Hey y'all. Got a '67 Convertible. I'm starting to drive it as my DD and the main problem at the moment is that the instrument lights are dead. They used to work, started to work intermittently, and then died altogether over about a 1-year period. I've checked the connector on my headlight switch, and it's good. The head- and parking lights themselves work fine. The blinker indicators on the cluster also work great. What say you? Loose ground? I'm hoping not to pull the cluster again since it's so hard to line up properly when you're stuffing it back in...
Instrument lights non-op...
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So there's voltage coming to the connector in the headlight switch?
Yah, check ground, and lights, and this happened to me... make sure the switch isn't turned all the way to the off side, took me a while to figure out that happened
Here's the wiring diagrams for you
http://midlife66.com/wiring/wiring.html
Yah, check ground, and lights, and this happened to me... make sure the switch isn't turned all the way to the off side, took me a while to figure out that happened
Here's the wiring diagrams for you
http://midlife66.com/wiring/wiring.html
Tried turning the lights up, there's just...no light. I haven't checked the actual voltage (can't find my tester), just made sure the wiring connector was snug in the switch...
Thanks for the diagrams. My shop manual is the other thing I can't find...
Thanks for the diagrams. My shop manual is the other thing I can't find...
hmm, i think its your light switch, i'm not 100% sure though, try using a small battery an connect it to the wire going to the instrument panel and the negative terminal to a ground. Or a test light to check it 
Edit: a similar thing happened to my brake lights, first they both worked, then only one would work, and sometimes none would work and eventually they stopped working, found out that it was a bad fuse... replaced it and it has been flawless since. I'm pretty sure though that if the fuse was blown your headlights wouldn't turn on either, but i guess you can check them, doesn't hurt...
Edit: a similar thing happened to my brake lights, first they both worked, then only one would work, and sometimes none would work and eventually they stopped working, found out that it was a bad fuse... replaced it and it has been flawless since. I'm pretty sure though that if the fuse was blown your headlights wouldn't turn on either, but i guess you can check them, doesn't hurt...
Start with the fuse, and definitely check the ground on the instrument panel. I can't remember if '67 had a separate ground wire from the back of the instrument panel or not. '68 grounds by the screws holding the instrument bezel to the dash frame. Either way, make sure you have a good ground.
If that don't work, then it could be the headlight switch. It's probably not a bad idea to pull the instrument bezel and inspect it real well, make sure there's no loose wires or connectors.
Good luck
If that don't work, then it could be the headlight switch. It's probably not a bad idea to pull the instrument bezel and inspect it real well, make sure there's no loose wires or connectors.
Good luck
Alright, I'll check all of that out. Wouldn't surprise me if it's the switch, that's one of the few things on this car that hasn't been replaced.
I hadn't even thought of a fuse...I'd figured it'd either have worked or not worked had it been a fuse...but with that, I'll check it out!
I hadn't even thought of a fuse...I'd figured it'd either have worked or not worked had it been a fuse...but with that, I'll check it out!
BarnStang
Founding Member
If you print out the wiring diagram from the link above, you can trace the dash lights back on the blue w/red stripe wire. It goes from the bulb back to the fuse block and goes through the small short fuse, then back to the headlight switch.
If the fuse is good, make sure it's making good contact. I've posted this problem before. I have found the connection where the wire is crimped to the terminal on the back of the fuse block to be corroded and rusted enough to disrupt the circuit. I've also found the fuse to LOOK ok, but one end is corroded and wll fall apart in you hands if you pull it out. Every restoration I now replace ALL the fuses. That has got me one too many times.
If you use a test probe, you can probe the fuse (wth the headlight switch pulled on) to see if you have power to one side or both. If you have good power (12 volts) on oth sides of the small fuse, check the headlight switch to make sure none of the connectors are extruding from the plug. THey should all be well below the surface of the plug. SOmetimes they will slip the catch ad work there way out of the plug. Ifyour good there, it's in th switch. When you pull the headlight switch on, it sends power into the coil, and the wiper picks up the power and sends it out to the fuse and out to the lights. The headlight switch "can" be taken apart and cleaned if you are meticulas and careful. The coil can anyway. But easily destroyed too. The switch is not overly expensive, but the coil may just need to be gently cleaned with an eraser. I've also seen (broken record for others here-sorry) the carbon bonded to the wiper fail. Pain to find. The bond holding the carbon to the wiper breaks down over time, Usually it falls off. But it can stop conducting. Seen it. Tested it a dozen times before I believed it. Then it fell off... That should be enough to make you dangerous...
