83 Dash lites no workee....

[limp]

Have this on four eye as more age appropriate but no responses......

Reinstalled the dash with new incandescent ( 194 ) bulbs..... 83 GLX
Bringing the car back to life and was able to hook up the battery to see what lights worked for the first time in about 25 years......
Headlights, HIgh beams, turn signals, brake lights, Back up lights, Heater control lights, Ash tray light, courtesy lights (when door is opened) all worked.....
Heater control and ashtray light went bright to dim using the Headlight switch...

My schematic shows the same fuse and wire that gives power to the heater, ashtray lights is the same as the dash lights so the fuse must be OK........

This dash style was used up through 86?? With the two long narrow electrical connectors that plugged into the printed circuit board... Reused the old printed circuit as it looked to be in excellent condition.....
The seat belt warning light came on when I turned the key to run.... Its the top light of 4 warning lights on the left side of the dash.....

I did smear some silicone grease on where the connectors plugged in and have wondered if this is affecting a good connection??

My plan is to remove the gauge panel, clean up the silicone grease, and check for power to the dash??
Any other ideas here? thanks

 

[AeroCoupe]

First thing I would check is if there is 12V+at the plugs that go to the dash. Then check to make sure the ground wires are also good in the plugs.

 

[90sickfox]

If the dimmer is turned down it will make it look like they don't work. If the aren't working I'd check the headlight switch dimmer circuit.

 

[limp]

If the dimmer is turned down it will make it look like they don't work. If the aren't working I'd check the headlight switch dimmer circuit.

You must have missed the part where the dimmer works fine with what lights up ( Heater/Ashtray lights) which are on the same circuit.. they do split up at a splice....

 

[limp]

Ok, I removed the dash and cleaned up the connections.
Good power to the connector and I checked the ground continuity, same thing.. Hooked it back up and nothing... The entire gauge panel acts dead...
Could it be a bad circuit board? Anyone here have any experience with a circuit board??
I don't know what else it could be??

 

[AeroCoupe]

Trace the copper circuit from the 12v+ source in the harness attaches to the instrument cluster. Snap the harness into the cluster and from there follow the copper to the first light bulb. Use a test light or meter and see if there is power. My guess is it is not present. You now know the break is between the harness and that first point. The printed circuit on my 93 has a break in it so I just soldered an 18 ga piece of wire around it and it has worked like that for a long time.

 

[limp]

Trace the copper circuit from the 12v+ source in the harness attaches to the instrument cluster. Snap the harness into the cluster and from there follow the copper to the first light bulb. Use a test light or meter and see if there is power. My guess is it is not present. You now know the break is between the harness and that first point. The printed circuit on my 93 has a break in it so I just soldered an 18 ga piece of wire around it and it has worked like that for a long time.

Thanks for the direction.... I will give this a try....

 

[mikestang63]

not to state the obvious- if you replaced the bulbs in the dash there is a negative and positive polarity with most LED bulbs.

 

[limp]

not to state the obvious- if you replaced the bulbs in the dash there is a negative and positive polarity with most LED bulbs.

I guess so, but I did not use LED, I replaced mine with just the regular incandescent bulbs... Not even sure the old bulbs worked, but I assumed they were original and I surely did not want to remove my gauges again... My short fat fingers were not made for it...... LOL

 

[limp]

Ruh roh....... Well the bulbs were apparently working, as I could see them from the back side while testing per Aerocoupe's instructions.... I also took my test light to confirm and all I could access were working....
I will need to confirm tonite when it gets dark to turn them on.... Looks like they dont' get very bright and I could not see them light up with the daylight shining in my garage........
Might have to use my " Old man, Gray Hair card on this one...... I will let every one know later tonite......

 

[AeroCoupe]

When you say halogen bulbs do you mean just regular incandescent 194's?

 

[Noobz347]

Halogen bulbs by their nature, run hot.

 

[limp]

When you say halogen bulbs do you mean just regular incandescent 194's?

Yes thats what I meant. My mistake

 

[AeroCoupe]

K. I would caution anyone from running anything any hotter than the factory bulbs.

 

[limp]

K. I would caution anyone from running anything any hotter than the factory bulbs.

I have been looking at new headlights, old guy gets confused sometimes.......

 

[AeroCoupe]

Do yourself a favor and put relays on the low and high beam on your car. Headlight switch will run cooler and the light quality will improve. I’d did this on my 83 and my 93.

 

[limp]

Do yourself a favor and put relays on the low and high beam on your car. Headlight switch will run cooler and the light quality will improve. I’d did this on my 83 and my 93.

Yes, head light relays are in the plans...

 

[limp]

Just went out and checked the lights as its dark here.... No wonder I couldn't see them, they certainly are not very bright...
Is this why people change them to LED??

 

[AeroCoupe]

Could be the rheostat in the light switch is fubar? Are the rest of the lights bright and dim like they should? If so check the two grounds on the cluster wiring harness.

 

[limp]

Could be the rheostat in the light switch is fubar? Are the rest of the lights bright and dim like they should? If so check the two grounds on the cluster wiring harness.

Thanks for the direction again......
Noticed the headlight switch had to be turned about 1/2 way for the dash lights to even start to light up.... Is this a sign of a rheostat going bad?