Re: Electrical Nightmare (HELLLLP!)

[Crazy Cajun <astros@WPI.EDU>]

I think i can help you here.  i just finished dealing with a very similar
problem.  All the lights you mentioned went out for me too plus the light
that indicates what gear you're in (85 5ks automatic).  First it was a
blown fuse.  replaced it and worked until i shifted into reverse and poof
lights out again.  Found one of the wires to the gear selector light
disconnected and soddered it back on.  replaced fuse again and nothing
happened.  finally i got frustrated so i got an instrument cluster at the
junkyard.  when i pulled the one i had i noticed a break in the circuit
internally.  There is a clear blue piece of plastic with a circuit board
inside it.  the wire inside it leading to the dimmer for the instrument
panel lights had melted through the plastic and had broken the circuit.
the other panel i got at the junkyard was a little different than the one
i had come to love. (mine had a clock and this one didn't).  but the one
from the junkyard worked but  i couldn't seem to get the speedometer cable
back on tight enough so it made a horrible clicking noise everytime the
car rolled.  me and a friend of mine took my old on and played around a
little.  we took a piece of insulated wire and soddered it to one side of
the melted wire and the other side we screwed straight under the dimmer
switch. it appeared to be ok. we wrapped electrical tape around the
soddered spots to try to insulate the entire circuit again.  I switched
panels again and nothing. i was bummed. then i remembered some people from
the list telling me the dimmer switches can be trouble.  so i switched the
dimmer switch from the yucky one to mine and everything worked great.
(including the speedo).  sorry so long
 

moral:  1. check the blue plastic circuitboard.
        2. once the short is found you may need to check the dimmer 
           switch.
	3. it may be easier to switch the blue plastic circuit boards but
	   the one i got wasn't the same as the one i had
	4. it's probably not a case of burn't out light bulbs..
	   i wouldn't kill yourself trying to replace them all


					-Noel
					 85 5ks