Hi all, hope you can help with the following questions.


1. I changed my clock component to Quartz and tested using direct connection to the battery and it works fine but when I put it back on the panel it does not, is there a ground wire for the clock? This seems to be the missing part b/c when testing using the battery the clock does not work without a ground connection.


2. What are these wires (blue&black and orange) on the attached picture for? I found these once I removed the clock but tried tracing them without much success.


3. I was having issues where none lights on the cluster panel would come on along with 1 directional not working so after changing 4 busted bulbs I got the directional to work but the lights still not turning on the cluster panel, any ideas what is preventing them from coming on? I have checked the fuses and all looks good.

 

Just wanted to give an update.
Related to #1 above I was able to get the clock to work so this issue is taken care of.
Issue #2 and #3 still a puzzle, specially #3 b/c I get all interior lights to work including the clock but not the speedometer and gage. I read that the odometer light can be tied to the break lights but the break lights work so not sure what else to look for, any thoughts? Thanks.

 

There are two grounding spots at each end of the instrument panel.
Each gauge is mechanically connected to ground, by a strip of flat metal, going between all 3 gauges. Those tin strips are your ground.
If the strips are missing or the grounds at the left / right side of the panel are not connected, you will have missing gauge lights and flaky gas gauge.

In your picture, one of the tin strips is visible just above the blue wire.
Run an ohm meter from this strip to Ground and it must be less than 2 ohms.

 

Thanks Miles - so the metal tin strip between the panels is the ground? I did not know that so this is helpful. Now, when you say to run the ohm meter from these strips to Ground, what do you mean by Ground? Would that be any other piece of metal?

 

Have you tried twisting the rheostat/headlamp switch to full voltage? That could be your issue with the cluster bulbs.

Pat

 

Hi Pat - yes I have twisted the rheostat all the way from right to left and vice-versa trying to get it to work and all lights even clock works except the gauge lights. Thanks.

 

Yes, A good Digital Volt Meter (DVM) is your best friend.
I have a link some where here, that shows pictures of the Dash ground contact points. Ill try to find it.

Set the DVM to Ohms.
Touch one probe to a frame part of the car in the dash area (no paint).
Touch the other side to the tin strips.
Display should drop to near zero ohms of resistance.

When the dash is properly connected, you should have a continuous connected line of grounded tin strips from the left side of the dash ground hook to the right side of the dash ground hook.

 

I could not find my link, but did find a picture of the back of the dash.
Check this link.
the Tin strips attached to the grounded frame.
the strip goes to the front of the dash and need to Touch your fuel gauge.
The fuel gauge tin connects to the Spedo, The spedo gauge tin connects to the clock, the Clock tin connects to the ground tab on the right edge of the dash.

https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...d-problem.html