If someone takes the time to try to help another person, their efforts should be applauded.
I always appreciate the effort even if it does not bear fruit.
I always appreciate the effort even if it does not bear fruit.
Turn signal switch, taillight not lighting up, no dash lights and more!
- Thread starter Kern Dog
- Start date
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Bennoel 10
Well-Known Member
Iirc one time it was a loose speed nut on the printed dash circuit board. I believe over time some corrosion hampered the connection ?
Well done Greg. Way to figure it out.
michiganpat
Well-Known Member
my 50 year old headlight switch crapped out on me this year as well, went with the Standard Motor Product part (DS357 for my '76, looks like DS165 for a '72) not their T-series, the more expensive one. everything has worked flawlessly since.
The 1 piece headlight switch required Knob turned all the way left to turn on dome light and just off that detent was the dash lighting brightness.. Try moving the knob left and right with the headlights on to see if they illuminate.
Thank you. I have tried that with each one, none of them made a difference.
Sometimes when the symptoms don't change despite replacing a part with another part, the problem lies elsewhere.
Sometimes when the symptoms don't change despite replacing a part with another part, the problem lies elsewhere.
Swinger 340
Well-Known Member
Check your grounds to the grill. Had a side marker out once and found out there was a bad ground at the front turn signal (loose screw).
I did find the wire diagram. The last fuse on the end is for the instrument lamps.
With or without a fuse, I was getting nothing. The terminals have scale rust.
The switch connector has this pattern.
The pen points to the terminal that sends power to the fuse.
Lower right corner, angled slightly.
With the first click, it lights up. Power should be going to the fuse box but it isn’t consistent. The input side of the fuse should be hot when the test light is on but it hasn’t been. The top terminal with orange wires is the instrument feed.
Ideally, id unplug the fuse panel and dunk it in CLR or Evaporust but instead, I pulled a few terminals out to soak on the table.
This should eat up the corrosion. If it didn’t fix this, at least I may have stopped a future failure by eliminating corrosion that would likely pose some problem later.
With or without a fuse, I was getting nothing. The terminals have scale rust.
The switch connector has this pattern.
The pen points to the terminal that sends power to the fuse.
Lower right corner, angled slightly.
With the first click, it lights up. Power should be going to the fuse box but it isn’t consistent. The input side of the fuse should be hot when the test light is on but it hasn’t been. The top terminal with orange wires is the instrument feed.
Ideally, id unplug the fuse panel and dunk it in CLR or Evaporust but instead, I pulled a few terminals out to soak on the table.
This should eat up the corrosion. If it didn’t fix this, at least I may have stopped a future failure by eliminating corrosion that would likely pose some problem later.
The fuse in this terminal looked fine:
I bridged over the terminals on the back side and pulled the switch....
....Still no dash lights so the problem is a bit deeper. I'm wondering if I did something as stupid as put in the bulb sockets with dead bulbs in them!
At least with the fuse panel terminals cleaned up that should be one less weak point.
I bridged over the terminals on the back side and pulled the switch....
....Still no dash lights so the problem is a bit deeper. I'm wondering if I did something as stupid as put in the bulb sockets with dead bulbs in them!
At least with the fuse panel terminals cleaned up that should be one less weak point.
1WildRT
Well-Known Member
If the test light shows no power at the fuse box than the bulbs aren't the current problem...
You have power at the switch, did you get power at the fuse box on than terminal?
If not you might want to replace that wire, but first I would try pinpointing a possible break in the wire
The wire from the headlight switch to the fuse panel is tan, 18 gauge. I get inconsistent readings at each end of it but the end at the switch lights up most of the time while the fuse end is not as consistent.
It does make sense to replace the wire in case there are strands broken off behind the insulation. Even when both ends light up and I "jumper" the fuse, the other side does technically get power but the dash is still dark.
I worry a bit about the fragile pins on the back of the instrument cluster, I think that is where power to the gauge lighting comes in. I have spare panels in the attic if I need to replace this one.
It does make sense to replace the wire in case there are strands broken off behind the insulation. Even when both ends light up and I "jumper" the fuse, the other side does technically get power but the dash is still dark.
I worry a bit about the fragile pins on the back of the instrument cluster, I think that is where power to the gauge lighting comes in. I have spare panels in the attic if I need to replace this one.
1WildRT
Well-Known Member
Unplug the headlight switch, jumper from the battery power connection to the tan wire, that way you eliminate the switch as a variable.. Now probe the brown wire at the fuse box...
