cluster lights are not working

[eric4321]

I just replaced all 3 bulbs it the cluster on my 93 Cabby. None of the bulbs are working. All the gauges work tach, temp and clock. The lights for the power window switches work as well as the 3 counsel gauges and they will get brighter or dimmer with the fader. I am looking for ideas on how to fix this.

[Briano1234]

see:

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=2542

Be sure that you have connectivity to the bulbs, that they are twisted fully to engage the mylar, as they tend to go almost as far as needed but fall short. If you have a DVM then use it in resistance to measure the circuit and make sure that it is shorted... That means that the bulb is bridging the gap.

[eric4321]

So if the bulb is engaged properly I should show no resitance if I put the leads for my dvom on both sides of the bulb? I tried the trick of placing the tape on the conector but I am not clear on exactly whare to splice the ground wire in.

[Briano1234]

The brown wire on the main cluster (white long lots of pins) is the number 2 and that is ground for he whole cluster.

If you go on the circuit tracings ( both) sides of the meter should read short.

If you can see that the fingers of the bulb aren't touching the circuit trace, twist them more.

If you are using generic p2 bulbs that were socketed, then you have to trim that as there is a little stop that prevents the proper engagement of the sockets fingers to the circuit.

[eric4321]

Brian thank you for pointing me in the rite direction. It turned out that the bulbs were not making a conection to the sockets. I had to pull the wires out on the bulbs to get them to contact the metal on the sockets. I am so happy to have full cluster lights. The speedo one did not work when I bought the car and when the tach one went I finally decided to fix them. Thanks again Brian!