dash lights please help

[crewcab higgy]

So my dash lights and gauges were working fine minus fuel gauge reading 3/8 when full but still empty when empty. then the next time I go to drive the truck every thing is fubar. Temp gauge stuck at 210 when infact it was much much hotter oil press gauge would bounce all over the place and no dash high beams no right blinker. I replaced all the gauges with after market ones and found a blow hazard fuse I replaced the fuse now my blinkers work. I also found a blown dash light fuse I replaced that and now things get weird and I'm lost.

High beams on only aftermarket gauges and lights work NOTHING else
High beams off high beam light comes on. Fuel gauge moves but below empty 3 dash lights come on very dim. If I adjust dimmer lights dim more then turn off including high beam indicator.

My fuel gauge won't work at all now just move.
I un plugged the fuses I replaced and no change in any thing.

I have spent the better part of the day checking grounds and looking for loose wires. All grounds are good. My important gauges work but I'd like my fuel gauge to work too I could care less right now about no illumination for my speedometer and fuel gauge.

 

[chengny]

Did you check your forward lighting grounds at the radiator support - make them clean and tight.

Then go through each lamp socket and make sure the bulbs are correct, they are seated right and there is no corrosion.

Check the cab ground strap that goes from the firewall (passengers side) to the cylinder head.

If you have a spare headlight switch I would try that as well. Then check the high beam dimmer switch.

Keep a close check on your fuses too - while you diagnose this - I bet you haven't seen the last blown one yet. If one in particular keeps popping...that should give you a clue where the problem lies.

 

[crewcab higgy]

I think I found the culprit

After checking the grounds in the engine bay still no luck. However I did find when I put the instrument cluster together last I tore the printed circuit looks like I cough it on a screw. I'm assuming this is my problem I'll be junk yarding it tomorrow.

 

[chengny]

Do a test to be sure it's the issue - before you spend the day pulling useless PC boards that will last about a year. Here's what I used to do when I was younger (and poorer and had more initiative):

For about a half inch - on either side of the cut in the etching - take some emery and sand away the protective plastic covering the copper. Mask off any surrounding areas that have undamaged conductors. When you are down to the copper wipe the conductor clean with some acetone (carb cleaner, brake cleaner etc). Get some aluminum foil and cut a little strip about the width of the copper conductor - and long enough to connect the two areas that you just stripped. Place the strip of aluminum on the copper so that it crosses over the "divide" (this can be hard - my hands are giant).

When you have it positioned so that it makes a connection between the two separated sections, cut a piece of scotch tape long enough to cover the whole mess up. When you are ready, sneak up on it and tape that f*cker down (and pray it doesn't shift on you). It isn't really necessary but I found that if you can get something under the PC board in the area of the break, it allows you to get a better bond.

Won't last long but it will allow you to confirm or disregard that as your problem.

 

[crewcab higgy]

I'll try that tomorrow. What I did do however is got the pin out for the instrument cluster and checked the harness accordingly with a multi meter. Every thing seemed to be working properly.

 

[Georgeb]

To make things a bit easier if you have huge paws and shake a bit stick the foil to the tape first.