74 duster electrical issues

[jeffs]

HELP! purchased this 74 duster had what I thought were a few small electrical issues the main one being the dash lights will not go on. replaced switch, did nothing. today I started digging into it more under dash. I found a cluster of wirers melted together. It seems to start or finish under the dash and goes into the engine compartment firewall. The car starts, runs and the only thing I can tell not working is the dash lights. on the firewall near the brake booster there are 3 sets of wirers that plug into the firewall, the middle set is the issue. Anybody have any ideas? what caused it? do they sell a replacement harness? Would that set of wirers effect the dash lights or is this another problem! Simple problem turns into a nightmare. Thanks!

 

[JDMopar]

Pull the instrument cluster out of the dash, and check the round plug where it plugs onto the instrument cluster. All of the dash light wires, in the under dash harness should be orange. Test the bulbs that are in the little black sockets in the back of the cluster. You can also use a test light at the round plug to see if voltage comes to the orange wire in it when you cut the lights on. That round plug, plugs onto what looks like a circle of finishing nails. I once had dash lights in a 74 Swinger that didn't work, and the nail looking thing was broken loose from the cluster. Hope this helps some, and good luck.

 

[zkx14]

HELP! purchased this 74 duster had what I thought were a few small electrical issues the main one being the dash lights will not go on. replaced switch, did nothing. today I started digging into it more under dash. I found a cluster of wirers melted together. It seems to start or finish under the dash and goes into the engine compartment firewall. The car starts, runs and the only thing I can tell not working is the dash lights. on the firewall near the brake booster there are 3 sets of wirers that plug into the firewall, the middle set is the issue. Anybody have any ideas? what caused it? do they sell a replacement harness? Would that set of wirers effect the dash lights or is this another problem! Simple problem turns into a nightmare. Thanks!

There are lots of lights on the dash...What exactly doesn't work? What DOES work? The ' cluster of wirers melted together' Sounds like the factory welded splice that is supposed to be there. Are the conductors fused together and wrapped? Why do you think something is wrong with the center connector of the bulkhead?