Dash lights

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blmopar1

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I took my 68 fastback out for a night ride and discovered I had no dash lightd. I checked the bulbs and only had 1 out. the reastat is working the interior lights and head lights. Thanks for any suggestions
 
Have you checked fuse?

The orange wire is dash lights. You can check it for power.
 
No, dash lights are a bit of a trick. The headlight switch has two power sources. One is not fused, feeds ONLY the headlights, and there is a breaker for that in/ on the switch

The tail/ park/ dash lamps are supplied by the fuse for the tail lamps. That power jumpers to the dash dimmer control, and the "dimmed" output goes TO the fuse box on TAN to the small INST fuse at one end of the box. Through the fuse, and then out to dimmer controlled lighting on orange.

So the tail lamps must be working, the dimmer must be "turned to left" and the INST fuse must be good.

Why do you say the rheostat is working?

First thing I'd do is monitor the INST fuse and diddle the rheostat, see if you have anything on either side of that fuse
 
No, dash lights are a bit of a trick. The headlight switch has two power sources. One is not fused, feeds ONLY the headlights, and there is a breaker for that in/ on the switch

The tail/ park/ dash lamps are supplied by the fuse for the tail lamps. That power jumpers to the dash dimmer control, and the "dimmed" output goes TO the fuse box on TAN to the small INST fuse at one end of the box. Through the fuse, and then out to dimmer controlled lighting on orange.

So the tail lamps must be working, the dimmer must be "turned to left" and the INST fuse must be good.

Why do you say the rheostat is working?

First thing I'd do is monitor the INST fuse and diddle the rheostat, see if you have anything on either side of that fuse
I figured the rheostat was working do to when I close the door and turned on the interiors lights.
 
I figured the rheostat was working do to when I close the door and turned on the interiors lights.
When you turn the knob and feel it click, that's not the rheostat, but a seperate switch. That switch closes interior lights circuit.
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You could have a circuit board problem too, but, first determine that juice is getting that far.
 
I checked both sides of the fuse with the switch off and on and still no power
Again if the tail/ park lites work, and if you have the knob "turned left" then pull the switch. Sometimes those rheostats can be cleaned. Switches are easy to get and not very costly.

If you are unaware how to remove the knob/ shaft, you reach up under the dash and find the switch release button, pull the lights on (battery disconnected) then push release, knob and shaft should come out
 
I checked both sides of the fuse with the switch off and on and still no power
With the switch off, only power should be on the 20 amp fuse, no power on the 2 or 3 amp fuse.
With switch on like 67Dart273 explained, then there should be power at the instrument lamp fuse.
 
Just for interest you could jumper the light fuse to one that is hot with a piece of wire temporarily & see if the dash light come on.
 
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