1969 Dodge Charger wiring issues, no brake lights, bezel lights, flasher, dome

[rikubot]

   you could test all gauges except amp gauge with 2  1.5 volt C batterys taped together and 2 jumper leads.If gauge moves at all or goes halfway its good.If nothing its bad .Make sure the leads are not reversed or gauge wont move up

Yes sir I read that on here somewhere and tried it out. I got movement on all three gauges. It's a great method for checking gauges in which anyone can do. Thanks Nascar!

[rikubot]

You are making excellent progress!

I had the exact same moment with my dash lights. The difference was I was talking to a Charger buddy on the phone and he told me to roll it gently until they came on. Sure enough, it worked. It was the first I had ever seen my dash lights come on! I have even taken that thing apart and cleaned it. Cleaned the contacts with fine paper, it still has that tiny "sweet spot" .

I would also check your gauges PC Board. The problem most likely is the voltage limiter, but it isn't always. Sometimes people screwed with this stuff and got rough with the connector that goes to the harness. A slight crack is all it takes to kill that board.

Washer fluid button. Use a test light on the pump side to test the wiring. Pressing the button in should make the light turn on. If it checks out okay, make sure you have a really good ground coming off the motor. I have had problems with ones for just that reason. The hole may have been enlarged and the screw fits tight because of paint. Knocking that screw up a size or to a coarser thread has brought many of them back to life for me. Just enough to get a new bite on the metal and give it a solid ground. I use a O connector sandwiched between the washer tank and one of the mounting screws.

I still had a new issue develop with my map light. It only works occasionally. I suspect the original relay is tired and sticky.

Yes, finally some progress! About the dimmer, I see a guy on Ebay rebuilds them for $75. Seems like a decent deal if they work smoothly afterwards. I cleaned and lubed mine as well, it helped a lot but still REAL touchy.

I have a feeling the PC board might be the problem. I bought a solid state RT-Engineering limiter and still no dice. I still need to solder the pins to the board too.

Does the washer fluid motor have a ground on it? I think mine is missing and that would definitely explain why its not working.

Damn map lights. I read that the button is also VERY spazzy on those lights as well. I know for a fact that mine was when it worked, and had its own little sweet spot.

Thanks for the advice and sharing your experience

[rikubot]

I've got just about everything squared away on my interior lighting. I have a couple of questions: Does the A/C and heater control light come on when you turn on your interior and running lights? Does it plug into that three-holed plug coming off the main dash harness?

-Mike

[Dino]

I've got just about everything squared away on my interior lighting. I have a couple of questions: Does the A/C and heater control light come on when you turn on your interior and running lights? Does it plug into that three-holed plug coming off the main dash harness?

-Mike

Yes and yes.   

[rikubot]

Thanks Dino! You are wise Mopar Jedi. It looks like the Ash Receiver lamp also plugs into the same socket. The third plug looks like it splits and powers two bulbs, one next to the clock and one next to the tach. That doesn't seem to make sense to me, my car doesn't have a place for either that isn't already being used buy the main harness lighting?

[Dino]

Yeah I'm a real Obi Wan Kedino! 

I've got my instrument cluster out so I'll check what's plugged in where when I get back this morning.  The radio also has a light.  I think there's a free socket as well,

[Dino]

Sorry for the delay.  I took a look at my wiring and the three socket plug has one wire coming from the ash tray, one from the a/c controls and the third is free.  Can you post a picture of what you have split going to the clock? 

[rikubot]

Sorry for the delay.  I took a look at my wiring and the three socket plug has one wire coming from the ash tray, one from the a/c controls and the third is free.  Can you post a picture of what you have split going to the clock? 

ahh No worries Dino! Currently my three socket plug thingy is empty. I was referring to this accessory diagram. I think I have the wiring for the a/c controls but I have to get a hold of the ash lamp stuff. Does your ash lamp have a ground or is the socket a ground?

[rikubot]

Here's the diagram I've been using....

[rikubot]

I'm gonna try to get the heat/AC and radio back lights to work today. As far as I know, those just plug right in: The heater light in the little three hole plug and the radio into the plug coming off the harness. Do I need to have anything else hooked up to either?

[Dino]

Nope that's it.  Both heater light and radio are grounded to the body so they should light up once you plug them in and turn on the lights.  Do you have LEDs?  The stock bulbs are barely noticable.

[rikubot]

The heater/AC light works! It looks pretty cool but it is dim. Nothing from the radio, though. The ONLY cable I have hooked up to the radio is the one coming off the harness, I think its the orange and red wire plug. The black/green cables are cut, and the speakers and antenna aren't hooked up. Any thoughts?

About the dimness: I do plan on getting LEDs in all my dashboard lighting (except turn signals and brake system light, of course), what do you think? Do you have the LEDs in your backlighting?

[Dino]

I think the radio lght should work with just the plug.  Check the bulb first.

Yes I have the LEDs and it makes a world of difference.   

I did not use them in the turn sgnal or high beam indicators. 

