1968 Roadrunner start up

[Gregg DeGeorge]

hello all ,have my car yard driving its a 68 shell 383 4spd still haven't tried phot bucket yet ill get pictures up someday.Anyway I have no dash lights oil light amps gage don't move at all car does start up and move ,I have power into the Amps Gauge,also
have power at the fuses but nothing at headlight switch ,this car was off the road for years bought it as a basket case ,all apart ,no power at dimmer on floor also thanks Gregg

 

[davek]

could be bad dimmer switch,did you check the plug on the back. Got to start with the easy stuff like power to the dimmer.

 

[Lionized]

Dimmer switch is the first place to check/clean (with contact cleaner).
Dash gauges ground through the cluster housing. Biggest problem you could have is the circuit board is shot.

 

[Cncguy1]

Don't need photo bucket just upload photos here.

 

[PurpleBeeper]

Well, it drives!

1. I believe the amp meter is wiring separately from all the other gauges, so that makes me think the amp gauge is fried (assuming ground....CAREFULLY check for power coming out the other terminal of the amp gauge.
2. These guys are right about the dimmer switch & the headlight switch too... a lot of stuff runs through those. Study your wiring diagram and go point A to point B to point C, etc.
3. Yep, ALWAYS check, clean, replace or add extra ground wires.
4. If you mean you don't have power going into the headlight switch, it could be as simple as a broken wire. Maybe get a spool of wire and make a "jumper" to test that theory. I'm thinking you could probably get a tiny flathead screwdriver, wrap one end of your jumper hot wire around it several times, put electrical tape over all the metal of the wire/screwdriver (except the tip) to prevent shorts & slide your "hot screwdriver" into the back of the hot wire terminal with all the wires still connected. If things start to work, you have a bad wire in your harness. OR unplug the wire on both ends and check for continuity (resistance) with a meter (testing for broken wire). OR unplug both ends and test for continuity to ground (resistance) (checking for hot wire grounded on something)

 

[Gregg DeGeorge]

Thanks for the help heading down to barn now .see if I get lucky I'll pick up some contact cleaner

 

[Shorthorse]

Your amp gauge function is independent from the dash light issue but extremely important. Unless it's been previously bypassed, there is still current going through it. Tackle that first. Old Mopar amp gauges can be an issue. They can lead to lots of problems including melted wires and even fires. Bypass it.
As for the dash lights, I agree. It's probably the panel dimmer switch. You didn't mention if your parking lights and headlights work.
Main power at the headlight switch is a Black/Tracer wire. It has 12V at all times. When the headlight switch is turned on, a Black wire which feeds the panel dimmer switch. Out of the panel dimmer switch a Tan wire supplies variable power (dimmer) to the fuse marked INST and LPS when the headlight switch is turned on. The output of that fuse supplies power to the dash, clock, ash tray, radio and other lights depending on options. Those lamp power feeds are all Orange.
Also, check your dash ground. I am not sure whether the 68 has a ground strap or grounds by way of the dash frame but others here will know.

http://www.mymopar.com/downloads/1968/68BelvedereGTXSatelliteRoadRunnerA.JPG
http://www.mymopar.com/downloads/1968/68BelvedereGTXSatelliteRoadRunnerB.JPG

http://www.mymopar.com/downloads/1968/68BelvedereGTXSatelliteRoadRunneFull.pdf

 

[Gregg DeGeorge]

Thanks for the help turned out it was dirty dimmer switch cleaned it with spray cleaner ,works in one position but that's progress ,car was off the road late 80,s its in primer trying to get it ready for temp plates thanks again Gregg