Dash lights
 

I have been doing a search for dash lights, but can't seem to find an answer. I have a 69 C/10 I sent my dash bezel out to one of the board members along with what was suppose to be an NOS 6 cycling tack. He rebuilt it with new bezel, added an electric clock, new curcuit board, added tack, new light bulbs, cleaned everything and sent it back. I have a rebuilt original tilt column, just put truck back together. Have parking lights, head lights, parking lights, interior light works with light switch as it should. The dimmer switch also works. I don't have any dash lights, not one and the 4 way flashers do not work. I have quite a few grounds including I ran one from center post of tach which didn't help. I believe the tack and lights maybe a separate issue. everything is so tightly packed in there it is hard to work on. My main question is does anyone thing it might be the light switch? Amp gauge is working, I ran a ground wire for the clock, with a hot wire to fuse panel. Any suggestions before I tear this thing all apart?

Re: Dash lights
 

Might be a miss-match between the new circuit board and your old cluster connector. Did the rebuilder include a pin out diagram for the new circuit board?

Re: Dash lights
 

No, he did not, I didn't know there was such a thing

Re: Dash lights
 

Not sure about the earlier trucks, but the 73-87s had different circuit boards and cluster connector pin outs depending on things like idiot lights vs gauges, options, etc.

Four way flashers often use a separate blinker unit then the normal turn signals.

Re: Dash lights
 

Did you possibly dim the dash lights all the way down when removing the headlight switch knob?

Re: Dash lights
 

No, I have to turn it all the way up to turn on the dome light, which works. Do you think it could be in the light switch?

Re: Dash lights
 

Possibly. Were led's installed? They are polarity sensitive. Maybe unlikely that all are wrong though. If you are able, trace the power path on the circuit board to find the pin that inputs power to the lights. Try jumping 12v to that to see if they light up and also look for 12v at the connector with the switch on.

Re: Dash lights
 

Have you checked my Faqs thread on the top of the electrical forum home page?
There is a thread there on dash troubles.

Re: Dash lights
 

Yes, I have looked at all that stuff, lots of idea's, but no help yet. UPDATE: It has a new board, and had a clock installed, now I had ran positive wire from clock to fuse panel, then drilled a small hole in bottom of dash, inserted a small bolt in it for a ground, clock works great, so I figured the dash was grounded well. I slid under the truck, put another heavy ground wire from frame to cab to make sure, made not difference, still no lights. I undid the two screws holding fuse panel, pulled it down a little, it is a little rusty, so I removed every fuse, one at a time, cleaned up fuse panel with a small emery board, cleaned all the fuses, checked with tester to make sure all were good and reinstalled. Now I have lights, but very dim, the dimmer switch light is on, the flasher lights are lite up also. Now all the rest of the lights on the truck are working great. I'm going to take a look at the ground from the dash that plugs in today, I thought it was good, but maybe not. I'm thinking of running a wire right from the battery to that wire. I think I'm gaining. Has anyone replaced the fuse panel and if so is there any that are recommended?

Re: Dash lights
 

I replaced the fuse panel for my 63 with the factory replacement offered by M&H Electric Fabricators, Inc. http://wiringharness.com/
It fit great and made everything that wasn't working work again. In the at least 5 years it's been in the truck, I've only had one issue with it. My cab leaks and apparently some water got behind the fuse panel, made its way between a rubber insulator around a wire, and corroded that connector. Replaced connector and all was well again

Re: Dash lights
 

Yes I looked at that last night, I just installed a ground wire from the screw next to the electrical plug on the back of the panel, nothing has changed. I have faint lights after I cleaned the fuse box, no gas gauge, not sure of temperature gauge. When I turn the light switch to dim, they go out, then as I turn it back up, they come on faintly, then off, then on again faintly. I've got almost a grand in this dash bezel and it's really got me frustrated. It seems like I have grounds everywhere to no avail. Every other light on the truck works. I have a rear blazer tank, the brown wire is hooked into the top of the fuse panel, but is very faint when I touch it with a test light, is this suppose to be this way?

Re: Dash lights
 

I am not a fan of our old gauge clusters. Original or OEM "restored" have issues. When working perfectly the gauges are never bright in my humble opinion. Some have painted parts of the tins and swapped to LEDs (can't dim in most cases). And nothing has made me think they are even adequate.

Some of the grounds are done with the screws that go through the printed circuit. You will see a copper washer in the printed circuit where the screw goes through. Check all the screws even the ones just holding some assembly together. I have found many to be loose and or stripped. Tighten or use a slightly larger screw if the holes are stripped. Careful everything is thin metal.

Next is the sockets that hold the bulb. Sometimes you have to twist them back and forth to get a good connection. Sometimes you have to bend the tabs a little so it makes better contact with the printed circuit. I still can't get my high beam indicator to work all the time.

There is a ground that goes from the connector that plugs into the cluster to a clip that connects to the bottom of the opening for the cluster. Those get taken off and not reinstalled and can be loose.

Good luck, it can be frustrating. If you can read a wiring diagram (there are color copies on this forum) you can bench test and get all the lights working.

Re: Dash lights
 

I'm also beginning to not be a fan, I would have went with an aftermarket dash, but no one offered a 6 cycle. tack that I could find. As it turned out my 350 dollar NOS tack in an open package doesn't seem to work either. I just ran another ground wire to the bottom of the dash, nothing. My headlights seem to work alright, but with the parking lights on both right and left turn signal lights are on. I'm trying to check my dimmer switch, I have wiring unplugged, blue I believe is from light switch, I tried testing with a test light and cannot get any thing to light with light on or off. Does this mean my headlight switch is bad. The lights dim when you step on it.