Could really use some help here - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

Mountain Man · 01-27-2005, 07:52 PM

Still have no dash lights or tail lights even though I have stop lights and signal lights.

Can a dash ground cause no tail light power?

Does anyone have a pic of where the instrument panel grounds?

I have a painless wiring harness on the truck and none of the fuses are bad.

I seem to be getting no power from the brown tail light wire at the firewall engine side connection, so the problem must be inside the cab.

I have even changed out the headlight switch with no success.

I need some good advise here.

Mountain Man · 01-27-2005, 07:58 PM

Could one bad dash bulb cause the entire dash circuit to go out?

poink 71 chev · 01-27-2005, 08:04 PM

one bulb wont caubse that problem. check to see if you have power on both sides of fuse. it might be loose or bad connection.

724wdcopper · 01-27-2005, 09:20 PM

still sounds like a fuse. TS and BL work on a different circuit, i believe.

Mountain Man · 01-27-2005, 09:34 PM

These are all new blade style fuses and they are all o.k.

More input needed.

71meangreenc10 · 01-27-2005, 09:54 PM

You guys are in luck,
The ground for the dash comes down from the dash cluster out beside the wires that runs by the ignition switch(It does not go to the ignition switch), it is a black wire that clips on the dash, the original wire has a clip not a terminal for ground, after testing my fuse panel those two points are the only grounds, so you can run your own grounds (I suggest you do) from the black wire at the harness into the dash circuit to a known ground. You should also have firewall to engine grounds, engine to frame grounds, cab to frame grounds,and I also put one from the trans to frame with heavy guage wire. If you like PM me and I can break down the whole harness to you.........

Smitty

jef5150 · 01-27-2005, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Does anyone have a pic of where the instrument panel grounds?

heres my dash ground, my dash lights wont work if this isnt on the metal lip. The black ground wire comes out of the same taped bundle of wires as the wiring for your gauges. jeff

71meangreenc10 · 01-27-2005, 10:31 PM

Thats the wire with the clip I'm talking about.................

Smitty

chickenwing · 01-27-2005, 11:24 PM

Mountain Man, are you the one that installed the harness? The Painless kit comes with enough wire to run to the back of the truck for your lights. If you have a firewall connector the installer spliced the new harness to it. Backtrack from the firewall into the cab and look for the splice then probe the splice to verify it is good. good luck. This is my only idea that currently comes to mind.

Rdrdave · 01-27-2005, 11:37 PM

it sounds to be a ground. I had the problem but fuse kept blowing. Grounding out. Found the problem at the lic. plate frame. There's a plug to the taillights at the rear of the frame and last crossmember, then next length of wire (4 all together) run all the way up to the firewall, next is fuse block inside. (this is following it backwards).

72402 · 01-28-2005, 01:12 AM

Dash ground has no effect on taillight power. Headlight switch has two prongs for power going in. If that's a universal wiring harness, you'll have to run a jumper between the two. One feeds headlights and park lights, the other feeds tail and dash lights. Might not be your problem, but first thing that came to mind. Frank

01-27-2005, 07:52 PM	#1
Mountain Man Registered User Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada Posts: 451	Could really use some help here Still have no dash lights or tail lights even though I have stop lights and signal lights. Can a dash ground cause no tail light power? Does anyone have a pic of where the instrument panel grounds? I have a painless wiring harness on the truck and none of the fuses are bad. I seem to be getting no power from the brown tail light wire at the firewall engine side connection, so the problem must be inside the cab. I have even changed out the headlight switch with no success. I need some good advise here. __________________ 72 C10 Cheyenne Super Full trim Factory tach dash A/C dash Factory tilt 350 / 350 power train - with Edelbrock components.

01-27-2005, 07:58 PM	#2
Mountain Man Registered User Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada Posts: 451	Could one bad dash bulb cause the entire dash circuit to go out? __________________ 72 C10 Cheyenne Super Full trim Factory tach dash A/C dash Factory tilt 350 / 350 power train - with Edelbrock components.

01-27-2005, 09:34 PM	#5
Mountain Man Registered User Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada Posts: 451	These are all new blade style fuses and they are all o.k. More input needed. __________________ 72 C10 Cheyenne Super Full trim Factory tach dash A/C dash Factory tilt 350 / 350 power train - with Edelbrock components.

