older style fuse panel, your wiring is likely much closer to 72 than 74 which is what I posted
Here is the download thread. Download the 72 shop manual
http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=244981
Somewhat useable, but not exactly complete, are diagrams from MyMopar:
http://www.mymopar.com/downloads/1973/73ValiantA.jpg
http://www.mymopar.com/downloads/1973/73ValiantB.jpg
Regardless of the type of fuse panel, you STILL have a tail fuse supplying power to the tail/ park/ dash circuits of the switch
You STILL have an inst. fuse which is the output of the dimmer control. This fuse will be on one end of the fuse panel.
Look at diagram "A" above. The inst. fuse is the very top fuse, in the top right of the diagram. Notice the tan and orange wires
Go to diagram "B" Follow tan in from top left, down the page and there's the light switch. This wire as I said in the earlier post is the OUTPUT coming OUT of the dimmer control. You will not have power there unless the TAIL fuse is good and the light switch is ON, either park or head, AND the dimmer control must be turned somewhat to the LEFT
That power would be coming TO the light switch on the PINK wire, which if you follow it up and to the left and off the page, and back onto diagram "A" it goes to the third fuse from the top which is the TAIL fuse.
73moparman
Well-Known Member
I said I dont have the same fuse box as a 74..in my previous quote. I dont know what to test if I dont know where the fuses power
73moparman
Well-Known Member
Downloading the manual now
73moparman
Well-Known Member
fuse number seven is indeed blown!
73moparman
Well-Known Member
Okay replaced the fuse and bam got dash lights..still have no heater control lights or gear selector..floor shift.
67Dart273
Well-Known Member
Those lights all come off the same fuse. That is, all dash dimmer controlled lights come off orange wires on the "downwind" end of the inst. fuse. So if you have some but not others, it's troubles with connectors in the harness, or unhooked, or individual bad bulbs, grounding, or corrosion, etc.
Every one of those is likely a bad bulb. The gear indicator lamp isn't so hard to access through the left side of the console. That bulb socket can drop out of place too easy.
The lamp in the 73 climate controller can be a challenge. Easier path is probably removing the glove box.
Factory service manuals are a great help. Happy moparing
73moparman
Well-Known Member
Awesome guys thanks for all the great info u guys are a huge help..got my dash lights working..got my steering column in the right position..and took that dang tiny grant steering wheel off and put a factory one on..happy happy happy.
-
