Joe Flanagan Posted June 18, 2011 Report Posted June 18, 2011 Just wired up my dash lights. Theydon't work unless you turn the headlights on. Is this the way it's supposed to work? Seems you ought to be able to just turn on the dash (panel) lights if you want to. I'm thinking maybe I got something turned around in my wiring. The car is a 49 Plymouth, by the way, in case it makes a difference. Also, when I turn on the headlights, I have a green light on the left side of the speedometer. I know there is a red light on the right side but it is not lit up. Is this high-beam/low-beam? Discovering new things all the time. Quote
Joe Flanagan Posted June 18, 2011 Author Report Posted June 18, 2011 I don't know, but I've got a green on the left side and a red on the right. Maybe it was for directionally challenged drivers so they could find their way home. Quote
RobertKB Posted June 18, 2011 Report Posted June 18, 2011 I don't know, but I've got a green on the left side and a red on the right. Maybe it was for directionally challenged drivers so they could find their way home. Joe, I have a green on the left side of my speedometer of my '53 Plymouth and red on the right. Red is high beam indicator and the green is for indicating you are signalling and it works whether you are turning left or right. I did not have the green working until I installed factory turn signals but I am sure you can make it work with aftermarket turn signals also. The dash panel lights on all my car come on at first when you turn your parking lights on. They also have a separate switch which must be turned on as well to make them work so you can have parking lights without dash lights. Hope this helps. Quote
Joe Flanagan Posted June 18, 2011 Author Report Posted June 18, 2011 Well, for some reason, I have the green light on whenever I turn my headlights on. I don't have turn signals. Parking lights are the same switch as the headlights, correct? I've only got two switches on my dash: headlights and panel lights. Quote
49roadster Posted June 18, 2011 Report Posted June 18, 2011 Joe The headlight switch controls both headlights and parking lights. First click parking and second click headlights. the green light is a turnsignel indicator light. Both left and right blink this light. If no turn signals the lamp is not used. The red light is high beam indicator. The dash light switch turns the dashlghts on and dims them but only has power to it when the head or parking lights are powered. Quote
JerseyHarold Posted June 18, 2011 Report Posted June 18, 2011 Joe, Maybe you popped an instrument cluster bulb into the green turn signal bulb opening on the back of the cluster? In my experience, all the clusters had the green lens even if not factory equipped with turn signals. Quote
Joe Flanagan Posted June 18, 2011 Author Report Posted June 18, 2011 Joe The headlight switch controls both headlights and parking lights. First click parking and second click headlights. the green light is a turnsignel indicator light. Both left and right blink this light. If no turn signals the lamp is not used. The red light is high beam indicator. The dash light switch turns the dashlghts on and dims them but only has power to it when the head or parking lights are powered. OK, that explains it. I guess I'm good to go then. That's how my lights are working now. Jersey Harold, is there a different bulb I should have inserted where the green turn indicator light is? Probably one that is connected to a flasher and then to the turn indicator on the column. The bulb shown below is a bit of a mystery. I couldn't figure out where it's supposed to go but I had it labled as one of the lights for the fuel gauge cluster. The bracket with the two screw holes doesn't match up, though. Quote
Don Coatney Posted June 18, 2011 Report Posted June 18, 2011 The bulb shown below is a bit of a mystery. I couldn't figure out where it's supposed to go but I had it labled as one of the lights for the fuel gauge cluster. The bracket with the two screw holes doesn't match up, though. Might be your ignition switch light? Quote
JerseyHarold Posted June 18, 2011 Report Posted June 18, 2011 Joe, If your car has factory-installed turn signals (the lever is attached directly into the steering column below the steering wheel, not a 'hung-on' unit clamped to the column) then one of the wires from the flasher should go to the bulb for the green light. Quote
Joe Flanagan Posted June 18, 2011 Author Report Posted June 18, 2011 Don, I wasn't aware these cars had an ignition switch light. Where would it be located (and please don't tell me just this side of the muffler bearing)? Harold, to the best of my knowledge, I don't have turn signals from the factory. There was nothing on the steering column but the gear shift. By the way, I've been looking at my wiring diagram and I now see the one bulb connected to the flasher for the turn signal and the one wired directly to the high beam switch for the red light on the speedometer. Quote
