Instrument panel lights
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Cross-Country
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 84
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From: Michigan
Instrument panel lights
My truck is a 1981 f150, 4WD and has a 300.
My problem is that my left turn signal indicator light, and also the 4x4 light won't turn on in the light strip above the gauges. I was wondering if someone could answer a couple questions about these lights.
1) Are they run off the same fuse/circuit.
2) Where is the switch located that completes the 4x4 light circuit.
And any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated for troubleshooting them. I went and bought bulbs today thinking they were blown and through replacing them found they still didn't work.
Thanks.
My problem is that my left turn signal indicator light, and also the 4x4 light won't turn on in the light strip above the gauges. I was wondering if someone could answer a couple questions about these lights.
1) Are they run off the same fuse/circuit.
2) Where is the switch located that completes the 4x4 light circuit.
And any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated for troubleshooting them. I went and bought bulbs today thinking they were blown and through replacing them found they still didn't work.
Thanks.
FTE Legend
Joined: Nov 2015
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From: Angier, NC
I would think they are not on the same fuse and the only one I think would be "gauges".
Does the left turn outside lights work?
Do you have a pin out of the wiring to the gauge board to test if you are getting power to that point?
As for the 4x4 light same as above with pin out but you will have to get under and look at the linkage for the switch. Once found could check for power at that point. If you have power then jump it out and see if the light works.
Dave ----
Does the left turn outside lights work?
Do you have a pin out of the wiring to the gauge board to test if you are getting power to that point?
As for the 4x4 light same as above with pin out but you will have to get under and look at the linkage for the switch. Once found could check for power at that point. If you have power then jump it out and see if the light works.
Dave ----
Thread Starter
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Cross-Country
Joined: Jul 2016
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From: Michigan
Thanks dave. I pulled out the entire instrument cluster and the left turn signal indicator turned out being a bad connection to the board. I took the socket out and put dielectric grease between the bulb and socket, then the socket and board and it is working again.
The 4x4 light I am still stumped on... I am getting 11V through the wires, and also being transfered through the socket when in 4x4 and in 2x4 it shuts off to zero. However if I put a bulb in, the bulb won't get power?
I have tried multiple bulbs and tested them with a multimeter to make sure they have a good resistance. I'm not quite sure what I'm missing on this one... (the 4x4 socket is seperate, it doesn't receive power through the instrument panel like the rest.)
The 4x4 light I am still stumped on... I am getting 11V through the wires, and also being transfered through the socket when in 4x4 and in 2x4 it shuts off to zero. However if I put a bulb in, the bulb won't get power?
I have tried multiple bulbs and tested them with a multimeter to make sure they have a good resistance. I'm not quite sure what I'm missing on this one... (the 4x4 socket is seperate, it doesn't receive power through the instrument panel like the rest.)
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 22,415
Likes: 92
From: Denver Metro Area, CO
The way Ford typically does wiring... power comes from the fuse box, then to the bulb, then to the switch, the switch completes the circuit to ground. So, if you have battery power at all those places you mentioned, it looks like the switch isn't completing the circuit to ground...
Do you still have the ground wire connecting the top-rear of the engine to the firewall?
Did somebody perhaps put in a whole bunch of sealant goo on that switch that's keeping the threads from making a good electrical contact to the case?
You have a meter, does the switch in fact complete the circuit to ground?
Yes, the 4x4 lamp wiring is a separate, add-on circuit, installed only when 4x4 was.
Do you still have the ground wire connecting the top-rear of the engine to the firewall?
Did somebody perhaps put in a whole bunch of sealant goo on that switch that's keeping the threads from making a good electrical contact to the case?
You have a meter, does the switch in fact complete the circuit to ground?
Yes, the 4x4 lamp wiring is a separate, add-on circuit, installed only when 4x4 was.
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Cross-Country
Joined: Jul 2016
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From: Michigan
Okay, so here's the scenario, I hope someone has better ideas than me becauseI honestly feel like a fool...
Using my meter, I checked the actual two wires leading to the socket. In 2WD I have no power, in 4WD I have 11v. (This is within the wires themselves.)
My next check was the socket itself. I used the meter to check the two points within the socket. Again I have no power in 2WD and 11v in 4WD. (This was the actual socket, I did the previous test and this one to see if I had a bad connection from the wires to the socket, but again I have power.)
So with this information, I tried 3 new bulbs (194's) thinking that the first 2 could have been bad and none of them worked. After trying all three, I then used my meter to test the bulbs themselves and got 20ish ohms from each of the 3 bulbs showing they were all fine.
So with all of this information I'm stumped.. any other ideas that people have to help me trouble shoot would be greatly appreciated.
Using my meter, I checked the actual two wires leading to the socket. In 2WD I have no power, in 4WD I have 11v. (This is within the wires themselves.)
My next check was the socket itself. I used the meter to check the two points within the socket. Again I have no power in 2WD and 11v in 4WD. (This was the actual socket, I did the previous test and this one to see if I had a bad connection from the wires to the socket, but again I have power.)
So with this information, I tried 3 new bulbs (194's) thinking that the first 2 could have been bad and none of them worked. After trying all three, I then used my meter to test the bulbs themselves and got 20ish ohms from each of the 3 bulbs showing they were all fine.
So with all of this information I'm stumped.. any other ideas that people have to help me trouble shoot would be greatly appreciated.
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 22,415
Likes: 92
From: Denver Metro Area, CO
Disconnect the wire from the switch on the transfer case and ground it; does the light come on? Not a meter reading, does a known-working lamp light up?
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Cross-Country
Joined: Jul 2016
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From: Michigan
I'll try this tomorrow morning. Out of curiosity, if I have 11v when in 4wd by using the hot and ground wires going to the socket, doesn't that imply that the switch is working?
EDIT: I tried using bulbs from the hi beam indicator which I know turns on.
EDIT: I tried using bulbs from the hi beam indicator which I know turns on.
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Lead Driver
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Here's a 1981 EVTM for you:
EVTM - ???Gary's Garagemahal
As far as the circuit testing good with the very slight load of a meter, but failing under the heavier load of a bulb, try this:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...t=Voltage+drop
Your exact scenario is covered in that write-up.
I'm also a bit puzzled you were reading 11 volts. A good battery at rest should be 12+.
Thread Starter
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Cross-Country
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 84
Likes: 1
From: Michigan
My system has always ran on 11v since I got the truck 8 years ago. Has never caused problems so I kept the can of worms closed before I really made a problem.
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