At start up, what lights across the top of the dashboard should light up?

I have full instrumentation, so I am not referring to the "idiot" lights.

On mine, only the "Fasten Belts" light will light up momentarily, along with the annoying buzzer.

There are a lot of lights up there, should anything else light up?

 

The Brake warning lamp should illuminate when the ignition switch is in the start position.

Be aware that trucks built before 1984 does not have a light for the parking brake from the factory. The Brake warning lamp on 1980-1983 is for service brake failure only. So if it lights up any time except when you start the truck. (To check the bulb) then it indicates brake faliure.


1984-1986, the Brake warning lamp does double duty with the parking brake. So if the parking brake is on when you start, you may not notice.

 

My 85 has an emissions light that comes on breifly as well. My 86 has the tab, but there is no bulb behind it.

 

My brake warning light is only on when my parking brake is on.

 

On mine, no lights come on....which leads me to this question:

This might be a silly question, but did all the 80-84 trucks have this version of the Brake light? Mine has never come on when I get ready to start my truck, that I can remember. It could just be a burnt out bulb...

 

on mine only the glow plug light comes on, but then i've no idea if there are even bulbs behind anything other than my turn signals and high beam indicator.

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheKirbyMan

Mine has never come on when I get ready to start my truck, that I can remember. It could just be a burnt out bulb...

Look at your proportioning valve under the hood (near the brake master
cylinder) and pull the electrical connector off. It should have two conductors, I
believe they're both purple/white stripe. Clean those contacts in the connector,
then electrically connect 'em together. I found some small wood screws that I
could screw into the connector, then used a small jumper cable (20ga wire with
alligator clips on the ends, used in electronics work) to connect 'em together.

Doing that should light up your dash light; at least, I seem to recall it did on
mine. Might have to ground 'em, too, I honestly don't remember for certain but
I think merely crossing 'em together worked.

Anyway, if you can get that to work, then your bulb & wiring is obviously good;
if this is the case, then clean the connectors on the switch (on the valve) and
reinstall the connector, then see how the dash light behaves when you turn the
key to START.

If you can't get the dash light to light up during that test, you've likely got a
burn-out bulb or a loose connection or broken wire somewhere.

 

I'll try that. Thanks for the help!

I'll probably have to wait til tomorrow since it's pretty darn cold out now....but then, I'll wait and see if my curiosity gets the best of me. I might be out there fixing it in the cold....lol

 

It should also illuminate when you have the ignition switch in the start position. (Or emminent brake failure) If it doesn't then you have a problem with the light, porportioning valve, wiring, or ignition switch.

Follow Clubutis's advice on how to fix it.

You will be glad you did fix it if you ever have emminent brake failure and the light comes on to warn you of it before your brakes go out completely.

I speak from experience.

 

Lariat 85

You can disconnect the belt buzzer at a plug behind the driver seat - the wiring comes up through the carpet & connects into the drivers seat belt.
I tolerated mine for a month or so after buying it - then decided I'd put up with enough & unplugged it. The belt light was unaffected.

Turning the key on was soooo peaceful after that!!

 

The ones in my eyes! I REALLY love my ALL NEW 82 F 100.

But... I've been thinking about installing ONE idiot light ... as a temp and oil pressure warning light to back up my gauges.

Since the sensors complete a ground, just one lamp would do it ... all I got to do is find a place to plumb in temp/OP sensors. I'll probably run a capillary line from the O/P port on the block up to a "T" on the firewall ... and come up with a way to mount both OP sensors.

There's a hole with a pipe plug in my thermostat housing ... I thinks a temp sensor will thread into it ... if not ... it ain't hard to tap it out.

Back when I was racing MGB's we would do this all the time ... sometimes you get so busy driving ... that you wouldn't have time to "sweep the gauges" with your eyes .... so having a red light go on in the center of the dash would get your attention ... and possibly save an engine!!!

I understand some big teams ...especially among the open wheel cars ... put REALLY BIG red lights on the dash.

Seems some of the pro drivers don't pay real close attention to the car.

anyoldways ... these lights should come on with the key ... and go out when the engine is running ... for sure!

 

Oddshot - What about using the spot where the emission light goes? It would look factory, and the Emissions light is pretty useless anyway.

 

That's funny, because on my 1985 model the brake light is only on when my parking brake is on as well. It does not light up when I have the ignition switch in the start position.

I will try what Clubutis said.

 

Sounds like a plan!

 

If the key's in the ignition the brake light in my 85 pretty much does what it wants. Usually its lit when the parking brake is depressed, sometimes it isn't. Sometimes it lights up while I'm driving and I can kick the parking brake pedal and it'll go off (easy fix, I'm just too lazy to get down there and adjust the wires). Other times it'll light up very faintly and glow brighter then dimmer. The vacuum is good, although the truck does leak out brake fluid (need to top off once or twice a month). I've pretty much learned to ignore the brake light at this point.