I had some issues with my dash lights, and my dash supports sawing through and frying all my wires a while back. I fixed everything BUT the dash lights... What color is the wire AT the gauges? I want to trace it from there back.

 

I'm not sure off hand but AZ website has the electrical diagrams for our birds.
I have them from there for my 84.
I'm seeing a grey wire for my 84.
hope this helps ya.

 

So the gray wire coming off gauge plugs?

 

I'll attach the image here.
Looks like it comes from the variable resistor...AKA the dimmer.
That's how it looks to me...but I may be wrong.
I'll circle the area in red for you. Well I tried red and it just gave me grey...lol.
stupid POS laptop of mines.
Hope this helps ya.
I'll attach it unmarked too for your viewing pleasure.
If you want the rest of the schematics I have just ask and I'll Pm them to you.
but remember they are for 84.
thanks

 

Can anyone verify the 84 wiring being the same? I have a different gauge cluster.

 

Okay, so I traced all the wires from the head light switch, and the dimmer switch, and all wires are hooked up. It seems like all the wires are okay... Are there any main wires I need to trace? None of my dash lights or accessory lights work.

 

All the Gray wires are hooked up and not cut or anything... am I missing something?

The fuses are all good too.

 

did you test for 12 volts there.
It's possible the dimmer is shot.
Here are 2 links to the 88 body wiring from my imageshack account.
Looks to be the right wires are grey bud.
http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/4699/88body2.gif
http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/2456/88body1.gif
I hope these help.
Though all I did was go to AZ dot com and add your vehicle as another and looked at the wiring diagrams, saved the images and uploaded to imageshack for your viewing here.
Looks like you have a dark green wire coming from the remote dimmer into the instrument lamp fuse.
Have you tested the fuse on both sides while plugged in to see if there is any power.
The diagrams look slightly different from my 84 but for the most part they are the same.
Good luck.
I have the exact same issue with my 4th gen firebird.....I just wired a switch into the out terminal if my fuse. Seems to be my dimmer is shot. Same thing happened to my Malibu a couple of years ago.
That does not dim now as I just bridged the hot over the dim.

 

My dimmer still works like when I flip it all the way up, my interior lights come on though. And I thought it was the light switch that toggles the dash lights on?

 

I understand what you mean about it working when you flip it up to turn on the courtesy lights....but that does not say anything for the internal resistor that controls the dash lighting.
The courtesy light switch is a seperate part inside the dimmer.
It does not dim your courtesy lights whatsoever.
It's merely another circuit inside.
You should test the connector at the back of the dash if you have it out.
Test for voltage at the grey wire location.
Or test at the dimmer itself.
I would know what to test if I had it apart, but I don't.
I used to have a pic of my dash rear circuit as a diagram too...but for the life of me I just can't find it now.
I know i saw many on the site I got mines....for other years and models with different potions too....I'm trying for ya bud...just not having any luck as yet.
When I find it you'll be the first to know about it.

 

I have the whole dash, and most of the wiring loom cut open... I have tested the volts on the wire and all the gray ones show .01??? Doesn't look right does it?

Also, I have a manual with the wiring diagrams you have been posting... I just don't know which wires should show what voltage.

Im going to the pick n pull on sunday. Ill grab a spare switch to test.

 

OK
I've done a bit of recalling and booted up my ALLDATA DIY app.
I found the diagrams I was talking about but they are not quite as I expected for your year as compared to my year...
So.....
here is the 1988 firebird v8 5.7L rear of dash schematic first...this is the non digital dash....
http://img686.imageshack.us/img686/7...ularegular.jpg

this is the digital....also just a rough sort of outline....
http://img526.imageshack.us/img526/7...uladigital.jpg

and here's my 84...quite detailed I must say...I used it for working out the low fuel indicator I am working on.
http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/2149/84transam.jpg

I hope this ultimately helps you out....
Anything else...just ask.....I'm always looking to help where I can.


OK I didn't get done quick enough to see your post.
That voltage is not right of course.
You should get a varying voltage on your connector behind the dash...see above...when you rotate the dimmer it should increase or decrease from low to 12 volts.
I'm still shooting for the dimmer being shot itself. I.e. the actual variable resistor inside.

