1964 Instrument panel lights don't work.

[Evan Frucht]

My dash lights haven't worked in my 64 fury since I bought it. I replaced the headlight switch (old rheostat was corroded when i removed it) and now I have interior lights but only behind the pushbuttons, not illuminating any of the gauges. All of the lights seems to work otherwise... Except for turn signals which is another issue I need to fix, but probably unrelated to dash lights (maybe?). All of the fuses are intact but I have not replaced them. I do not have a dome light hooked up, could that be the issue? All the gauges work, including the clock which I just switched to quartz. But no lights. Wipers work too.
also what does the voltage regular on the back of the instr. panel do?... could that be the issue?

 

[jogirob]

Hello Evan,
The voltage limiter converts 12v power to 5v power in order to keep your gauges from frying. One of the first things I meddled with when I bought the car not too long ago was the gauges. I can't remember if the limiter supplies 5v power to gauge readings or gauge light bulbs, or both? One thing I do know is that you need to have the bulb housing grounded in order to test them. They're usually grounded from the mounted location so if you pull the bulb+housing out to look at them individually they'll never light up unless you attach a grounding cable with some alligator clips from the socket to a grounding point.

You can test the voltage limiter by placing a multimeter to it. One side should read around 12v and the other side should read a pulsing 5v. Your headlight knob should be pulled out at least to the first indent during testing.

 

[Evan Frucht]

Hello Evan,
The voltage limiter converts 12v power to 5v power in order to keep your gauges from frying. One of the first things I meddled with when I bought the car not too long ago was the gauges. I can't remember if the limiter supplies 5v power to gauge readings or gauge light bulbs, or both? One thing I do know is that you need to have the bulb housing grounded in order to test them. They're usually grounded from the mounted location so if you pull the bulb+housing out to look at them individually they'll never light up unless you attach a grounding cable with some alligator clips from the socket to a grounding point.

You can test the voltage limiter by placing a multimeter to it. One side should read around 12v and the other side should read a pulsing 5v. Your headlight knob should be pulled out at least to the first indent during testing.

I will try this. BTW the instrument cluster was attached to the dash (grounded) when I tried it after installing new switch

 

[miller]

A couple things you might look at...
1) The circuit panel brass contacts (backside of the panel) need to be clean, and no breaks on it. You can easily see, each light socket location, the contacts one piece, so it's continuous. If it's broken, or burnt, doesn't work.
2) The two wiring harness plugs, 4-5 wires each, locate the ones for the panel lights, good contact, and check the wires for power, when the headlights switch is on.
3) Each light bulb is in a light 'socket', that turns into the circuit board. Make sure the contact surfaces are clean. If any of the sockets are bad, they can be bought new.
4) Of course, bulbs need to be good.

 

[Evan Frucht]

A couple things you might look at...
1) The circuit panel brass contacts (backside of the panel) need to be clean, and no breaks on it. You can easily see, each light socket location, the contacts one piece, so it's continuous. If it's broken, or burnt, doesn't work.
2) The two wiring harness plugs, 4-5 wires each, locate the ones for the panel lights, good contact, and check the wires for power, when the headlights switch is on.
3) Each light bulb is in a light 'socket', that turns into the circuit board. Make sure the contact surfaces are clean. If any of the sockets are bad, they can be bought new.
4) Of course, bulbs need to be good.

forgot to mention bulbs are good and I spent a while with steel wool cleaning each contact location. I don't remember finding any breaks in the circuit, or burnt areas. it looked like it should work. I cleaned the pins on the instr. panel but that's as far as I've went.

 

[miller]

Okay. The couple things I mentioned...I had to do all, and more. Just electrical stuff, I can deal with, and know everything in the circuit needs to be good, before it works.

Lights don't work? Start at the beginning, meaning where the circuit gets turned on, the headlight switch. The wire off the switch that feeds the panel lights...see if it's passing current. On, and on, from there, tracing the circuit, until it's complete. Can be something real simple.
Of course, circuit includes a ground, meaning check that it's good. Using an ohm meter, from the panel metal frame, to the car's body, should be good contact via the fasteners.
Corrosion, bad ground, bad wires, bad switch...probably just one, could be the problem. Yup, I hit 'em all, just to be sure.

