70 dim speedo-tach lamps

[Thad L.]

The bulbs the lite up the tach and speedo are very dim. The bulbs that lite up the clock,gas guage- etc are very brite. The courtesy lamps work great. The head lamps switch works and will dim all the lites evenly. I thought that the two metal cans in the rear of the tach and speedo were not getting a good ground, so I made a jummper from the battery and grounded the two cans, no help. I can tell that every bulb is working, they are just very dimmely lit up. The turn indicator arrows are very brite along with the brite indicator and the brake lite bulb. Some help before I remove the column and dash dive!

Thanks Thad

[William C.]

Re: 70 dim speedo-tach lamps

Sounds like you have incorrect bulbs in those sockets. All the IP illumination lamps are fed from a single splice, so given correct bulbs, all should illuminate evenly.

[Jim T.]

Re: 70 dim speedo-tach lamps

bulb #1895 is listed in the owners manual

[Thad L.]

Re: 70 dim speedo-tach lamps

bulbs are correct. Maybe Terry McManmon or Joe L can chime in and tell me if there car's guages are lit up the same--clock-oil guage compared to the tach-speedo?

Thad

[Pat M.]

Re: 70 dim speedo-tach lamps

Hey Thad. The gauges and speedo/tach on my 70 are all the same brightness. Could your bulbs be old and/or clouded?

[Bill L.]

Re: 70 dim speedo-tach lamps

If the bulbs are correct, make sure the ground circuit is complete.

The other possibility is the light switch. Sometimes the wiper on the light switch is dirty and/or making poor contact with the varistor part of the switch that controls dimming.

My experience in trouble shooting electrical issues typically leads to grounding. Especially when all the light are dim.

All it takes is a loose or dirty ground. If memory serves me there are female spade connectors on the back of cluster housing that need to be tight and clean. I think there are two.

Hope this helps. Bill

[Terry M.]

Re: 70 dim speedo-tach lamps

Yes, tach, speedo and instruments are all the same brightness.