dash lights not working
- Thread starter wlecat
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d55dave
Well-Known Member
The wire wound potentiometer in the headlight switch is probably bad - check for voltage at one of the dash lights, it should be variable 0 - 12 volts as you turn the headlight switch.
440plus6
Well-Known Member
x2-The ground will mess you up every time!
67Dart273
Well-Known Member
PLEASE POST the YEAR make and model you are working on. "We" can't remember what all you own.
Access the instrument fuse, turn the headlight switch to park or head, and crank the dash dimmer control to the left. You should have power on both sides of that fuse
Access the instrument fuse, turn the headlight switch to park or head, and crank the dash dimmer control to the left. You should have power on both sides of that fuse
1971 Rallye dash:
I have dim dash lights and posted about it before in other threads.
I went about hooking a ground wire off the headlight switch and the right side board but still the same issue.
All new 194 bulbs and even new sockets.
My question is where EXACTLY do I need to attach an external ground?
Is it just a matter of any circuit board mounting stud or is there a specific area.
My radio lights up nicely I assume because it is properly grounded.
Pictures would be most helpful.
Thanks Ron
I have dim dash lights and posted about it before in other threads.
I went about hooking a ground wire off the headlight switch and the right side board but still the same issue.
All new 194 bulbs and even new sockets.
My question is where EXACTLY do I need to attach an external ground?
Is it just a matter of any circuit board mounting stud or is there a specific area.
My radio lights up nicely I assume because it is properly grounded.
Pictures would be most helpful.
Thanks Ron
The fine point that make a difference....
You might have noticed nearly every bulb location has a screw beside it. Those screws are on copper chassis grond contact pads but... They aren't all connected together by the copper traces. This means if you do connect a ground wire at only one of those screws your result may be that one bulb burning much brighter than all others. Why is in the fine points. The aforementioned screws have kep washers against the copper pad. Corrosion on that washer and the copper pad equal less that good conduction. If you will take the time to clean every component in this daisy chain of a ground path you can then attach your actual copper ground wire to most any one of them. I recommend it be attached as low as possible so accidental yank on this wire doesn't break bulb sockets, etc..
You might have noticed nearly every bulb location has a screw beside it. Those screws are on copper chassis grond contact pads but... They aren't all connected together by the copper traces. This means if you do connect a ground wire at only one of those screws your result may be that one bulb burning much brighter than all others. Why is in the fine points. The aforementioned screws have kep washers against the copper pad. Corrosion on that washer and the copper pad equal less that good conduction. If you will take the time to clean every component in this daisy chain of a ground path you can then attach your actual copper ground wire to most any one of them. I recommend it be attached as low as possible so accidental yank on this wire doesn't break bulb sockets, etc..
d55dave
Well-Known Member
Is there anything spliced.into them? A tach or some other accessory light? Does the voltage at the radio light measure the same as the at the dash lights?
Excellent point about how one clean point as apposed to all clean points.
Another excellent point, the radio is lit by the same orange wire but I haven't actually measured with a meter.
Thanks
Ron
The radio has about 11.60V and so does the two orange wires (one at each circuit board).
That was with car off parking lights on.
So I pulled everything out yesterday and cleaned all board connections and used dialectical grease where applicable.
Found the pin on the driver side board loose and soldered it.
Made up a grounding harness to go to the board and headlight switch and then to the dash stud that the column bolts to.
Replaced all bulbs with 194's and tested each in the new sockets and mounted into the board.
Did a temp. hook-up and still have dash lights about half of the radio light.
The only thing I could think of next was to order LED bulbs so I will have to wait for them to arrive.
Although all of my gauges work properly when driving you can always hear a click from instruments from time to time.
I assume that is the instrument regulator in the gas gauge.
Should I replace that with a new electronic type even though the gauges work properly.
Does that come into play at all with dash bulb brightness?
Thanks again
Ron
Gauge voltage limiter has absolutely nothing to do with anything other than the 3 thermal gauges it supplies.
The only part of the ground path left to service is the ground strap from engine block to firewall.
As for your positive side of the circuit,
11.6 volts isn't 12. Start the engine and you might see 13 + and brighter lights.
You need to realize there are only 4 bulbs for illumination in the panel. It never was quite as bright as the radio dial of floor shift bezel where a brighter and more direct type of lamp is used in those.
Sylvania #2825 is a slightly brighter than OEM incandescent bulb but... they aren't enough brighter to justify that expense after you already purchased the 194.
You may not be happy with LEDs either. Some are, some aren't.
For what its worth... the 2825 bulbs in my 67 rally dash looks fine at night but during day I can hardly tell their on. I should mention I've soldered a jumper over the dimmer rheostat so they are full on no matter where the knob is rotated to.
The only part of the ground path left to service is the ground strap from engine block to firewall.
As for your positive side of the circuit,
11.6 volts isn't 12. Start the engine and you might see 13 + and brighter lights.
