instrument cluster failure

[Ruben]

Hello everyone, Im brand new to the forum, and maybe my problem is posted somewhere that I didnt find. I did do some searching, about 3 hours worth, but couldnt find it. SOOO here it is.

I was having problems with my brake lights not coming on till the pedal was almost on the floor, I couldn't live with that so I looked into the problem. It was the stoplight switch on the brake pedal. I couldnt adjust it to a lower point, so I said F-it, and went with the old push button type out of a 76 chevy truck. WORKS like a charm!! HOWEVER, when I was hooking the switch back up I bumped the positive wire somewhere under there and caused a nice spark, silly me for not disconnecting the battery first was in a hurry, and thought nothing of it. After I got in the car and started her up, I realised my tach, water temp, oil pressure, volt meter, and gas gauge were ALL dead. I have no idea what happened. I checked all the fuses in the fuse box, and cant finger it out. please help if you have any ideas.


Thanks
Ruben

 

[ethangsmith]

You may have melted a fusible link. Look around your starter solenoid. You'll see a bunch of them there. Look for one that is melted or looks like it heated up. If you find one, you can cut it out and replace it with a new one (can be bought at any parts store). Not all the fusible links are right there around the starter solenoid, so follow the harnesses around and check any you find. If the fuses are good, that's most likely the culprit.

 

[Ruben]

Took a look under the hood this weekend for those fuseable links. Couldnt find them. Any chance you have a photo of them so I have a better idea what Im lookin for?

 

[ethangsmith]

I don't have any photos. The best way to describe them is little rectangular things on the wires. Parts stores usually have them in the electrical section so stop by and take a look at them so you know what you're looking for.

 

[Ruben]

will do, thanks

 

[rd]

Need to get a wiring diagram before you start tracing. Power to these is from the ignition switch, and then to a printed circuit board.

Not hard to troubleshoot, but near hopeless without a wiring diagram, imho.