Under dash light

[My78truck]

BTW, I HIGHLY suggest changing out cluster, dome, cargo and (eventually) courtesy lights to LED!! Man, what a difference and I actually think my regular ol' head and tail lights burn brighter with less amps being drawn to those lights. Plus is you basically do not have to worry about changing a bulb again. I bought mine from Super Bright LEDs https://www.superbrightleds.com/cat/led-vehicle-replacement-bulbs/

If you change your cluster bulbs, the holders they sell as replacements for originals did not work in my cluster case, so used my original holders. Also, LEDs have polarity so if one doesn't light, turn 180 degrees.

Ordered my LED courtesy after I found out what I really needed . Hoping I can use my extra dual contact for my license plate light otherwise I have extra one that I probably will not use.

 

[BRetty]

@My78,

Glad you got your lights working again...now does anybody know where that particular light/socket is supposed to mount? Mine was dangling when I got my '73 (as was a lot of the underdash wiring) and I still can't figure out wherethe thing is supposed to go.

Thanks is anvance,
BRetty

 

[Dave M]

@My78,

Glad you got your lights working again...now does anybody know where that particular light/socket is supposed to mount? Mine was dangling when I got my '73 (as was a lot of the underdash wiring) and I still can't figure out wherethe thing is supposed to go.

Thanks is anvance,
BRetty

How is this.

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[OldBlueDually]

Thanks for trying Dave.

My dad was a mechanic by trade for many years and is now retired. He gave me his 2 tall-stacked tools boxes FULL of Mac Tools. Tools have always been my play toys. So, being a mechanic he keep EVERYTHING, old, new, blown, pieces, bits, gaskets, this, that and everything else. So, I thought to myself, SELF, what are chances you can find a bulb in that mess that has a single contact. My hopes were not high, BUT as luck would have it, there is was. NOT a 1003, but a bulb with a single contact and the same size base as what I needed. so I though, I will just try it quick just to see. So, I toddle out to the truck, in the dark, insert the bulb and...........there was light!!!! I am past flabbergasted and incredibly mad at myself. I feel soooooooooo stupid!!!! I have spent countless hours trying to figure this out and there it is - light.

So, everybody has my permission to tell me I am a stupid A**!!!! because I deserve it.

Oh, and Dave, make sure the bulb is a SINGLE contact.

Oh man!! Been there & done that! I was thinking it was a single contact, but been so long I could not remember. Don't feel stupid, think of all the goofy little kinda crap we all learned here!

Now, if you do something like this again I may ask if you have learned your lesson. (I just wanna know if your answer is also "no" like mine has been after a few things I never learned from that I did wrong more than once, on the same thing (my excuse is that other time it happened was so long ago I forgot )).

Not to mention, at least it was a simple bulb issue. Imagine if you put the correct bulb in there and it still did not work, now that would suck!

 

[My78truck]

OBD, hmmmmmm, did I learn anything.......part yes, part no. It is like chasing a rabbit. You are not going to catch it and you know it is going to run down a hole, yet you chase it anyway.

I would like to think all this maybe it helped someone else.

Now I need to figure out why my temp assembly control fan is not working - is it the selector/temp control assembly, switch or the fan motor.

 

[OldBlueDually]

If it is the fan motor, at least that is easy enough to get to unlike a lot of new vehicles!

 

[Snoots]

OBD, hmmmmmm, did I learn anything.......part yes, part no. It is like chasing a rabbit. You are not going to catch it and you know it is going to run down a hole, yet you chase it anyway.

I would like to think all this maybe it helped someone else.

Now I need to figure out why my temp assembly control fan is not working - is it the selector/temp control assembly, switch or the fan motor.

Do you have a voltmeter?

 

[My78truck]

Have a multi meter, which I am sure registers volts

 

[My78truck]

Okay, I figured this out. I pulled the fuse, re-seated the fuse, nothing - it is an SFE 20amp. I happened to have an AGC 20amp so thought, what the heck - not sure what the difference between SFE and AGC are. 1978 Owners manual says "20 amp" fuse -does not designate AGC or SFE. So, I switched out the fuses, AND.........now it works!!!!!!!!! I think this truck is playing games with me.