Or as another option, on the fuse box jumper power from one of the 12v points to the inst lamp circuit, do the dash lights light? if so you know all that stuff from the fuse to the bulbs is good...
isolate sections & pinpoint the issue
Or as another option, on the fuse box jumper power from one of the 12v points to the inst lamp circuit, do the dash lights light? if so you know all that stuff from the fuse to the bulbs is good...
isolate sections & pinpoint the issue
I have tried bridging from other terminals that have power to the "orange wires" on the fuse terminal and still get no dash lights.
From what I have encountered, the insulation on wires associated to lights in the dash panel is orange. That does help with following the leads.
The instrument panel is not original but it fits and matches the 73-74 model years. I put this in maybe 15 years ago? I don't remember exactly.
It is dreary and unpleasant outside so I'm struggling to muster up motivation to get out there to do things!
This car sat for years in a grassy field with at least one window partially down. Surface rust was on a lot of things.
From what I have encountered, the insulation on wires associated to lights in the dash panel is orange. That does help with following the leads.
The instrument panel is not original but it fits and matches the 73-74 model years. I put this in maybe 15 years ago? I don't remember exactly.
It is dreary and unpleasant outside so I'm struggling to muster up motivation to get out there to do things!
This car sat for years in a grassy field with at least one window partially down. Surface rust was on a lot of things.
1WildRT
Well-Known Member
Yet, the weather has been crappy, if you want to drop it till things warm up I'd certainly understand... Maybe next year.... LOL..
But yeah, it's sounding like more than one issue & those pins are always suspect... On the bulbs, usually if they are bad they get dark like soot deposits inside the bulb
The CLR did eliminate some of the corrosion but I seem to recall having better results with Evaporust.
I’m going to dunk these in the Evaporust and let them soak a day.
I’m going to dunk these in the Evaporust and let them soak a day.
1WildRT
Well-Known Member
Tarn-x works well.... five minutes in Tarn-x & your done
mopowers
Well-Known Member
Maybe hit the contacts with a thin sanding cartridge. Or maybe wrap some sandpaper/red scotchbrite around a screw and give it a spin?
A humble moment will come for all of us.
I pulled the cluster. I think I want to replace this cover. It is scuffed up, it is chipped at the lower right corner too. The instruments look great. Turning it over…
MOST of the instrument light bulbs are missing. I think I know what I was thinking when I put this cluster in place…. I figured I’d be going through the dash when I restore the interior so I didn’t do a complete job to it. In the stash, I had some sockets and bulbs and tested them…..
Sadly, at least half of the bulbs in the box were dead. They looked fine but did not light up. I made sure to test each before installing them back.
I have another IP piece to use, it is blank between the light switch and speedometer like the early cars were. I have no idea of what is OEM correct.
I can take time to restore this but…. Is there anyone reproducing these in OEM fashion? I’ve seen custom ones but I’d like to keep a stock type look here.
I pulled the cluster. I think I want to replace this cover. It is scuffed up, it is chipped at the lower right corner too. The instruments look great. Turning it over…
MOST of the instrument light bulbs are missing. I think I know what I was thinking when I put this cluster in place…. I figured I’d be going through the dash when I restore the interior so I didn’t do a complete job to it. In the stash, I had some sockets and bulbs and tested them…..
Sadly, at least half of the bulbs in the box were dead. They looked fine but did not light up. I made sure to test each before installing them back.
I have another IP piece to use, it is blank between the light switch and speedometer like the early cars were. I have no idea of what is OEM correct.
I can take time to restore this but…. Is there anyone reproducing these in OEM fashion? I’ve seen custom ones but I’d like to keep a stock type look here.
I’ll need to get some of that.
Hmmmm….
Holy crap, it worked!
That is impressive. When I use the Evaporust, the finish usually needs no scuffing to clear off anything. The CLR liquid did not change color overnight so I thought maybe it didn’t do much.
80 grit sandpaper took care of this.
Thanks!
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Man…. We get used to new cars with brighter bulbs, clean lenses with no scratches or fogging and an old car lighting looks so dim!
Cleaning the fuse terminals helped along with grounding the panel. The screws that mount it to the dash frame press against the steel panel housing. When grounded, it lit up. The battery is low here, 12.19V so it may get brighter with a fully charged battery and the car running.
Score!
1WildRT
Well-Known Member
I had someone ask about polishing the gauge lens recently... I suggested Mothers... He thought that would be to harsh, I told him to try it anyway...
It seemed to work...
The little mini buffer seemed to really help...
It seemed to work...
The little mini buffer seemed to really help...
I do have some plastic polish here I'll try but I am open to other options if this stuff isn't good enough.
dibbons
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the heads up. My two grandkids just busted my turn signal switch in the '72 Satellite Sebring Plus using it as a gearshift.
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