Electrical question 74 Corvette
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 2,297
Likes: 156
From: Clayton New Jersey
Electrical question 74 Corvette
Quick question, 1974 Corvette project ...gauge lights do they have to be grounded to the metal housing? I have power to them but they are not working. Is there a ground wire or do they just ground to the housing once they are plugged in?
Thanks, Bill
Thanks, Bill
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
Yes, they need to be grounded. There should be a ground line from the [pot metal] gauge console plate to a ground point under the tranny tunnel console. You can test your problem by touching a short run of wire to a known-good ground point at one end and to the 'chrome' portion of the surface on the gauge cluster face with the other end of the wire. If the cluster bulbs light, a missing ground is your problem. Try that out first before you go to the trouble of disassembling anything. You know, you might have a blown fuse, also.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 2,297
Likes: 156
From: Clayton New Jersey
Thanks for the replies, it's already apart and the fuses are all good. The previous owner removed everything from behind the dash. All the wires for the courtesy lights have been cut out. I do have a wiring diagram book but some of it is very hard to read. I'm trying to put it all back the way it was...here is what I'm working with:
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
You need a better wiring diagram than the one provided by GM (basically, it sucks 
). There are vendors who sell correct schematics which show wire color and connector types that are not too expensive. You also need a copy of the AIM for your year C3. It shows the correct way to lay out the wiring for the gauge cluster so that everything will fit when you put it back together.
). There are vendors who sell correct schematics which show wire color and connector types that are not too expensive. You also need a copy of the AIM for your year C3. It shows the correct way to lay out the wiring for the gauge cluster so that everything will fit when you put it back together.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 7,431
Likes: 1,562
From: mount holly NC
2025 c3 ('74-'82) of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2019 C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods)
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,714
Likes: 42
From: Austin Texas
When you get your AIM, check out this post for a functional index.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-g...ndex-free.html
I would seriously think about getting a new harness with all of the correct connectors on it and the correct color wires. I think they are around $500 which is steep but it could save you time for a lot of other things.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-g...ndex-free.html
I would seriously think about getting a new harness with all of the correct connectors on it and the correct color wires. I think they are around $500 which is steep but it could save you time for a lot of other things.
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