1981 C30 cluster issue

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ConnorD

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Alberta
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Connor
Truck Year
1981
Truck Model
C30
Engine Size
350
I've got a 1981 c30 that I bought a few months ago, very beautiful truck. But I seem be having cluster issues. I've tried a few different cluster and all the same things

Speedo isn't working (must be something other than the cluster I know what)

And all the gauges work, except the volt meter, but they ALL stop working once the lights are turned on, they all. Go to zero, including the fuel gauge, could this be as simple as a short in between the switch and the cluster bulbs? Any advice is appreciated. I'm very new to working on anything in the dash.
 

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mano

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mano
Truck Year
1979
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k10
Engine Size
350
Probably a short in the printed circuit.
 

Max Headroom

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Louisiana
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Michael
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1983
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c10
Engine Size
350ci
Wouldn't a short keep the guages off all of the time? Could it be a ground issue. My 60's and early 70's vehicles were real twitchy about grounding.
 

75gmck25

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K25 Camper Special TH350 NP203
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5.7
Did you make sure you connected the cluster ground? It’s usually a black wire connected to a post on the emergency brake mechanism, or on newer trucks they added a ground bar up under the dash.
 

mano

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I had the same thing happened to mine, and when I unplugged the connector, I noticed that where the printed circuit bends down to where the plug goes two of the little tabs were overlapping. I straightened them all out and the problem went away. I don’t remember which tabs it was.
 

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