mickeypatches

hi, im working on an '84 camaro z28 that my dad has and the instrument cluster lights will not come on. the headlights stopped working a little bit before i started working on this. i replaced the headlight switch and the dimmer switch and the headlights started working (well one of them did) but the instrument cluster will not light up. any ideas, trying to get the car working before senior year

Seven_MPG

Did you check the fuse under the dash?

mickeypatches

might of blown recently but last time i checked it was still good

mickeypatches

checked fuse and it is good. also the gauges work it is just the lights dont

JamesC

iTrader: (5)

Sorry, I have to ask: Have you tried twisting the headlight **** (which dims/turns off the gauge lights)?

JamesC

mickeypatches

haha yes i have. i bought electric contact cleaning spray and gonna spray down the connectors and clean them pretty good. pray that this works

JamesC

iTrader: (5)

Maybe some help below:

Headlights
Circuit Operation:

Voltage is applied to the light switch at all times. The light switch includes a self-resetting circuit breaker which opens and closes if the headlight circuit draws too much current. When the light switch is in "Head," the headlight dimmer switch directs current to either the lo beams or the hi beams. Current to the hi beams also flows to the high beam indicator.

Troubleshooting Hints:

If only one headlight doesn't work in both "hi" and "lo", check the ground wiring.

If headlights don't work in just "hi" or just "lo", check headlight dimmer switch.

If headlights flash on and off with switch in "head," isolate short to ground. Operate the headlight dimmer switch to find if the short to ground is in tan or lt grn wires.

If only the "hi'" headlights flash on and off, check lt grn wires for shorts to ground.

If only the "lo" headlights flash on and off, check tan wires for shorts to ground.

If both "hi" and "lo" headlights flash on and off, check the yel wire for a short to ground.

JamesC

mickeypatches

i think the headlights just have bad bulbs, took one out a while ago and its bulb was bad. but which wires should i check that go to the instrument cluster?

ZF6camaroZZ4

Dk/Grn comes off the head light switch dimmer to the cluster. See if you have voltage coming off the dimmer, and see if you have continuity on the wire from the switch to cluster.
Cluster lights have a couple grounds, so it seems if you were missing a ground,, you would atleast have half the lights.

Had to replace my head light switch the other day. The first we we bought from Orileys was bad, and they didnt stock them. wait for the first one... wait for the second

mickeypatches

ok thanks, my dad is an electrician and after hunting season gets over we are gonna get working on this pretty heavy