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79 broncoWhen I bought the bronco, the instrument cluster was gone. I know the wiring harness to the cluster is different between idiot lights and gauges. One of them has more wires than the other. How many wires in the cluster connector for each?
Gauges have XX number of wiresIdiot lights have XX number of wires
My guess is that all Broncos got the ammeter rather than the light.
But that’s just a complete guess off the top of my head so no proof except for checking wires.
You can also check the wires down near the alternator to see if the shunt wires are there.
Are they a red and a yellow wire I think? Don’t go by that though, look at the diagrams posted.
Thanks everyone for the input. I bought a instrument cluster from a 89 Econoline van. It has the gauges and the correct hole on the back for my wire harness.
The oil pressure registers, the temp gauge registers, the 4ways work, the dash lights work and dim. Even the Amp gauge moves. Before installing the cluster I checked all the outside lights and they work correctly. Turn signals flash correctly and bright. Same with brake lights.
So onto my question. When I pull the light switch out one click for the running lights/ dash lights, both the direction indicators on the dash light up also.. WHY? If I engage the turn signal ( left or right) the dash indicator for that direction goes out briefly so the dash light will blink correctly. When I turn the blinker off, the light will come on again. If the dash lights are "off" then the blinker light is off to. It will blink correctly with the dash lights off.
I hope this makes sense. Any ideas would be appreciated.
Very likely what you think are the dim filaments for your running lights are in fact your bright filaments.
at least that’s one possibility.
Usually if it’s just one it’s a bad ground for one of the lights. But since both do it it might be something else.
The indicator lamps work off of the front lights. So check there first. Look for bad grounds, reversed wires (both at the lamps and the switch itself), buggered or rusty sockets, bad bulbs, anything out of whack.
Just work up the line from the front lamps back.