Dash Light Circuit

[BobbyFord]

OK, I've already had the instrument cluster out and I've already looked at wiring diagrams and I think I've already got the answer to this question but I'm going to throw it out there anyway.
Is there somewhere that I can plug the illumination wire in for my new tach without having to Y into a dash bulb with a scotch lock? I hate scotch locks.

[robroy]

Good evening Bobby!

Just over the last few days I've gone through a very similar exercise in my Teleflex thread! Since you'll be avoiding scotch locks (which I hadn't heard of before your post), I'm not sure if my proposed solution will be civilized enough to suit your preferences. Yet here it is:

On "C-10," the large two-sided connector that plugs in to the printed circuit board on your cluster, do you see pin #11 (the number's molded in to the connector housing)?

Does pin #11 have two wires going in to it, and do both wires have blue insulation with red stripes?

If so, these are 19A and 19B (and/or maybe 19C). I'd tap either of these two wires to get your illumination! I don't believe it matters which one you tap (as long as it has blue/red insulation and goes to pin #11), since they're both hooked together anyways.

Here's a photo of how I tapped these blue/red wires that originally led to "C-10" pin #11 just yesterday--my gauges lit up nicely when hooked up to this source!

Does my suggestion agree with your research?

Robroy

[fordman]

unplug the cigarette lighter light and use that. or you could jamb a male spade connector into the connector for dash lights on your headlight switch. if you jamb it in there right it wotn come out.

[BobbyFord]

Good evening Bobby!

Just over the last few days I've gone through a very similar exercise in my Teleflex thread! Since you'll be avoiding scotch locks (which I hadn't heard of before your post), I'm not sure if my proposed solution will be civilized enough to suit your preferences. Yet here it is:

On "C-10," the large two-sided connector that plugs in to the printed circuit board on your cluster, do you see pin #11 (the number's molded in to the connector housing)?

Does pin #11 have two wires going in to it, and do both wires have blue insulation with red stripes?

If so, these are 19A and 19B (and/or maybe 19C). I'd tap either of these two wires to get your illumination! I don't believe it matters which one you tap (as long as it has blue/red insulation and goes to pin #11), since they're both hooked together anyways.

Here's a photo of how I tapped these blue/red wires that originally led to "C-10" pin #11 just yesterday--my gauges lit up nicely when hooked up to this source!

Does my suggestion agree with your research?

Robroy

Robroy, thanks for your reply. Yes, I had figured that I was going to have to do something similiar to your photo. I was hoping that I overlooked an empty accessory gauge socket or something but no such luck. I'm also trying to stay away from crimped terminals, all of my connections thusfar have been soldered and shrink-tubed. I was just going to Y onto an individual bulb wire but after looking at your photo, I think I'm going to Y into the harness before the large plastic cluster plug, solder the connection and insulate the soldered connection with some liquid electrical tape (Star Brite or Seachoice).

unplug the cigarette lighter light and use that. or you could jamb a male spade connector into the connector for dash lights on your headlight switch. if you jamb it in there right it wotn come out.

Thanks fordman, I had already considered the cig lighter light, that was my second option after Y-ing into one of the blue w/red wires. Well I guess I'll pull the cluster back out after work today.

[ForingaMex]

Is you tach going to be in the dash? If so than I would do what you suggested, just Y into one of the lights from another gauge. You don't need to use Scotch locks. Just cut the wire, slide a peice of shrink wrap on, ty in the new wire solder it all toghether nice and whala. That way you dont have to unplug extra wires when removing your cluster. Although if your tach is in the dash than you would alraedy have extra wires. Atleast one anyway.

[BobbyFord]

Here's my solution, I "Y'd" into the dash cluster light wire, soldered and applied liquid tape, then I soldered and shrink-tubed a spade terminal connection inline, in case I need to remove the tach at any time:

[robroy]

Good afternoon Bobby!

That's outstanding, and thanks for the great photos. I'm sure many people have wanted to accomplish just what you've done here before--your photos will be valuable to post in response to the inevitable threads that will appear on this topic from time to time.

I like all the soldering, and the connector! Very tidy.

Robroy

[BobbyFord]

Thanks Robroy