I have a 72 Cutlass and just connected my Autometer tach up yesterday, but where can I easily connect my lights (white wire) to? I thought about the fuse box somewhere, but I didn't see anything for my light switch labeled on the fues box.



Thanks

 

Why don't you splice it into the dash wiring so it will light when they do? You need this to be switched (through the headlight switch) so the gage lights aren't on all the time.

 

x2

 

Where is the dash wiring do I specifically splice into? Is there a location and color of wire that I splice into?

Any pics from anyone?

 

The grey wire is the panel lights.

Some cars have a spade lug in the fuse block labeled something like "PNL LPS," which would also do the trick.

- Eric

 

I believe the panel light fuse is going to be a full 12v supply to the rheostat for the dimming.

 

No panel light fuse that I see in my 72. I see a ton of wires, so does anyone have a pic of exactly where the gray wire is? It's nearly impossible to get to the switch wiring under the dash, but I see a ton of wires next to the steering column. Would the gray wire be in that pack of wires? By the way I'm color blind so I struggle to see color variances. Help is much needed.

 

I tied mine to 12v when the lights are on at the fuse box so they stay bright all the time. You will see a 1/4 inch male spade terminal in there like Eric said thats marked PNL.

 

If you have a ton of wires you may also have the optional lighting package for 72. If that's the case you can probably tie into one of those leads. There is a panel light fuse for your car, but it's labled INST LPS and is 4amps. Have a look at the wiring diagrams I'm attaching from the Assembly manual. Might give you a better idea of what you're chasing down. http://wildaboutcarsonline.com/membe...al_Sect_12.pdf

 

C'mon. It's right there.



There are grey wires all over - wherever there are dashboard lights.

In that case, you've got a problem.
Jobs that involve working with wiring usually test to screen out the colorblind - you cannot properly or safely work with color-coded wires if you can't see the colors.
I would strongly recommend getting a friend to come over and identify the grey wires for you. It may be a good idea to have that person label all wires they can find that fall within the range of colors you can't differentiate.

If that's not realistic, then look up under there, find a dashboard illumination lamp, and just attach to the wire that goes to that lamp.

- Eric

 

OK got the location. For some reason mine isn't labeled INST LPS (letters worn off or something) and I have no reason why. Also, there is no spade terminal to the left of the small fuse and no spade terminals for the ACCY and BAT in the middle of the fuse box. I only have the IGN terminal, which my tach red wire is hooked to. Is this normal for those terminals to be missing?


Thanks for your help

 

No, it's not normal. Are all the other locations marked as in the pic Eric posted? Can you post a pic of the fuse block? I'm wondering if you have an aftermarket block in there now. All the fuse blocks from 68-72 are exactly the same and should have all those terminals.

Edit: I just checked the 73 and up. They have the same configuration too.

 

I'll try to get some pics tomorrow and I hope it isn't my vision failing me.

 

 

I guess I do need my glasses. You can see from the pic the INST LPS is labeled correctly, but you can also see that the 2 middle terminals and the terminal left of the INST LPS is missing.

I did find 2 wires in close proximity of the door jamb switch black and white wires. One of those wires looked a shade of gray with a white line on it and the other line looked a darker solid gray or maybe it was green???
I couldn't easily see where they were connected to, but those 2 wires were on a push on coupler plugged into something. That something was then sheet metal screwed to the bottom of the inside dash.

 

There is nothing in that area that has anything to do with the dash lights.

Why not look near the dash lights?

- Eric

 

There is an adapter that you can buy that slides over one end of a fuse that you can attach a spade terminal to. I'll see if I can get you a link tomorrow.