 

I'm always wary about them kind of parts from pick and pulls...Not saying you shouldn't do it.
Do you have a DMM (digital multimeter)?
If so...you can test the dimmer for resistance across the appropriate terminals that go to the dash.....just a thought.
Also test the continuity of the grey wire to the fuse...If you're unsure how to do this....I'm sure you are sure but just in case you're not.
Set the DMM on a high resistance on the dial and touch the probes together...should read close to zero...or 0.01.
the put 1 probe at the connecter at back of dash and the other at the fuse.
with no connection there should be a zero on the left side if the digital readout...when connection is made...i.e. continuity achieved it should read a resistance or just 0.01 for a good contact. I hope that is understandable.
perhaps you know all this already I don't know you well.
If not and you need further help...I'm on here most nights. I check my email many times a day too.

That's also a test you can perform on a switch at the boneyard too buddy.
Just take your DMM with you.
Even an analogue meter will serve this purpose.

 

I have a digital voltmeter, and don't really know how to use it... like I said.. the gray wires showed .01... Ill try and borrow a working switch my friend has... And see if that works... Also, do any grounds need to be hooked up to test the gauge lights? I have the two connectors hooked up the the gauges, and I turn the key, they power on, but no lights... I have the whole dash out and no grounds attached that I know of.

 

OK...
tomorrow I'll try and sort you out a little tutorial of what I mean with a couple of pics explaining it in better detail.
Did you understand my explanation of checking for continuity?
You should have lots of settings on the meter. I set mines to like the 20K when testing for wire continuity.
This would trigger the 0.01 better than the others I find.
For testing the switch/dimmer variable resistor itself. you can use a low K setting.
The meter will read in the low ranges when the dimmer is supposed to give full brightness in the dash lights in ohms.
That would be my first test at this point knowing that the wire reads 0.01 at the dash wire itself.

 

OK bud as promised a little tutorial...
Not knowing what you know to test or what you know about your DMM...so please don't see this as in any way condescending.....
First turn the DMM dial to the 20K setting like so and turn it on...
You should see something like this...

Now touch the 2 probes together like so and the LCD should change and eventually read this.....

Note the blue wire on my leg...We're now going to learn how to test for continuity.
I wrapped one end around my black test probe....I did not touch the red probe to the other end of the wire yet...this simulates a broken wire...or a disconnected wire...the LCD readout remains with only the 1 displayed on the left...like so...it looks like I am touching the wire with the red but I'm not....

now I touch the other end of the wire and the LCD shows the 0.01 like before....this tells me that there is continuity in the wire....i.e no breaks.


OK so there you have the means to check for broken wiring in your car with your DMM.
It's an invaluable tool for automotive electrical troubleshooting.
I hope this is of benefit to you.
Should help in the process of elimination now and in the future.
As for testing the actual dimmer resistor itself...well I don't have one here.
Just set the DMM as before and probe the correct terminals and turn the dimmer up.
You should get an LCD readout value if the dimmer is functional. If it's shot the display may not change.

 

Thanks! That really does help. I am going to the Pick N Pull tomorrow to get a black dash shell, so Ill try and snag the switch with it. I am going to be attacking the wiring again on monday. Wish me luck. Ill come here if I have anymore problems which I am sure I will.

 

Okay, going out today to try out a different dimmer switch. And I am going to check for shorts in my wires now that I know how to do it properly... I was trying to find the volts going through the wires which varies, so it didn't help! Thanks for all the help so far.

 

I am more than happy to help. If there's one thing I am good with it's wires...LOL
I'm actually glad I was able to help. It has given me a feeling of good inside.
If I can be of any further assistance please do not hesitate to post back or to PM me.
A PM will make it through to my email over any other settings on TGO.
However I am notified of replies to topics I subscribe/reply to.

You are more than welcome to access my knowledge anytime.
Hope you figure it all out now sir.

 

Okay... So I checked, and all my wires were good, but no 12 volts at the fuse box or anything. So I ran a constant hot wire to one of the gray wires to see if my dash lights worked and they did... So I hooked up my new switch and dimmer, and still nothing. So I put my old one back in... Then I switched this thing don't know what it is called... (metal and 3 wires plug into it) and they still didn't work. so I put in the new dimmer and switch along with the new metal thing. And they worked. So I know it was that metal thing and the dimmer combined making it kinda hard to figure out.

Thanks for all the help though. Your walk through really did help and I indeed did use it. Thanks again!!!

 

Hmmm....
Could you perhaps post a pic of the metal thing...I can't imagine what it is you're referring to.
Might help me in the future...you never know.
Even just a snapshot of the old one will do.
Glad you are back up and running.
Nothing worse than being in the dark so to speak...LOL