Under the dash

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Apr 7, 2008 | 12:58 PM

Old Pervette

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From: Gettysburg

Under the dash

I just finished pulling and reinstalling the dash cluster on my 66. Though I did label all the connectors, I ended up with an odd/extra dash light (grey wire). I checked it against the book an all lights are in place. I did a light check and all are on, including the radio and two in clock. Was there an option in 66 that allowed for an additional dash light in harness? (Its on the passenger side of the cluster with a fairly long lead wire.)

Also "found' while under the dash a brown waxy/cardboard capacitor about 2" long and about as wide as a finger. It is not connected to the harness but has black wire in each end with a brass male spade fitting. It is physically located on the outboard side of the dash frame to the left of the steering column.

Any ideas on either item?

Apr 7, 2008 | 01:02 PM

MasterDave

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From: Dove Mountain Arizona

Glove box light? Heat controls light? You do have the schematic, right?

Apr 7, 2008 | 01:59 PM

JohnZ

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From: Washington Michigan

The extra illumination bulb is probably the one for the ignition switch (if it has the regular round socket on it), or it could be the one for the lighter housing. The capacitor you describe is for the brake light switch - the copper "flags" go in the connector.

Apr 7, 2008 | 02:51 PM

5thvet

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From: San Clemente CA

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Pervette

You can go to http://www.lbfun.com
Click on Corvette, then tech issues, scroll down to instruments and gauges. Look a the pictures supplied by Dave Zuberer on the wiring harness He has really good pics of each section with the labels.

Don

Apr 7, 2008 | 08:00 PM

62Jeff

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From: Conroe Texas

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Pervette

What type of bulb socket is on the end of that wire? The following odd bulbs are found:

1) Small diameter metal socket. Snaps into a special shield which mounts to the side of the cig lighter

2) Small diameter socket with rubber-ish outside. This snaps into the ignition switch

3) Small diamter metal socket. Snaps into a bullet-shaped shield with a funky clip on the bottom. This clip allows this bulb to clip under the clock at the 6 o'clock position, providing back lighting for the dash *****.

On that capacitor, as John said, that's for the brake switch.

Oh, there was no option for extra bulbs, however there are a few special cases:
1) 63-64 main instrument cluster has 2 fewer "grey wire" bulbs than a 65 and up. so if you have a 66 wiring harness but a 63 or 64 cluster, you would have 2 extra bulbs.

2) Factory A/C cars have a totally separate, 2 bulb wiring harness which clips at about the 8 and 4 pm locations around the clock skeleton, to provide back lighting for the A/C *****. This harness is a 2 wire harness that is bundeled together with a single female connector, which plugs into the fuse panel.

Jeff

Jeff

Apr 7, 2008 | 08:53 PM

Old Pervette

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From: Gettysburg

Soooo no options, so much for the easy answer. Original dash and harness. No, it is a standard grey wired dash light. (turn signals, idiot lights, igntion and lighter are all accounted for). The radio lights up, two lamps in the clock are accounted for, and the **** faces are lit. The suggestion about the heater controls might make sense though given the location and length of the lamp wire. I still have the radio access panels off, so where would the lamp for the heater controls be located? The schematic I have is in the Assembly manual and leaves a lot to be desired.

Also, thanks for ID'ing the capacitor (yes it does have the brass "flag" connectors) both ends are loose. Where did they connect? (Given I've had the car for 25 years and they've never been hooked up, I question the function of the capacitor.....)

Thanks of all the help guys, I'm going to eat another fistful of motrim and crawl back under the dash tomorrow!

Cheers n' Gears//Mike

Last edited by Old Pervette; Apr 7, 2008 at 08:58 PM.

Apr 7, 2008 | 08:58 PM

62Jeff

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From: Conroe Texas

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Pervette

The suggestion about the heater controls might make snese given the location and length of the lamp wire. I still have the radio access panels off, so where would the lamp for the heater controls be located?

Look behind the dash at the housing in which the clock sits. you should see an area at the 6 o'clock position on that frame, where the special bullet-shaped bulb shield would clip. This bulb shield thingy ends up under the housing where the clock is located, running fore/aft and parallel with the travel of the car.

Here's a post by JohnZ that shows the bulb shield, and in this photo you can see the slot on the clock housing where it clips.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...82&postcount=6

Quote:

Also, thanks for ID'ing the capacit0r (yes it does have the brass "flag connectors) both ends are loose. Where did they connect?

Slip one of the flags into one of the female connectors for the brake light switch wire, then plug that connector onto the brake light switch. Do the same for the other flag (2 flags, 2 connectors)

Apr 18, 2008 | 08:42 AM

Old Pervette

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From: Gettysburg

Thanks all. Don "5th Vet" I finally got into that link you passed. What an awesome resource! Strongly suggest anyone unfamilar with the "www.lbfun.com" link visit it.

BTW; after all the reinstall drama, the gauges aren't working correctly anyhow