I replaced all of the bulbs behind the dash of my 1954 ford, and clock light and still have no dash lights. what could be the problem? this is on a customline, 6 volt system. all original. everythnig else works interior lights, lighter, oil and generator light work as well as high beam indicator, but the instrument back lighting won't work. how many bulbs are there to illuminate the gauges? is there a fuse in the switch? im not sure how these things work.
There should be a glass fuse somewhere around the cluster as I recall.. I would look for that if they just went out all the sudden
The same thing with the reostat happened on my 55 F100 and since switches are hard to find for that model, I reconnected the dash light wire to the headlight terminal on the light switch. Problem solved.
I have to tweak my h.l. dimmer right to left regulary to find the sweet spot for my lights to come on.
Ill try wiggling the switch side to side, I've been spraying a little bit of electrical contact cleaner up on the switch to try and clean it up a bit
It's usually corrosion on that coil in the switch, there is a little tab that slides around on it when you twist the headlight knob and that coil gets either rust or green tarnish on it and keeps the tab from making contact. Hope you figure it out and it's easy!! Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad
If I remember correctly, the headlight switch comes out pretty easily. Feel around on the flat side of the switch for a pin with a spring around it. Pull the knob out most of the way, then push the pin in while pulling the knob the rest of the way out of switch. Knob shaft has a groove near end which catches on pin. You may have to fiddle with it a bit while pushing pin (button) in as far as possible. You may want to remove negative battery cable while doing this. Once the knob and shaft come out, put a pretty large slotted screwdriver in slots in the headlight escutcheon (chrome bezel that says headlights) and push headlight switch toward dash while turning escutcheon. They are held together with spring tension and there is a tab in dash hole which locates switch, so you will have to turn bezel. Now, you should be able to drop the switch down where you can get a better look. Put the shaft back in, hook up the battery, and test the connections for current. One of the connectors will be affected by turning the headlight knob. That is where dash light wire should connect. NOTE: Most headlight switches must ground to the dash or have a separate ground wire to the switch, so that when you turn the knob the other way, it grounds the return (not hot) wire from the dome light. Check for continuity to the switch body at one of the connectors when knob is turned in opposite direction that brightens dash bulbs.
We completely rewired our 54 with all new bits and still the dash light sw position on the light knob is dodgy turn a little too far and no dash lights , so a gentle touch is required.
I had the rheostat burn out once. I personally have never used the rheostat for anything but full bright so I just by passed it by connecting the input wire to the out put wire. The dash lights are on high just the way I always run them. I could have replaced the switch but why? We can guess at a lot of things but you need a test light and learn how to use it. It is not rocket science.
well no im not totally sure i replaced about 4 bulbs including the clock. i only saw 3 black plugs that i pulled that had bulbs in them. i thought there would be more but im not seeing the black socket plugs, just silver one's. do any of those carry bulbs? i replaced one by the lighter and one by the lightswitch on the left side which i thought was odd to have one there, since nothing lights up there.
There are 5 bulbs in the astro dome,,2 for turn signals,1 for hi/low beam and to for illumination. HRP
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