dash lights

I have been planning on replacing all the dash lights in my 83 f150. Some of the bulbs were burnt out so I took the good bulbs that were working and placed them into the sockets that weren't working to see if they would burn and they did not work. Does that mean that the green printed circuit were the bulbs did not work needs to be replaced? I hope someone can make sense out of what I am trying to say. Any help Thanks

You need to make sure there isnt any corrosion on the copper of the printed board, or on the contacts of the bulb socket. The bulbs themselves could have corrosion on the leads coming through the glass from the filament. Take a multimeter, turn lights on, and trying measuring for voltage across the contacts of the pcb (printed circuit board)at each bulb terminal.

Try visually inspecting the printed board.

Completly remove the gauage cluster. Can someone remind me how to remove the speedo cable? I think that is the most dufficult part of removing the cluster if I remember correctly. After you remove it, you will be able to inspect the circuit board for broken circuits much easier.

Reach behind the speedo and feel the plastic clip at the top of the cable. Press to one side and the cable will release. It only goes one way.

If you have an electrical tester, you can do a continuity test between the bulb contacts on the film, plus look for any physical damage to the copper ribbons. Just as a side note, you said you have GREEN printed circuit film on a 1983 truck. The green film was for 1980 model year only. I’m guessing your film or whole cluster came from a 1980 truck. 1981-1986 had a reddish orange circuit film. This means your indicator lights across the top of the cluster won’t be right. 1980 had them in a different order. You may want to replace the film, or you will need to re-pin the connector. However, you should also make sure the previous owner didn’t put in a 1980 bezel along with the cluster. I just wanted to bring this up before you spent a lot of time trying to fix the illumination problem.

Ray Cecil well all of the dash lights work but are very dim. Do you think if I replaced the dash lights that they would be brighter. If so who would you suggest buying from? I hope you get this and get back Thanks Rooster

rooster5673 wrote

Ray Cecil well all of the dash lights work but are very dim. Do you think if I replaced the dash lights that they would be brighter. If so who would you suggest buying from? I hope you get this and get back Thanks Rooster

Please browse to the website and post replies here. When you reply by email it clutters up the thread.

Bulbs dont need to be replaced if they are dim.

You might want to start checking yout grounds for good contact. Very often, electrical issues are caused by poor grounding. That would explain low voltage to the dash lights. Make sure the light knob is twisted all the way to bright. You can adjust the dash light brightness that way.

So there would be a separate ground for the dash lights. Any idea where it would be? Thanks

No, the lights and the gauges are grounded together.  So if your gauges are working the lights should be working as well.

However, you can see the grounds here: Documentation/Electrical/EVTM's/1985 EVTM/Grounds.

Are the grounds for 1983 same as 1985?

For what we are talking about, yes.  However, the tail lights on yours should ground to the frame where those on an '85 come all the way back to the cab ground.  That's the only difference of which I'm aware.

That's what I did when I just replaced mine. I pulled the bulbs & then took 0000 steel wool & carefully cleaned up the copper areas on the printed board where the bulb sockets made contact. It was caramel brown in color & when I got done it looks like shiny copper. They all work like a charm now. Just posted a thread on my new lights...

emunder wrote

That's what I did when I just replaced mine. I pulled the bulbs & then took 0000 steel wool & carefully cleaned up the copper areas on the printed board where the bulb sockets made contact. It was caramel brown in color & when I got done it looks like shiny copper. They all work like a charm now. Just posted a thread on my new lights...

I don't know about the ribbon but we use ultra fine (gray) scotch brite routinely to clean up bare copper requiring 0.015 mOhm max bond resistance and boy does it come out bright and shiny, they make white stuff too that is even finer. Benefit is no steel fibers wandering where you don't want them causing a latent short down the road.

Yeah I hear that with the steel fibers. I made sure I blew the cluster out with air but def good to know for the future.

Thanks Ray I have replaced the lights that were burnt out. All are now working and I will try 0000 steel wool. I have started to work on the grill as for as repainting and tape took about 6 hours I guess. I spent the last two weeks looking for fenders and hub caps. Still no luck I was surprised at how many trucks I have found that are just setting rusting away. I have found several sitting out in the country on farms that were parked when they quite running. Wish me luck the search continues again this weeks.