Can someone tell me the difference between a 20amp AGC and 20am SFE? I have read that SFE are "automotive" designated. Were they around back in the 1978 days? Since it is the heater fuse, should I leave the AGC in or change to the SFE????

Note to self.......

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[Dave M]

I honestly didn't know either, so out of curiosity l looked it up and found this simple explanation.


It seems that both the SFE and AGC are glass fuses with a meltable link within the glass. Both SFE and AGC fuses are 1/4-inch in diameter. All AGC fuses are 1-1/4-inch in length regardless of amperage. However, SFE fuses vary in length by the amperage rating. Length varies from 5/8-inch for a 4-ampere To 1-7/16-inch in for a 30-ampere. They refer to the SFE fuses as "size rejecting" because the size differences are related to the amperage rating and tends to prevent inserting the wrong fuse amperage rating in to the fuse block.

On cars and boats we usually use generic fuse blocks or holders so when purchasing replacement fuses the AGC fuse is the better choice to purchase.

 

[Dave M]

BTW, I HIGHLY suggest changing out cluster, dome, cargo and (eventually) courtesy lights to LED!! Man, what a difference and I actually think my regular ol' head and tail lights burn brighter with less amps being drawn to those lights. Plus is you basically do not have to worry about changing a bulb again. I bought mine from Super Bright LEDs https://www.superbrightleds.com/cat/led-vehicle-replacement-bulbs/

If you change your cluster bulbs, the holders they sell as replacements for originals did not work in my cluster case, so used my original holders. Also, LEDs have polarity so if one doesn't light, turn 180 degrees.

Ordered my LED courtesy after I found out what I really needed . Hoping I can use my extra dual contact for my license plate light otherwise I have extra one that I probably will not use.

exactly which LED bulbs did you purchase and how many are needed to replace the dash lights, mine are woeful at night.

 

[My78truck]

Dave, I had my cluster completely out, gauges removed and cleaned up the inside of the case and painted it bright white. I have seen YouTube videos that the inside was sprayed silver for more reflection of light.

I believe it was 8 or 9 for cluster, 1 for washer switch, 1 for temp control for heating & A/C, so total of 11 of #194 type bulb at $4.95 ea. New dome light and cargo light (double contact) $6.95 ea #1142. Infamous courtesy light & license plate light (single contact) $6.95 ea. (I haven't ordered these yet) .

I chose the cool white as I didn't want it crazy bright inside. These are NOT dimmable. You can turn the knob on the light switch to turn on dome and courtesy. wasn't big deal to me they are either off, or on. If you want dimmable, you have to purchase another part to make them dimmable.

One trick is LED have polarity so if a cluster light does not light, you take it out and turn 180 degrees.

SBL is really helpful if you need help. What is nice is that you put in your year, make and model and it will give you the options. I love the look, no candlelight in my truck anymore.

 

[Dave M]

Dave, I had my cluster completely out, gauges removed and cleaned up the inside of the case and painted it white. I have seen YouTube videos that sprayed the inside silver for more reflection of light. I believe it was 8 or 9 for cluster, 1 for washer switch, 1 for temp control for heating & A/C, so total of 11 of same type bulb at $4.95 ea. New dome light and cargo light (double contact) $6.95 ea. Infamous courtesy light & license plate light (single contact) $5.95 ea. I chose the cool white as I didn't want it crazy bright inside. These are NOT dimmable. You can turn the knob on the light switch to turn on dome and courtesy. If you want dimmable, you have to purchase another part to make them dimmable. One trick is LED have polarity so if a cluster light does not light, you take it out and turn 180 degrees.

SBL is really helpful if you need help. I love the look, no candlelight in my truck anymore.

Nice to give some THANKS back your way, I've got some homework to do, Cheers !

 

[My78truck]