The dash light on my 70 chevelle is out, this car has now been on the road a month and after fixing more major problems I can now turn my attention to this. Where should I start? and by the way my spedo gage keeps jumping up and down, I checked the connection at the transmission and seems fine.

If your dash lights are out, first check the bulbs, they're all 194 bulbs. If the bulbs are good then check the fuse. One quick way to check the fuse, is to check your tail lights. they'r run by the same fuse that runs the dash lights. If the tail lights go on , it's not the fuse.
As far as your speedo goes you might need a new one, also check the speedometer driven gear in the transmission, and also check the cable.


Jeff

I hope this doesn't sound stupid but were are the bulbs in the dash?

Not to offend anyone but is the headlight switch turned up enough to light the lights? If turned all the way to the right the lights will be out.

If that's not it, and "all" the lights are out it could be a bad switch.



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Bob (Pottsville,Pa)

Bob's 409 Chevy Page

silverstone.fortunecity.com/tvr/246/bob_s_409_chevy_page_index.html (http://silverstone.fortunecity.com/tvr/246/bob_s_409_chevy_page_index.html)

JSL is correct; the dash lights go out when the tail light fuse blows. However the dash lights have an additional fuse. It's the bottom fuse in the left-hand column. A 4 amp fuse that's shorter than the rest. Check for. + voltage at the fuse. If no voltage you probably have a bad light switch. If you have voltage either all the inst. cluster lights are bad or you have a ground problem

I could be wrong on this. If your car has A/C the only way to replace the cluster lights is to drop the dash. This is a two-person job. With the dash down you can replace the bad lights and check the ground.

Elree Colby
Chandler, AZ

Lildog-

Be more specific and I can help you out.

Do you have "sweep type dash" (malibu) or guages (SS).

Which light(s) are out?

There are cluster lamps and indicator lamps. You go about servicing each type in a very different way.

I redid my '70 lights (ALL OF THEM). There is no need to drop the whole dash in less it is an SS guage package dash or SS pod idiot light dash.

Joe

Its not a SS dash. And the turn signal lights work fine. The light switch is not turned to the right either. Its the spedo area that does not light up. All the fuses are okay too.

To solve the speedo problem, try disconnection the cable from the back of the speedometer and then applying oil to the cable. Apply enough oil so that it runs down the cable. If that doesn't fix the problem, then you might have to have it repaired or find a different one. I am pretty sure that you can just reach up under the dash to disconnect this cable. Also, you could remove the dash pad which is just held on by about 7 screws. If you remove the pad you might be able to solve your light problem too, by removing the cluster and checking the bulbs.

The first bulb in the line of 4 was burnt out can that cause the rest of the line to fail?

Lildog,
On the sweep type dash, the light bulbs are so easy to access it will thrill you to death.
There is an upper row of bulbs and a lower row.
To access the upper row requires removing the top of the dash. Too easy. On the underside of the front of the dash top are several screws (2 in the glovebox). Remove the screws, lift and pull out. There are clips at the rear of the dash top that have to go into brackets when you put it back on. After you remove the top, look along the top rear of the speedo. There are twist out sockets that hold the bulbs.

For the bottom row, the bulbs come out from the front of the speedo. The light bar with all the light lenses (oil,temp, turn signals, etc) is held in place by 3 screws. The heads of these 3 screws are coverded up by little black plastic caps. BE VERY VERY CAREFUL! Get up close and look at these lenses and you will see which 3 are caps. Use something long, very skinny and sharp to stick in beside the caps and carefully pry the caps out. Then lift up on the front of the light bar and pull out. Sometimes it takes a little persuasion and patience, but it really comes out pretty easy.

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Tom Parsons

Well
Thank you for all your help, but it looks like my wiring is all screwed up. I hooked a wire from the lights to the fuse box and I'm good to go now. thanks

To change bulbs on a SS Dash with or without A/C you do not have to drop the dash. All you have to do is pull the dash pad off , "after removing the screws" and go in through the top. The cluster is right there.


Jeff

First off, the in-dash lights run in a parrallel circuit manner off of the "printed circuit board", much like Christmass Tree lights. One blows but the rest stay on.


My 72 had the same problem! After minimal trouble shooting, I found the problem to be the dimmer part of the light switch. Even clicked to the dome possition didn't work. The reostat (looks like a wound coil in a circle) had to much wear/corrosion. I just prayed it with some Electric cleaner. I've heard brake cleaner will do, seeing as it evaporates.

But first off you gotta take out the dash. Just 6? phillips screws pointing up ward (get the ones in the glove box too!) Then "back track voltages from the light bulb mounts to the... well to the battery if need be http://www.chevelles.com/forum/wink.gif