Psukotch

First attempt at any restoration. Dash harness is in and gauges, interior lights, and one center console light works, but no instrument lights. New harness, new headlight switch, power at switch and at inst light fuse when lights and switch are on. I don't have the entire dash back together, but not sure if that's the next step and keep my fingers crossed. Could I be missing a ground somewhere. Door pins are good. Took fuse box off, cleaned, reconnected. I'm at a loss. Any help is appreciated. Thinking of wiring them separate on a new switch but really don't want to. Thanks!!

Easy Mike

Headlight switch has a rheostat for IP lights. Turn the headlight **** and see if the light dim up. Dash harness grounds on the driver's hinge post.

Alan 71

Hi P,
Welcome!
First post!!
72 NICE!!!
Check the headlight switch as Mike suggests.
What are you using as a guide to install the harness?
There are various dedicated ground connections for the dash harness.
One is a screw connection on the hinge pillar, and another is a spade connection on the back of the tachometer and speedometer cases.
Are those in place?
Also the center gauge cluster must be installed in order for it to be grounded through it's connection with the shifter console. Is the gauge bezel itself cracked or broken?
Do you know about the Assembly Instruction Manual? It's useful for situations like you find yourself in.
Regards,
Alan

Peterbuilt

Are you sure that you have power on both sides of the INST fuse?

Psukotch

Thanks for the input. Gonna try and put dash back together. Hopefully doing so will do the trick. That's so helpful about the center console and shifter. And if it doesn't work, it still beats work.

Psukotch

Seems to. At first it was hit or miss. Separated fuse box and cleaned good. Now constant. But maybe a bad fuse. Thank you.

Richard454

The power for the instrument lights starts at the fusebox- goes to the headlight switch then back to the fusebox from the small glass fuse to the lights. Green wire is from the headlight switch -fuse -then a gray wire.

Like Peterbuilt said- make sure you are seeing power on both sides of the small fuse-
Then check the actual lights assembly and make sure it has power..If that's the case- the prongs on the lights themselves or the gauge clusters are not seeing a ground.

kotchmd

Thank you to all and sorry for the delay getting back. Turns out everything DOES need to go together. The ground for the dash lights are actually metal hubs that snap in from the rear. Hint... A dark garage helps. Thanks!!!

vetternr

Another ( COMMON ) problem is the Rheostat on the headlight switch. They get dirty and oxidize some times. Try this : Wait until it is dark enough to be sure the instrument lights can be seen easily. turn on the head lights. Rotate the rheostat fully counter clockwise then fully clockwise while watching to see if the lights will illuminate. They probably won't at first. I had to rotate the last one I worked on about 20 times before the lights began working ( intermittently ). If they don't get any better, buy some spray rheostat cleaner and keep trying. Even brand new rheostats some times don't work long before having the same problem. Even after cleaning the rheostat you must rotate the rheostat regularly to keep it clean. Poor quality parts even new originals.

crf311

Check your grounds.