i have a 84 z28 heavily modified, i had a shop install a line lock, and when i got it back, i noticed that the cluster lights did not work, i checked the 5 amp fuse and there is no power going to it, i swapped out the headlight switch and still no lights, i do not have a bulb in the gear selecter socket or under the drivers side dash, they just hang and would burn holes in the carpet, i dont think this would matter though, is there something i am missing here, getting it back from the shop after the line lock install and no lights might be a quinceidence, i never drive the car at night so i might just never had noticed it. any help would be greatly appreciated thanks

 

anybody?

 

i check the back of the fuse block and there is no power going to the 5 amp fuse terminal, with or without the headlights on. does anyone have any idea how i can fix this?

 

has anyone ever had this problem before where there is no power going to the back of the fuse panel, the grey wire? maybe a fusible link or a relay or something, i also dont think i have any power coming out of the headlight switch other than headlight and tailight power?

 

yes, i did, turned out to be a "broken" wire at the starter, i mean the 2 red wires going to the fusebox LOOKED ok....but right at the loop connecting to the starter, under the rubber protector thing, and inside the insulation, the wires were M.I.A

tracked it down with a VERY sharp test light....starting from lightswitch to fusebox to starter...

 

My gauge lights stopped working after I accidentally touched some wires together under the dash. the fuse is fine and i haven't checked the pwer to the block yet, but i just assumed that i fried the PCB on the back of the cluster.

 

i check the wires coming from the starter, they are all good, didnt fry the fusible links or anything there, i am stumped, this sucks. did you check to see if there was power going to the fuse with a test light or did you just pull the fuse out and look to see if it was good? anyone have a working cluster they want to get rid of real cheap so i can see if it is the cluster itself, although the dummy lights and the guages still work, i am willing to try anything at this point

 

yeah same here the signal lights and blinker indicators and crap still work. its just the backlighting that's messed up.

 

if you ever figure out what it is, please let me know, and if i figure my problem out, ill give you a heads up

 

smokin84Z28

It sounds as if the DR GRN wire from the headlight switch to the 5A INST fuse if broken. Also have you verified that your dimmer switch is not in the "OFF" position? When the dimmer control is in theOFF position, it does not supply power (12v) to the INST fuse.

Take a look at this thread. I have attached a wiring diagram of the insturment light circuit. It may help you trace the wires and the problem.

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/elec...ol-switch.html

dc_sniper9130

I wonder if you damaged the dimmer control when you shorted those wires together? You might also want to take a look at the above thread.


Dave

 

you know, I may just run up to schucks tomorrow and pick one up. My dimmer was really crappy anyways and I hated that the switch felt all old and stupid, its something that i've just needed a reason for. I wonder what they cost...

 

everything i have checked, i have turned the dimmer both ways just to make sure. ill check out that thread, hopefully it helps thanks

 

on the back of the fuse block, i only have the grey wire coming into the slot for the inst fuse, is this correct and if so, where does the dark green wire from the headlight switch tie into the fuse block?

 

checked for power at the green wire at the switch, and none with the headlights on or off and with the dimmer in different positions, jumped power to this wire and dash lights turned on, picked up a new switch from advance and hooking it up now, could i have just bought a bad used switch the first time or is there another power source that feeds that green wire?

 

new headlight switch and still no power going to the green wire,

 

hmm

 

figured out it wasnt a coincidence that the lights didnt work after i got it back from the shop, i noticed that on the diagram there was another power source going into the switch, the rear lights, i checked the rear lights and found out they were not working as well, i checked the diagram again and found the fuse for the rear lights and what do you know, it wasnt even there. they pulled it out to hook up another wire, guess they pulled one out and didnt know where it went, so that was the problem, no tailight fuse!!! which cause the whole problem, man that was a pain to figure out, the whole dash is out of the car, column dropped and wiring harness to the starter was pulled out, at least i was able to figure it out, time to put the car back together and try to go racing tomorrow at mason dixon, thanks to everyone who offered suggestions

 

Gald to hear that you figured out your problem. You should give the shop some feed back, and maybe a bill for your time. You shouldnot have to spend your time and money figuring out a probelm they created because they tried to fix something they did not have enough information to fix.

Dave

 

 

on top of this problem, i got the car back with no gear othe than first and reverse, thay said they cant guarantee a performance modded car, and they billed me for a new master cylinder that i didnt need, i have a huge cam and no vacuum to run the brakes, needless to say i have never been back there and never will be, i ended up having to take the car to another trans shop, thats a whole nother story, but yes at least i figured it out, those diagrams helped since i couldnt read the tiny ones i had from the service manual

 

Wait, the master cylinder runs off vacuum?

I could swear it was connected to the PS pump when I pulled my small-block out of the donor car...

 

vacuum assisted brakes, large cam produces no vacuum, i have a vacuum canister, but it really doesnt help that much, i am going to order a vacuum pump shortly so my brakes work better. they replaced the master cylinder thinkin it was bad, they obviously didnt know what they were doing because i told them the brakes didnt work unless you revved it up, and they went ahead and replaced the master cylinder anyway.