Dim dashlights
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
Dim dashlights
The whole instrument display is dim on my '84 Vette. I went to the helpful website vetteoz sent and did all the things recommended to correct the dim dashlights: (1) Re-soldered the large connector, large capacitor, large resistors, etc. on circuit boards, (2) ran a new ground wire as recommended by Bill Blake on one circuit board, (3) cleaned ground wires terminals at left rear of engine [no success] (4) ran new ground wire from the two connectors [3 ground leads] and connected to radio ground wire, (5) cleaned and re-assembled the instrument panel. My dashlights are still dim except when I turn on headlights at night. ANY NEW RECOMMENDATION?
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
You should be able to brighten the 4 backlights by turning the headlight switch counterclockwise. The cluster should also brighten when the cockpit is well illuminated at night. There is a photocell at the top left of the cluster, in the dark you can shine a flashlight on the photocell and the backlights should brighten. Also, 84's started out with rather faded liquid crystal displays which get even worse with age. New LCD's can be purchased by suppliers on ebay. The backlilghts are supposed to be 882 lamps, check them, someone may have installed different lamps because the 882's are moderately expensive.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
The rheostate on my headlight switch works fine by brightening and dimming the dash lights. It will not brighten them enough when turned CCW as far as will go without turning on interior lights. I understood the backlights were supposed to be bulb #891. I do not know what bulb is in mine. Does the 882 bulb have smaller element for more brightness than the 891?
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
The rheostate on my headlight switch works fine by brightening and dimming the dash lights. It will not brighten them enough when turned CCW as far as will go without turning on interior lights. I understood the backlights were supposed to be bulb #891. I do not know what bulb is in mine. Does the 882 bulb have smaller element for more brightness than the 891?
Racer
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 327
Likes: 0
From: edgerton WI
After having the side windows tinted on my 84 the dash lights are dim until I role the drivers side window down. It's so bad that I run with the parking lights on all the time unless the windows are down.
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,313
Likes: 5
From: Middle Tennessee
The Achilles Heel of LCD's was losing more and more illumination with age. That's why they were only used for a few years before being completely replaced by LED's. I had a few devices such as calculators that became useless earlier than expected due to the LCD display just fading away. Just a little history lesson for our younger C4 owners from one of the "geezers"! 
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Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
Does anyone know where I can buy the speedometer and tachometer LCD's for my '84? I understand from proracr they are LCD's not LED's. I replaced the bulbs with brighter #891 bulbs and still have dim speedometer and tach. After resoldering some circuit board components and running new ground wires, my other gauges at top center of cluster are bright enough.
