I have a 1964 oldsmobile 98, all the options, all original. my gas, oil, cold, hot, and generator lights have all stopped working. any ideas on where to check?

 

There should be a fuse in the fuse block labeled "gages", "instruments" or similar. I don't have my manual in front of me but that's the first place I'd look. Possibility the ground contact in the ignition switch has failed.

Let us know if replacing the fuse doesn't solve the problem.

 

switching fuses did not solve the problem. Is there a relay somewhere I can check?

 

I don't think there is a relay for the indicator lights. A relay is used so that a high-current circuit can be controlled by a low-current one. There is nothing high voltage or high current about the indicator lights or the gas gauge.

The gas gauge should be a separate issue and be wired directly to the sending unit in the tank. You can disconnect the gauge from the sending unit at the rear of the car near the license plate area where the wire from the sending unit on the tank connects to the wire leading to the gauge. If you disconnect this wire and ground the wire coming from the gauge, with the ignition on, the gauge should immediately go to "E." If it doesn't, you have an open in the wire between the back of the car and the gauge.

The oil pressure and coolant temperature lights should be wired directly to their respective sensors on the engine. You can check to see if they work individually by removing the connector from each and grounding it. With the ignition on, the light on the dash should go on. If it doesn't, you've got a bad connection between the sending unit and the dash, a burned out indicator light bulb, or the bulb is not grounded at the dash.

My guess is that, since both the gas gauge and the indicator lights, which are unrelated to each other except that their wires all end up at the dashboard, are all experiencing problems at the same time, your problem is actually at the dashboard itself, and maybe the wire harness that connects the gauge and these lights to the dash has come loose or fallen off.

If you don't have a '64 Olds service manual (it's actually a set of 5 that year), you really ought to get them, or at least get the one that covers the electricals. Having wiring diagrams and photos of the back of the instrument cluster and printed circuit will be invaluable in tracking this down.