01-27-2005, 09:54 PM	#6
71meangreenc10 Its a Truck Thing...... Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sierra Vista, Arizona Posts: 3,159	You guys are in luck, The ground for the dash comes down from the dash cluster out beside the wires that runs by the ignition switch(It does not go to the ignition switch), it is a black wire that clips on the dash, the original wire has a clip not a terminal for ground, after testing my fuse panel those two points are the only grounds, so you can run your own grounds (I suggest you do) from the black wire at the harness into the dash circuit to a known ground. You should also have firewall to engine grounds, engine to frame grounds, cab to frame grounds,and I also put one from the trans to frame with heavy guage wire. If you like PM me and I can break down the whole harness to you......... Smitty __________________ 71 C10 283/3SPD Full Resto 71 GMC 1500 Sierra Grande http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=518599 70 C10 Suburban Former military GSA truck. 72 Chevy Blazer 4X4, Sloppy Jo, Mountain Climber. Wife says no more trucks. http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=707378 72 GMC 1 Ton Motor Home, wife said no more trucks until she saw this one. Gen 3 6.0/4L80E 4.10 http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=761110 68 GMC Suburban was 3/4 ton, now 1/2.Wife shook her head 71 C30 Wrecker 71 C20 Scott-Bilt As weird as it gets..BB Cheyenne AC Truck 68 GMC Long Stepside. They keep following me home 71 C20 Longhorn/Ole Yellor 69 C30 Former Motor Home, Flat Bed time

01-27-2005, 10:31 PM	#8
71meangreenc10 Its a Truck Thing...... Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sierra Vista, Arizona Posts: 3,159	Thats the wire with the clip I'm talking about................. Smitty __________________ 71 C10 283/3SPD Full Resto 71 GMC 1500 Sierra Grande http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=518599 70 C10 Suburban Former military GSA truck. 72 Chevy Blazer 4X4, Sloppy Jo, Mountain Climber. Wife says no more trucks. http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=707378 72 GMC 1 Ton Motor Home, wife said no more trucks until she saw this one. Gen 3 6.0/4L80E 4.10 http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=761110 68 GMC Suburban was 3/4 ton, now 1/2.Wife shook her head 71 C30 Wrecker 71 C20 Scott-Bilt As weird as it gets..BB Cheyenne AC Truck 68 GMC Long Stepside. They keep following me home 71 C20 Longhorn/Ole Yellor 69 C30 Former Motor Home, Flat Bed time

01-27-2005, 08:04 PM	#3
poink 71 chev Registered User Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 55	one bulb wont caubse that problem. check to see if you have power on both sides of fuse. it might be loose or bad connection.

01-27-2005, 09:20 PM	#4
724wdcopper graphic designer Join Date: May 2004 Location: Spokane, Washington Posts: 841	still sounds like a fuse. TS and BL work on a different circuit, i believe.

01-27-2005, 11:24 PM	#9
chickenwing Lovin' Life in Miss.! Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Puckett, Mississippi Posts: 1,937	Mountain Man, are you the one that installed the harness? The Painless kit comes with enough wire to run to the back of the truck for your lights. If you have a firewall connector the installer spliced the new harness to it. Backtrack from the firewall into the cab and look for the splice then probe the splice to verify it is good. good luck. This is my only idea that currently comes to mind. __________________ The truck... you hear that? No really, you did hear that?!!!

01-27-2005, 11:37 PM	#10
Rdrdave Broke and still trying Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Alameda, CA Posts: 562	it sounds to be a ground. I had the problem but fuse kept blowing. Grounding out. Found the problem at the lic. plate frame. There's a plug to the taillights at the rear of the frame and last crossmember, then next length of wire (4 all together) run all the way up to the firewall, next is fuse block inside. (this is following it backwards).

01-28-2005, 01:12 AM	#11
72402 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Cameron, Oklahoma Posts: 199	Dash ground has no effect on taillight power. Headlight switch has two prongs for power going in. If that's a universal wiring harness, you'll have to run a jumper between the two. One feeds headlights and park lights, the other feeds tail and dash lights. Might not be your problem, but first thing that came to mind. Frank



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