dash lights on a 1978 chevy fullsize

[RootBreaker]

Ok.. Truck finally on the road.. few minor things now fixed... like turn signals and Murphy (as in murphy's law) putting my heater core hose on my header!!! :loser:


anyhow.. My dash lights do not work...

I will start off by saying this part of IMPORTANT information first...


I took my dash cluster out and replaced it with one that had the factory tach..

so I had to cut the wire that went to the big fuel gauge (since now I had a small gauge in the left corner....) and cut and put it in to the correct location...

all gauges work fine... amp, oil, fuel, temp, tach but I have no lights.. does anyone know what the wiring is from the headlight switch to the gauges?

oh yeah.. my high beam lights work... on the dash... the 2 blue lil circles over the speedo


also speedo is not working currently as I need to put a cable in... but once I get that in I know it will be off.. anyone know whom I can contact to get the correct gears to match my setup to make the speedo correct???

[Hondo]

make sure its grounded well... :cheer:

[cochino12]

My dash lights do not work...

I will start off by saying this part of IMPORTANT information first...


I took my dash cluster out and replaced it with one that had the factory tach..

so I had to cut the wire that went to the big fuel gauge (since now I had a small gauge in the left corner....) and cut and put it in to the correct location...

all gauges work fine... amp, oil, fuel, temp, tach but I have no lights.. does anyone know what the wiring is from the headlight switch to the gauges?

oh yeah.. my high beam lights work... on the dash... the 2 blue lil circles over the speedo


also speedo is not working currently as I need to put a cable in... but once I get that in I know it will be off.. anyone know whom I can contact to get the correct gears to match my setup to make the speedo correct???

My K5 does the exact same thing. I also swapped for a stock tach cluster but didnt cut any wires? Are you sure you didnt cut the fiber optic cable that runs to the cigarette lighter? I was having problems with the dash lights coming on and off before and after the gauge swap so I am assuming its either my headlight switch (domelight also doesnt correctly now). If that doesnt fix it I am going to replace the dimmer switch (floor mount), but i am pretty sure that the headlight switch is the problem

[RootBreaker]

My K5 does the exact same thing. I also swapped for a stock tach cluster but didnt cut any wires? Are you sure you didnt cut the fiber optic cable that runs to the cigarette lighter? I was having problems with the dash lights coming on and off before and after the gauge swap so I am assuming its either my headlight switch (domelight also doesnt correctly now). If that doesnt fix it I am going to replace the dimmer switch (floor mount), but i am pretty sure that the headlight switch is the problem

my dome light dims correctly... I do have access to another switch.. maybe pick it up tonight and try it...


now I had to cut the wire.. think about it.. I had a gauge cluster that did not have the tach... so you swap out to the one with the tach.. to which has its own wiring harness.. 3 wires.. 1 ground, 1 hot, 1 distributor... so that works.. now in the wiring harness on the back of the gauge cluster you still have the float wire going to the tach area... wire had to be cut to move over to new location of lil gauge... right?

[cochino12]

my dome light dims correctly... I do have access to another switch.. maybe pick it up tonight and try it...


now I had to cut the wire.. think about it.. I had a gauge cluster that did not have the tach... so you swap out to the one with the tach.. to which has its own wiring harness.. 3 wires.. 1 ground, 1 hot, 1 distributor... so that works.. now in the wiring harness on the back of the gauge cluster you still have the float wire going to the tach area... wire had to be cut to move over to new location of lil gauge... right?

I didnt have to cut any wire's putting changing to my tach cluster???

[RootBreaker]

I didnt have to cut any wire's putting changing to my tach cluster???

Ok so I put the 2 wires I cut back... fuel gauge still works... the lil one...
but the oil gauge doesnt work now!!!!! dunno what that even has to do with it!!!!

and still no dash lights...

also i noticed something else..
I have no lights on my windshield switch or heating controls... If you remember back far.. my year truck had lights there too... also my interrior light does not dim on the switch.. dunno if it is supposed to .. dont think so... but when I turn the switch to the on position the interrior light comes on..... also tried another switch..


now the funny part.. I have access to the truck that the gauge cluster was removed from... he read me the wire colors and they were different than what I had!!!! dunno what to do now :tongue:

[RootBreaker]

aight update.....

I put the 2 wires I cut back to the altered position to get my oil pressure gauge working...



now I also got my dash lights to work.. well my father did....



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For some reason one wasnt even in there!!!! :clap:

Once the fusenhager was added the whosemajigger lights came on!!!! :aniteef:

[cochino12]

awesome!! One of the fuses in the main fuse box?

[RootBreaker]

awesome!! One of the fuses in the main fuse box?

yeah...
years ago when I swapped cabs i never had the lights working.. now I know why... :damnit:

[JB]

I was gonna suggest the fuse next when you said you had no AC control lights

[cochino12]

So the dash light fuse for the hi/low beams are different?

[RootBreaker]

So the dash light fuse for the hi/low beams are different?

yup cuz those lights worked... I hit the high beams and the 2 lil blue lights came on... but I should have known better once I realized that the wipers and heat controll lights didnt work either....
now my blower motor doesnt work.. hmmm gonna jam a fuse in every open spot!!! :thumbup: