 |
PM |  | |
Quote | | |
Reply | | |
Full Topic | |
| Joined: | 03-12-2005 |
| Location: | Kingman, Arizona USA |
| Posts: | 532 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
You note that the instrument lights have quit, and the turn signals are working where they previously were not. Other than the fact that the wiring for both systems runs through the same part of the wiring harness, about the only thing they have in common is the 9-pin steering column connector. Check both sections of the connector and make certain that every wire is in good shape and firmly attached to its pin, and that every pin is in good condition and secure in its hole. If necessary, replacement connectors complete with pins are available quite inexpensively from British Wiring (usual disclaimers).
You didn't mention whether the headlights and side/tail lights remain functional.
(1) If the head and tail lights work, there's a problem in the wiring that runs from your Lights switch, to one side of the Dimmer rheostat, and then from the other side of the Dimmer through a connector to the dash lights themselves. Check for a wire that's become unplugged from the Dimmer, or a broken/disconnected red or black wire at one of the connector pins leading to the instrument pod.
(2) If the side/tail lights work, but the headlights do not, there's a problem with the blue wire that runs from your Lights switch to the high beam / low beam switch on the steering column.
(a) If both high and low beams are dead, the problem is on the Lights switch side of the wiring. Check for a wire fallen off your Lights switch, and for broken wires at the connector pins.
(b) If only one is dead, it's in the beam select switch itself, or the wiring from it to the headlights. Again, check for broken wires at the connector pins.
(c) Examine each of the bullet connectors clustered in front of the radiator. These tend to become deranged when the lighting circuitry is made to work after a long hiatus. Use carburetor cleaner or electrical contact cleaner to remove any grunge on each bullet and receptacle, burnish off any corrosion on the bullet, and apply a light coat of dielectric grease to each bullet before reinserting it. This should eliminate future problems here (though the wires might some day break due to vibration and fatigue).
(3) If headlights, side/tail lights, and dash lights are all dead, either your new Lights switch has died, or there's a problem with the brown wire going to it. Make sure the connector attached to the wire is still making good contact with both wire and switch. Make sure there's +12 volts on the brown wire. If so, the switch is probably bad. If not, and only the lights are dead, there's a problem between the brown wire and the Battery Junction in the wiring harness. If a lot of other things are also dead, either your Battery Junction has come apart, or there's a problem between the tap on the battery positive cable, the 3-pin connector in the engine bay, and the Battery Junction.
Whatever the cause, it shouldn't take long to find and fix it. Good luck and enjoy the hunt.