Good luck on it! You'll get it.

 

[miller]

Except for turn signals which is another issue I need to fix, but probably unrelated to dash lights (maybe?).

Same as on mine, look at the turn signal switch! Cleaned, re-lubed, slapped it around a little, and it worked.

 

[Shorthorse]

http://www.mymopar.com/downloads/1964/64BelvedereFurySavoyA.JPG
http://www.mymopar.com/downloads/1964/64BelvedereFurySavoyB.JPG

The battery supplied to the light switch (black/tracer wire) is direct from the battery, spliced on the output side of the ammeter in the wiring harness. The rheostat for dimming purposes is integral to the light switch. When turned on, power leaves the light switch on the "IN" terminal (tan wire) and goes to the fuse panel. Leaving the fuse panel, one orange wire feeds the two instrument plugs, One on terminal position 1 and the other on terminal position 2 and the radio light. The orange wire has a splice in the harness that also feeds the clock light so the clock is not part of the two plugs.
Like Miller said, start at the beginning and double check your grounds. Also, the voltage limiter does not power the lights, they are 12V bulbs.
Interior/courtesy lights operate off of switched ground, not switched battery. They are on a different fuse.
One last tip. If you are going to use a volt/ohm meter to check continuity to ground on any circuit with bulbs, you must remove all bulbs first. Otherwise you will get a false reading because the meter will read continuity through the bulb's elements.
Good luck, keep us posted.

 

[Ron H]

Could add to inspect your fuse block. In my '63 I found a few issues with wires contacting others and some evidence of serious overheating from it. These blocks were small creating a lot of cramped space for all the connections and add over the years people connecting stuff to them such as for stereo's, cassette's etc. Some aren't real careful or patient doing this work. I ended up replacing some connections with added insulation spade contacts, etc. to better assure wires wouldn't contact others. Considering the available space wondered why the block had to be so small. Well bigger block = more production costs and engineers weren't concerned about it lasting 50 years. Some have completely upgraded this (new harness/block) that's the best way and more work of course. I wanted to do this; but decided for now to refurbish to see what the results would be considering the mess I found with the block. It solved my weird electrical issues.

 

[danf_fl]

I am having the same problem with my '68 Charger.
The dimmer is nothing but a variable resistor.
The spring looking area is the resistance part. Put a meter on both ends of the spring to see if you have continuity.

Interior light (console, overhead) do not dim, but are on a circuit through the dimmer that allows you to turn them on when the doors are closed (that may be working), but the lights to the dash panel are part of another circuit that could be "open".

Voltage from the regulator being too high can burn the resistor circuit and cause an "open".

 

[hangn0ut]

A couple things you might look at...
1) The circuit panel brass contacts (backside of the panel) need to be clean, and no breaks on it. You can easily see, each light socket location, the contacts one piece, so it's continuous. If it's broken, or burnt, doesn't work.
2) The two wiring harness plugs, 4-5 wires each, locate the ones for the panel lights, good contact, and check the wires for power, when the headlights switch is on.
3) Each light bulb is in a light 'socket', that turns into the circuit board. Make sure the contact surfaces are clean. If any of the sockets are bad, they can be bought new.
4) Of course, bulbs need to be good.

I need these sockets! Where can they be bought? Thanks!

 

[miller]

Where can they be bought?

Here's one source...

https://www.wiringproducts.com/chrysler

 

[danf_fl]

I had the same problem.
I replaced burned out light bulbs and checked everything again.
Now the problem I have is that the lights go out when using the dimmer at different positions. This is due to the "leg" not riding on the "spring" part of the dimmer assembly creating an "Open" in the circuit.

 

[miller]

Right. Possible fix, on those that can be operated on, pull the cover, clean the mess up, and adjust the arm.

Light sockets...can do a search for 'automotive cluster light sockets', their out there, same as stock. I was able to pick and chose on mine, cleaned the brass contacts, soaking in lemon juice...good as new. Replaced every light bulb, with new. Good to go.