No gauge illumination....?

[SportCustom]

I have sorted out most of the issues with my instruments but I still cannot get the panel lights to come on when the headlights are on. I have turn and hazards but no illumination. I did notice that I had no power going to the 2 amp fuse on the panel labeled "INSTR". I suspect a bad headlight switch but would like to know for sure before I start ordering parts. Any ideas on how to test this.

Thanks,
Todd

[Jake11]

The headlight switch has a rheostat on it. Don't know offhand which wire
it is. It's pretty easy to take it out and look though. Reach under the dash
and feel the light switch. You'll feel a little button at the back end of it.
Press it down while pulling the knob. The knob will come all the way out.
Now unscrew the bezel on the front and it will come out. Put the knob
back in and look at the switch. There's a coil of bare wire on it. That's
the rheostat. CK it with a testlight or a meter. That's what runs your
dashlights.

[SportCustom]

That what I was looking for....Thanks, I will check this out tonight.

Todd

[qman]

Couldn't it just be a light bulb? I've noticed that there are a bunch of them in the dash. My bulb for my left blinker burned out. I also just bought the one for my AM radio.

[SportCustom]

No, it did turn out to be the rheostat......I took the switch out and cleaned the contacts with some circuit cleaner and a wire brush and it is now working. I do have some bulbs that are blown out and the new found light makes it hard to see the gauges through my foggy/discolored lens. Guess I will be getting that in my stocking this year. Thanks for all the help guys.

Todd

[Jake11]

If you take the plastic lens out and clean it with WD40 it will work
pretty good till you find a better one.

[SportCustom]

I cleaned and polished the lens but it has actually yellowed. Its only $25 for a new one....and will look a lot better.

[Jake11]

Share where you found the lens.

[BigRedTruck]

my cluster lights flicker when I turn them on. Is this the same thing?

[Jake11]

Most likely it is the same. Or a ground connection that's got corroded
or rusty. The ground wires will look good, but take them off and clean
them up with some sandpaper anyway to be sure. Most elec. prob's
are caused by poor grounds!!!!!

[bluef250]

The flicker can also be caused by the circuit breaker in the light switch. The breaker get weaker as it gets older and continually cycles. To fix the flicker, you can either reduce the current through the switch (by putting relays in for the headlights) or replace the switch.

The capacitors act like sponges. The caps smooth out the power surges thereby reducing the large magnetic fields and resulting field collapses.