You need to realize there are only 4 bulbs for illumination in the panel. It never was quite as bright as the radio dial of floor shift bezel where a brighter and more direct type of lamp is used in those.
Sylvania #2825 is a slightly brighter than OEM incandescent bulb but... they aren't enough brighter to justify that expense after you already purchased the 194.
You may not be happy with LEDs either. Some are, some aren't.
For what its worth... the 2825 bulbs in my 67 rally dash looks fine at night but during day I can hardly tell their on. I should mention I've soldered a jumper over the dimmer rheostat so they are full on no matter where the knob is rotated to.
True but he might do a little more probing and fine he doesn't have good battery voltage anywhere in the cabin. The dim lighting is the visual evidence just like all those other commonly posted symptoms, amp gauge and/or headlights flicker with turn signal operation, etc..
Ok since last post I've done a few more things but first I want to address some other comments or observations.
I have no charging problems what so ever, no dimming or blinking headlights with signal use. No bouncing amp meter to report. All gauges work properly.
This car is a 4 speed without console so no power running to anywhere except radio. The radio is much brighter and does adjust accordingly with the headlight switch also..
Yes I know the radio uses a different type bulb.
Yes I know I'm testing with the car off and not running, yes I know there are only four small bulbs but any other car (B-Body or E-body) I've owned after everything thing I've done here already would have been fixed.
So since last post I completely cleaned the fuse box with WD-40 and compressed air. I made the two Orange wires that leave the fuse box have a tight clean fit.
Testing at the fuse is has 12.20 across or should say either side. It has about 11.9 when switch is pulled out to parking light or headlight position.
Tried with power (Orange wire) only connected to one board at a time and either board is same dull brightness.
I will say after all this extra cleaning it is the brightest it has ever been but I really think it should give more.
The only thing I don't have right now is a strap from the block to firewall. I do have the pigtail on Neg. cable to rad. support and the neg. cable to block.
Since I ordered the LED's I'll try them and report back to you guys and add a ground strap to firewall.
Thanks for all the advice!!!
Ron
I have no charging problems what so ever, no dimming or blinking headlights with signal use. No bouncing amp meter to report. All gauges work properly.
This car is a 4 speed without console so no power running to anywhere except radio. The radio is much brighter and does adjust accordingly with the headlight switch also..
Yes I know the radio uses a different type bulb.
Yes I know I'm testing with the car off and not running, yes I know there are only four small bulbs but any other car (B-Body or E-body) I've owned after everything thing I've done here already would have been fixed.
So since last post I completely cleaned the fuse box with WD-40 and compressed air. I made the two Orange wires that leave the fuse box have a tight clean fit.
Testing at the fuse is has 12.20 across or should say either side. It has about 11.9 when switch is pulled out to parking light or headlight position.
Tried with power (Orange wire) only connected to one board at a time and either board is same dull brightness.
I will say after all this extra cleaning it is the brightest it has ever been but I really think it should give more.
The only thing I don't have right now is a strap from the block to firewall. I do have the pigtail on Neg. cable to rad. support and the neg. cable to block.
Since I ordered the LED's I'll try them and report back to you guys and add a ground strap to firewall.
Thanks for all the advice!!!
Ron
67Dart273
Well-Known Member
"Brightness" could be a very subjective term. Before you get much deeper as it seems you have gone through things pretty well, you might want to try it out in the dark to see how it looks, if you have not.
Yep had the wife turn off the garage lights at testing times.
For now I'll add the ground strap to the firewall and wait for LED's to come.
Thanks
Ron
67Dart273
Well-Known Member
Just for ...... some guys have had very mixed results with LEDs
One thing you might do if you have not is check voltage TO the light switch. This comes from the fuse supplying the tail lights
Also, maybe you are aware, but you must check this stuff "under the load," that is, with lights turned up and working, etc.
One thing you might do if you have not is check voltage TO the light switch. This comes from the fuse supplying the tail lights
Also, maybe you are aware, but you must check this stuff "under the load," that is, with lights turned up and working, etc.
OK wanted to update this thread once the LED's arrived.
I have to say they did the trick! The cluster is now double the brightness it was with new 194 bulbs in it.
It does have the slightest blue tint to it but I feel that's to be expected since they pass through the blue cups in the factory dash.
So for me this ended on a good note. These are the one's I bought of E-Bay
http://www.ebay.com/itm/331049925453?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649
The only bad thing is since I pulled the cluster I figured might as well repaint the dash frame, rebuild the heater box and steering column.
Being anal isn't all it's cracked up to be!!!!:burnout:
Ron
I have to say they did the trick! The cluster is now double the brightness it was with new 194 bulbs in it.
It does have the slightest blue tint to it but I feel that's to be expected since they pass through the blue cups in the factory dash.
So for me this ended on a good note. These are the one's I bought of E-Bay
http://www.ebay.com/itm/331049925453?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649
The only bad thing is since I pulled the cluster I figured might as well repaint the dash frame, rebuild the heater box and steering column.
Being anal isn't all it's cracked up to be!!!!:burnout:
Ron
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