[rikubot]

Hopefully I just have a bad bulb. Are those hard to change out? Do you have any recommendations on LEDs? What do you think of the LEDs in the dome and courtesy lights? Sorry for all the questions lol. You're just so damn good at Chargers. Is there any chance you have a photo of your gauge backlights?

[Dino]

The radio bulb is real easy to replace...once you have the radio out...

With the cluster out it's not a big deal, just remove the two bolts on the face of the radio and the nut behind it on the passenger side so you can slide the radio out.  The bulb is under a cover on the top. 

I bought a bunch of BA9S base bulbs on ebay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/110996849220?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

Those are the ones you need for the radio, gauges, shifter light, ashtray, ignition light, glove box.  I don't recommend these though as they came apart when you looked at them.  You just need something with the same type of base.  I do like the configuration of these but they are cheaply made.

For the dome light, map light, and console lights you need a 1142.

Check Superbrightleds.com.  Just do a search by type of car, they have everything you will need.  If you need an ignition switch light, get the smallest one they have.  There's little room in the housing.

I don't have the best of pics of the radio and such and I'm unable to get one for a while seeing half the car is apart, but I took these last year.  The pictures show dark spots on the gauges but in real life it's much richer and clearer.   

[rikubot]

This is perfect, Dino. It looks just like the ones I saw on a post awhile back. I don't know why cameras make the lights look spotty. It does that with mine too even though they look ok. But honestly I'd be ecstatic with what you got in the pic even though it looks better in person.

I need to get that cluster and radio out, then. Once I figure out that radio light, my dash will have ALL OF ITS LIGHTS! Minus the map light, of course. I've gotten the radio out without doing the cluster before, but I'm not gonna try that again haha.

Thanks for uploading those pictures, you've got a good-lookin' cluster there Dino!

[Dino]

Yeah not bad for a diy paint job, chrome incuded.   

I keep forgetting I have a tach on my work bench so I need to find a modern tach do use its guts.

[rikubot]

I ordered some T10 and T11 "Cool White" LEDs the other day off eBay. I'm so excited to put them in haha. Do you know off the top of your head what size bulb is in the radio and heater panel? I think the heater bulbs are the same as the dash bulbs.

I still need to get a tach as well. How difficult is the gut swap? I have my old tach (aftermarket) and the opportunity to get the tic toc tac from Mopar John on here that he isn't sure works.

[Dino]

If I recall, the bulbs for the radio and a/c light bar need to be fairly slim as the sockets are very close to the edge of the brackets.  If the bulb is wider than the socket it may not fit.

Swapping the guts isn't that hard, but you need an aftermarket tach with the same graduated scale as the stock tach or the readings will be off.  I'm looking for a modern tach myself.  I already swapped the clock guts for quartz and got new decals to make it purdy again.   

[rikubot]

Turns out the LEDs I went with fit in the A/C controls, but just barely.

That makes sense. I probably won't mess with that and just fork out the $450 for a new one with harness. Funny how the repro Tacs on Year One are "discount exempt"? 

Emoji rant over, here's my gauges! Like you said, they look a lot better in person. I'm very happy with them and thank you for the advice and help.

Side note, I got my horn relay in and now I've got a horn again after ten years of nada haha

[rikubot]

Those LEDs definitely do fall apart just from looking at them. Can't complain though cuz they're super cheap and only one is too bad to use. Do you have them in your gear indicator as well? I still need to do my dome and courtesy lights and my interior will be set!

[Dino]

No I have some work to do on the gear selector.  I'm only getting around 9 volts or so to that bulb and the LED won't work.  It's got an incandescent bulb in it now and it looks bad compared to everything else.  I don't know what the deal is but I haven't looked into it yet.

I had at least 6 of them break, I'm never buying these again.  Way too frustrating.

[rikubot]

THE THREE GAUGES THAT DIDN'T WORK ALL HAD BAD SENDERS!!!!!  Lesson learned: Don't assume ANYTHING works without testing!!!
Anyway, I thought it would be cool to make an

Updated progress list!

What I don't have working:
- the three gauges on circuit
- gauge back lights
- dimmer switch
- flasher switch
- right turn indicator
- dome light
- door switches
- washer fluid button
- brake lights
- brake indicator light
- wiper switch & motor

I'm very thankful for everyone's help, especially you, Dino! She is getting there, slowly, but absolutely surely!

[Dino]

No need to thank me, that's what we're here for!   

Now you can pay it forward by helping others with your knowledge.   

Yeah never assume anything, I've been guilty of that on more than one occasion.  You'd think I'd learn but noooooo.   

Alright, time to test the wiper motor without the switch and see if it runs.  Remove the terminal on the  motor and get the test leads out.  If it's a 2 speed motor then follow this diagram to test the motor.  Thanks to E5 Charger for pointing me to this when I needed it.   
http://www.passion4mopars.com/Bench-Test-Mopar-2-Speed-Wiper-Motors-Concealed-and-Nonconcealed_b_5.html

[nascarxx29]

Check wipers linkage with motor out .They are known to seize up