Dash lights out Options

[watsonrx13]

I'm working on a car that doesn't have any of the dash lights lit. The headlight switch works, but the dimmer doesn't. How can I test the dash lights by bypassing the headling switch? I checked that the bundle of brown ground wires, from the fuse panel are well grounded. I also checked the fuses and they appear fine.

Any other recommendations for tracking down this problem?

-- Rob

[watsonrx13]

OK, I did some more work/analysis on this problem. I removed the headlight switch from a '74, noted all of the wires and their attachment points. Then, went to the '76 and began removing the wires. After getting about half of them off, I noticed that there is one less terminal on the '76 then on the '74, so I stopped. Then I noticed that the '76 had two of the wires mixed up. I put them back, according to my '74 diagram and I got the light in the fan console (the light on the top right side that looks like a 4-lug fuch) to dim and brighten. I got the multi-meter out and found current across several of the blue/black wires at the connection of the bulbs. I dimmed them and got less voltage. I still wasn't getting any of the instrument cluster lights to light up, so I took one of the bulbs/wires and ground it out at the steering column, which lit up the bulb, then immediately blew the fuse. Well, at least I now know the bulb works.

So based on the above, I'm assuming that the lights aren't getting to ground. The instrument cluster was not bolted in. So, if I reattach the instrument cluster, will that complete the ground/circuit?

BTW, the instrument cluster holder is PLASTIC..... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) I have a spare metal one, should I replace the plastic?

-- Rob