ImBatman

Ok I have tested the fuse and I have power to the instrument light slot. Tested the reostat atleast I think that is what it is called (Spring wraped around head light switch that increases the brightness of the dash lights)and it had a solid 12v going to it. Still have no dash lights. High beam and brake light bulbs burn fine in the dash. So I am pretty sure that it is a ground issue. My questions is,
If I do not have the center guage cluster installed in other words none of the connectors are plugged in to the water temp, amp guage, clock, fuel guage etc will this constitute an open ground even if the ground wires are molded into the connectors?

Big Fish

you could easily test this to find out if the ground is bad (which would be my guess). Check for power from any of the circuits to a known good ground, then check from the same circuit to the panel ground. If the panel ground gets no reading, then you know it has a bad ground.


[Modified by Big Fish, 11:36 PM 9/18/2003]

ImBatman

Big Fish,

Thanks for the information this is a method that I have tried with success. However the question that I really need answering is do the stock center guages have to be connected before the lights will work? Several of the guage connectors are a combination of hot and ground wires. Do these have to be plugged in? Or would these be considered open grounds if not thus causing the dash lights not to work?


Thanks
wade

Bobchad

Wade,

This has been two years no so I can't remember the specifics but I recall that I had lighting issues until I got all of the wires connected up behind the dash.

I suspect this might be your problem as well.

Bob

ImBatman

Thanks Bob I will connect them all up and then try it again. I had the guages disconnected because I am still contemplating replaceing them with auto meter's and what led me to think About rather or not they needed to be hooked up or not is wandering what I do with the old connectors to the stock guages if I go to the after market guages. Do the grounds need to be cut from the connectors and then joined together at a common ground point.

Thanks
Wade