A-body Instrument Cluster confusion
#935145
02/22/11 08:51 PM
02/22/11 08:51 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,518 Indiana
MonGoo$e
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OP
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Posts: 4,518
Indiana
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Well, I've went over this here back in the summer. While my motor is off getting rebuilt I thought I'd try the panel again. I had pulled the standard 73 gauges from my Duster, replaced the bulbs, bought new bulb holders, replaced headlight switch, checked the circuit board for breaks, etc, and the old one had some broken pins..so I located some free parts, one being a circuit board with good pins..
Well I had reassembled that one with all the new parts, cleaned grounds and in it with with the screws grounding it to the dash. When i got it in and all together, I hit the light switch and my whole dash glowed with light. The Radio, A/C and gauges all worked..it was great. After a start of the car..Nothing..and I had nothing for a few months no matter how much I played with the headlight knob.
A friend gave me another board that was "good" And I have it right here and apart again. I popped the circuit board off with the lights in it and when i ground it, and tap the leads with a hot wire, the bulbs light up.
When I check power at the supposed lighting orange wire it should full voltage when I have the switch on.
I guess I'm confused as to what I need to do here..should i try another circuit board? Seems if this one works?
I've never had very good luck with these A-body instrument clusters. I'll admit the E-body system was better.
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Re: A-body Instrument Cluster confusion
[Re: MonGoo$e]
#935146
02/22/11 09:00 PM
02/22/11 09:00 PM
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,040 Lincoln Nebraska
RapidRobert
Circle Track
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Circle Track
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,040
Lincoln Nebraska
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Sounds like the orig circuit board you went thru is working good & that only leaves power to it (the orange wires & they have fire) and the copper strip that grounds it, I'd trace that circuit for the open
live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth
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Re: A-body Instrument Cluster confusion
[Re: MonGoo$e]
#935150
02/22/11 09:53 PM
02/22/11 09:53 PM
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,040 Lincoln Nebraska
RapidRobert
Circle Track
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Circle Track
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Posts: 36,040
Lincoln Nebraska
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I think the pigtail/plug in to power the radio
live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth
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Re: A-body Instrument Cluster confusion
[Re: MonGoo$e]
#935152
02/22/11 10:10 PM
02/22/11 10:10 PM
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,040 Lincoln Nebraska
RapidRobert
Circle Track
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Circle Track
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,040
Lincoln Nebraska
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I thought it was the male/female halfs that plug in to each other, those grey L shaped ones
live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth
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Re: A-body Instrument Cluster confusion
[Re: MonGoo$e]
#935153
02/22/11 11:38 PM
02/22/11 11:38 PM
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Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 606 Montana
Yancy Derringer
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mopar
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 606
Montana
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Quote:
I thought that but couldn't figure why they show 2 of them unless they are meant to be each other? lol I see that white wire somes out of there and it traces to the rear reverse lights(they work on my car)
You traced wrong. The reason the radio power plug has two terminals is that
One of them is switched igntion/ accessory power to the radio
The other goes to the radio dial lamp WHICH IS DIMMED along with the other dash lights.
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Re: A-body Instrument Cluster confusion
[Re: MonGoo$e]
#935155
02/23/11 08:01 PM
02/23/11 08:01 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,518 Indiana
MonGoo$e
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How does one bypass the dash dimmer? I know you do it at the headlight pigtail. I included a picture of the one in my car..
From what I can gather on the wiring diagram, the tan rheostat wire goes to fuse box, then back through the fuse to power the orange wire to the circuit board/radio lamp/light package pigtail
the pink wire on this headlight switch goes straight to the fuse box.
I unwrapped my wiring harness from fuse box over to the radio pigtail, I see all the locations of the orange feed wire. it all looks fresh and unbroken/uncut and nothing is pinched. Headlight switch is new, I have it out and it's making contact of the rheostat. I just wonder if a jump from pink-tan is the correct attempt to make?
Last edited by MonGoo$e; 02/23/11 10:16 PM.
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Re: A-body Instrument Cluster confusion
[Re: MonGoo$e]
#935159
02/26/11 05:04 PM
02/26/11 05:04 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,518 Indiana
MonGoo$e
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OP
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Posts: 4,518
Indiana
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I thought I'd add a little update to this post, I went out today witht he dash cluster still out, hooked up the battery and tied up the ammeter wires, clicked the headlight switch in and began some testing. I My fuse in the slot that supplies the dash lights kept showing good. As well as a tester on both terminals.. But i guess that doesn't prove everything, I wired a light into the pigtail for the cluster..no dice, i wired it to the headlight swtich tan wire..boom, light, well that runs to fuse box, oppostie the oragen feed wire..i test tan wire at box..boom, lights. I test light opposite side on orange wire..nothing. I pull fuse, check it, its good. i stick it back in after a little cleaning of the clip that holds it..nothing.. i jump a piece of wire from tan clip, to orange clip..and check my light at the cluster pigtail..boom, light.
From what I can gather, the rivet that holds the clip for the orange side of the fuse is corroded and not making contact, when i checked my tester on that side, I wasn't holding in on the rivet, but the part that clips the fuse..i think the rivet is isolating my power. I may pop it out and replace whole clip or drill and re-rivet.
Wow.
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