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Recently I installed a new dash harness in my 77 corvette. Now, this car has sat for 18 years in my late father-in-law's backyard until January this year. I have been working on this car for months replacing parts and rewiring. A lot of cleaning up, taking apart, putting back together. I recently re-installed the steering column after replacing the turn signal switch, ignition switch, horn contacts, rag joint, etc. So I am re-installing the dash with the speedometer and tach. With everything hooked up, I turn the key to on, and the right turn signal light in the gauge is just on. I also noticed with the center gauge cluster plugged in, none of those gauges move at all, but I have lights on all of them. I did not have the radio hooked up, and I am just curious if there could be an issue because the radio is not hooked up related to the center gauges or the mystery right signal light just being on. It does flash when putting on the flashers or right signal. I know I still need to clean the ground straps under the car from corrosion and rust. What is you all's take on that? Am I thinking in the right direction with grounds or is it possible some connector isn't hooked up right somewhere? LOL.
Left turn arrow on, Check the left & right front side marker lamps.
Make sure the little lamp contacts are bent out far enough so a good contact with the socket is made.
I have had brand new bulbs that the wire contacts needed tweaking just a little.
On the gauges cluster check your 10amp gauges fuse.
The lights working in the gauge cluster is because that power comes from a different fuse the 5amp INS LPS fuse. Headlight Switch pulled ON to park or head.
To me it sounds like you have a good ground to the gauges cluster or the instrument lights wouldn't be working.
Side Marker lamp contacts below...
Left turn arrow on, Check the left & right front side marker lamps.
Make sure the little lamp contacts are bent out far enough so a good contact with the socket is made.
I have had brand new bulbs that the wire contacts needed tweaking just a little.
On the gauges cluster check your 10amp gauges fuse.
The lights working in the gauge cluster is because that power comes from a different fuse the 5amp INS LPS fuse. Headlight Switch pulled ON to park or head.
To me it sounds like you have a good ground to the gauges cluster or the instrument lights wouldn't be working.
Side Marker lamp contacts below...
Thank you. I’ll double check those. All bulbs are brand new. Initially the right blinker blinked slower than the left side. And some of the bulbs on the right were dimmer (like a bad ground) than the left side. The right turn signal light staying on the dash, let me clarify. It is ONLY the dash indicator bulb inside the tachometer that is staying on. Not the actual blinker bulbs on the outside of the car. I just haven’t traced down as to why this one light for the right green arrow in the gauge is on like this. The turn signal functions normal when activated. And harness is brand new (including the fuse box), and all of the glass fuses are brand new.
A bad ground on the right side lighting might cause your R-turn arrow to stay ON. Another circuit might be 'hunting ground' thru that bulb, causing it to light.
Storing a car on open ground is about the worst thing that can happen to a car. Moisture and condensation permeates the whole car ALL of the time. The biggest concern would be rusting of the undercarriage (frame and birdcage) and the windshield frame. Condition of corroded electrical items would be the next concern.
You have your work cut out for you...but you have made a good start. With all the work you have put into this car, is there some assurance that you will be the owner of this car...or that you will be the primary driver...when you get finished with it?
Wish you luck.....
A bad ground on the right side lighting might cause your R-turn arrow to stay ON. Another circuit might be 'hunting ground' thru that bulb, causing it to light.
Storing a car on open ground is about the worst thing that can happen to a car. Moisture and condensation permeates the whole car ALL of the time. The biggest concern would be rusting of the undercarriage (frame and birdcage) and the windshield frame. Condition of corroded electrical items would be the next concern.
You have your work cut out for you...but you have made a good start. With all the work you have put into this car, is there some assurance that you will be the owner of this car...or that you will be the primary driver...when you get finished with it?
Wish you luck.....
Yes it’s my wife’s car. I just replaced the ground cable from engine block to the frame. It was as stiff as a rock, and aluminum wiring instead of copper. I’m hoping that will help some. Still going through grounds. Forward lamp harness, engine harness, AC harness, and dash harness with fuse block is all 100% brand new except for the turn signal and side marker pigtails. Eventually we’ll do frame restoration on it, but I’m just not there yet. Want to see it run first. Lol
To me it sounds like something simple, either a bulb fault or front turn signal extension harness fault...
I will include the drawings below...
There is only (1) ground eyelet for the main dash harness, just above the left courtesy light on the hinge pillar (red star).
The 2nd drawing looks like there may be (2) ground eyelets but there is only (1) for the main dash harness.
From there that ground wire splices S225 (S=Splice) (red arrow) and is used throughout the dash harness.
If you see a second ground eyelet at the hinge pillar, that is where they landed the ground wire from the optional courtesy light delay timer.
Drawings...
When you replaced the forward lamp harness and frame to block ground cable, did you install new external star lock washers?
And when you installed the fasteners did you install the lock washers in the correct order?
Examples red arrows...
Your new frame to block ground cable is the ground starting point for the forward lamp harness and turn signal extensions.
Hope these help...
Last edited by bmotojoe; Nov 17, 2021 at 08:12 AM.
1977 Dash harness issue
