Topic: Gauge lights
in Forum: C3 Electrical
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Lifetime MemberModerator
Duncanville, TX - USA
Joined: 11/8/2003
Posts: 20214
Vette(s): #1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/
Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight"
#2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto
Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas
Stephane, we're all glad to help, I'm sure!
I would suggest you locate & purchase a factory "Service Manual" for your '74. This is where I get my wiring diagrams, and they are the most complete you'll find. You can find the shop manuals at swap meets for around $40, usually. I see them from time to time on e-bay, but some of them are way overpriced. These manuals come in handy for a lot of stuff, including specs for just about everything on the vehicle, remove/replace instructions, and repair info, as well as troubleshooting charts.
I would suggest you locate & purchase a factory "Service Manual" for your '74. This is where I get my wiring diagrams, and they are the most complete you'll find. You can find the shop manuals at swap meets for around $40, usually. I see them from time to time on e-bay, but some of them are way overpriced. These manuals come in handy for a lot of stuff, including specs for just about everything on the vehicle, remove/replace instructions, and repair info, as well as troubleshooting charts.
Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56 
My Link 
(click for Texas-sized view!) NCRS
"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"
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I have the service manual, but couldn't make much sense out of the wiring diagram. I traced it with a color pen and "almost" understood what you guy's pointed out concerning the console ground.
I tried it, but it didn't work; same problem, with the temperature gauge showing a little over 300 (engine cold). I might have not used a good ground and I only had a few minutes.
I'll go back to the garage sometimes this week and try again with another ground. I used the one on the bottom left (driver side) of the console where there was already another ground terminating over there. I will try again with a different one.
Lifetime MemberModerator
Duncanville, TX - USA
Joined: 11/8/2003
Posts: 20214
Vette(s): #1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/
Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight"
#2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto
Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas
Try running a wire all the way to the ground term. on the battery, just to see if it(lights/gauges) works. Then try to locate a good spot to ground the panel.
If the ground to the batt. still doesn't get the lights to function, then we've got something else going on.
If the ground to the batt. still doesn't get the lights to function, then we've got something else going on.
Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56
My Link
(click for Texas-sized view!) NCRS
"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"
Or connect a test light or volt meter to a good ground, and touch the other lead to the light cluster ground, the metal brackets. If the light lights or the meter reads a voltage, you have a bad ground.
I found the problem : ME.
Ken mentioned it on the last post, but I didn't get it until I started looking at my wiring diagram this afternoon. I previously overlooked that the ground is right there; at the bulb.
It took me a good 3 minutes of staring in space trying to figure out how it can have his own ground when there no second wire coming out of there.... UNTIL I notice that the light socket bracket is metal!
Not sure if I mentioned before, but the whole time, all the bulbs were disconnected from the cluster; just hanging.
This is what I've been looking at for the past 4 weeks. All this just to add a radio and speakers. The "non" problem started when I tested everything before putting it back together and realized the cluster bulbs were not working (or at least is what I thought).
I can now put it back together and start enjoying the Florida autumn and winter (best time for driving the Vette).
Here's the funny part : one of the light bulb behing the speedometer of my Explorer went out yesterday.
(The link is now fixed)
Lifetime MemberModerator
Duncanville, TX - USA
Joined: 11/8/2003
Posts: 20214
Vette(s): #1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/
Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight"
#2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto
Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas
I guess we all assumed it was all put together, and the lights didn't work. Never thought about them not being connected to the panel!
Glad ya got if figgered out, tho!
btw......"What", above, looks like "The page cannot be displayed"!!
Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56
My Link
(click for Texas-sized view!) NCRS
"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"
Glad you got it. Even thought it was self imposed. But that's how you learn. We did guess they were plugged into the housing.
And believe it or not, your picture actually looks tidy and in order compared to the inside of mine at the moment.
Lifetime MemberModerator
Duncanville, TX - USA
Joined: 11/8/2003
Posts: 20214
Vette(s): #1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/
Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight"
#2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto
Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas
That's it!??? Jeeeez......looks like a simple 5 min. job to me!
All kiddin aside, glad you got 'er fixed! I hate gettin' into a "simple" project that winds up takin' weeks!
Congrats on the progress!
All kiddin aside, glad you got 'er fixed! I hate gettin' into a "simple" project that winds up takin' weeks!
Congrats on the progress!
Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56
My Link
(click for Texas-sized view!) NCRS
"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"
in Forum: C3 Electrical
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