If the fuse is good, make sure it's making good contact. I've posted this problem before. I have found the connection where the wire is crimped to the terminal on the back of the fuse block to be corroded and rusted enough to disrupt the circuit. I've also found the fuse to LOOK ok, but one end is corroded and wll fall apart in you hands if you pull it out. Every restoration I now replace ALL the fuses. That has got me one too many times.
If you use a test probe, you can probe the fuse (wth the headlight switch pulled on) to see if you have power to one side or both. If you have good power (12 volts) on oth sides of the small fuse, check the headlight switch to make sure none of the connectors are extruding from the plug. THey should all be well below the surface of the plug. SOmetimes they will slip the catch ad work there way out of the plug. Ifyour good there, it's in th switch. When you pull the headlight switch on, it sends power into the coil, and the wiper picks up the power and sends it out to the fuse and out to the lights. The headlight switch "can" be taken apart and cleaned if you are meticulas and careful. The coil can anyway. But easily destroyed too. The switch is not overly expensive, but the coil may just need to be gently cleaned with an eraser. I've also seen (broken record for others here-sorry) the carbon bonded to the wiper fail. Pain to find. The bond holding the carbon to the wiper breaks down over time, Usually it falls off. But it can stop conducting. Seen it. Tested it a dozen times before I believed it. Then it fell off... That should be enough to make you dangerous...
BarnStang
Founding Member
Make sure you get the right ones. I had to have Carquest order 2/3's of the 5 fuses...and increadably, the easiest place to get that info is a owners manual. But can be figured out without it. If the fuse clips are rusted, you can ue a dremel and a small round abrasive stone to clean the rust off the inside curve of the fuse clips. Tedious little job. Easier to do with the harness on the bench. Probably not an option for you...
Just one more note, if you do have to dremel the fuse clips, they are probably so rusted that the finish is gone. You just want to clean them up, not grind a hole. Get a couple little packets of bulb grease from the parts store, and put a thin coat on the fuse clips with a q tip swab. You should not ever have a problem with fuse contacts again.
Just one more note, if you do have to dremel the fuse clips, they are probably so rusted that the finish is gone. You just want to clean them up, not grind a hole. Get a couple little packets of bulb grease from the parts store, and put a thin coat on the fuse clips with a q tip swab. You should not ever have a problem with fuse contacts again.
I'm willing to bet it's a fuse as well. I had a similar problem on my 67, when through all the trouble of putting in a new switch and lo and behold, still had the problem. Crawled under the dash and pushed the loose fuse all the way in, magic!!
Well, got a fuse (couldn't find a 2.5A so I got a 3A as a temporary placeholder until I can source a 2.5), popped it in and...no dice. There's no rust or corrosion anywhere on the fuse block, and all the wiring is solid. Looks like I'm going to have to see if I can trace the wire, then pull the cluster and see if possibly the wire came loose from there. If not that, then I'll source a new headlight switch.
BarnStang
Founding Member
You need to get a test light. Even a cheap one for now. You need to pull the headlight switch on, and probe the small fuse you replaced on both sides of the fuse so we know if you are getting power that far.
for the instrument panel the power goes first from the switch to the fuse and then to the panel itself
so the switch gets power from the fuse box, the switch then relays the power to one of the other plugs connecting to the switch, then it goes back to the fuse box, into that small fuse, and then to the instrument panel lights. There's a thread that has the whole diagram.
I think it would be, i mean... if your headlights work and the instrument panel doesn't... its the switch not routing power to everything... maybe a connector is loose or broken, hard to tell.
Link 2 other thread
http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=729225
so the switch gets power from the fuse box, the switch then relays the power to one of the other plugs connecting to the switch, then it goes back to the fuse box, into that small fuse, and then to the instrument panel lights. There's a thread that has the whole diagram.
I think it would be, i mean... if your headlights work and the instrument panel doesn't... its the switch not routing power to everything... maybe a connector is loose or broken, hard to tell.
Link 2 other thread
http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=729225
I'll go pull the switch out after dinner. I know the connector's in there good and tight, it's the first thing I checked. Maybe it's just corroded. If I can clean it up and it works, great, if not, switches are cheap and I get a 20% discound on 'em, so I'll pick one up tomorrow. Thanks!
Huh. Now this is weird. Installed the new switch the other night. Now, when I first turn my lights on...nothing on the gauges. If I jab the gas and rev it just a tad, they turn on and have so far stayed on until I switch them off again. Then, repeat. But hey, they technically work, so I guess that's good enough! Thanks for the help guys! I appreciate it.
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