Joe Flanagan Posted June 19, 2011 Author Report Posted June 19, 2011 I discovered that Jersey Harold was right and I put a bulb in the directional opening that wasn't supposed to be there. That's why the green light was always on. Moved it to where it was supposed to be. The bulbs are a bit on the dim side but way brighter than I thought they'd be. I like the soft look rather than having them glaring bright. Here's a picture in my darkened garage. They're actually brighter than shown here: Quote
Young Ed Posted June 19, 2011 Report Posted June 19, 2011 Joe you should have an ignition switch light when in the parking light position. Quote
Don Coatney Posted June 19, 2011 Report Posted June 19, 2011 Don,I wasn't aware these cars had an ignition switch light. Where would it be located (and please don't tell me just this side of the muffler bearing)? Check inside your oil filter or possibly below the spare tire. Quote
bamfordsgarage Posted June 19, 2011 Report Posted June 19, 2011 D25s have them in the air cleaner. Maybe that's just a Canadian thing. Quote
Joe Flanagan Posted June 19, 2011 Author Report Posted June 19, 2011 So I'm up to my elbows in oil and still can't find the %$W$ ignition light. What gives? Should I try the spare tire? Quote
james49ply Posted June 19, 2011 Report Posted June 19, 2011 I don't have a 53, but have a 48, the ignition light is inside the switch itself on mine, have to pull the switch out to get to it, good luck? Quote
JerseyHarold Posted June 19, 2011 Report Posted June 19, 2011 I don't have a 53, but have a 48, the ignition light is inside the switch itself on mine, have to pull the switch out to get to it, good luck? On the 51-52's, there is a hole in the bottom of the ignition switch that a bulb/socket snaps into. I suspect the '49's are very similar. Quote
DJ194950 Posted June 19, 2011 Report Posted June 19, 2011 on the attached photo of my dash backsides, the hole upper left is for the ign. switch.just to the right of that is another hole in a piece that is screwed on. hard to see, but look where the green wire and brown are over the hole. that is where the bulb plugs in. there is a small slot that lights up the hole for the key to be put in. lights when headlight sw. on and panel light is also on. maybe yours is missing? SO many pieces, but your making great progress! attention to details! great work. doug Quote
Don Coatney Posted June 19, 2011 Report Posted June 19, 2011 on the attached photo of my dash backsides, the hole upper left is for the ign. switch.just to the right of that is another hole in a piece that is screwed on. hard to see, but look where the green wire and brown are over the hole. that is where the bulb plugs in. there is a small slot that lights up the hole for the key to be put in. lights when headlight sw. on and panel light is also on.maybe yours is missing? SO many pieces, but your making great progress! attention to details! great work. doug Same shot of my P-15 ignition switch. It does differ from your switch. Quote
Joe Flanagan Posted June 19, 2011 Author Report Posted June 19, 2011 on the attached photo of my dash backsides, the hole upper left is for the ign. switch.just to the right of that is another hole in a piece that is screwed on. hard to see, but look where the green wire and brown are over the hole. that is where the bulb plugs in. there is a small slot that lights up the hole for the key to be put in. lights when headlight sw. on and panel light is also on.maybe yours is missing? SO many pieces, but your making great progress! attention to details! great work. doug I think I have that hole next to my ignition switch. I've always wondered what it was. I think that's where that mystery bulb is supposed to go. Another example of this forum's incredible value. Quote
DJ194950 Posted June 19, 2011 Report Posted June 19, 2011 :confused:don not only does your switch look different, so does your wiring. wheres the twisted connections and electrical tape?? must be a california thing? Quote
greg g Posted June 19, 2011 Report Posted June 19, 2011 looks like you had a couple possums rasslin in the spaghetti. Hope your car has been converted to 12V cause that stuff looks way to weeny for 6. Quote
DJ194950 Posted June 19, 2011 Report Posted June 19, 2011 the WHOLE wiring on the car was like this. 1 wire twisted onto headlight (low beam only, no high. bared wires everywhere. i think it was 12 v. because of the bulbs were. but the car was bought minus engine and wheels and many small items. now is 12v. through out. only wire big enough and usable were to tail lights and rear turns, but still needed solder and crimps in place of twisted connections and tape. if the missing engine hadn't worn out or broke and got "lost", it would have burned before long. the good part was with all its problems i bought it cheap. Quote
randroid Posted June 20, 2011 Report Posted June 20, 2011 DJ, I noticed a toggle switch hung from the bottom of the dash - on my '48 P-15 that switch controls on-off for the dash lights. What does it do on yours, if anything? -Randy Quote
DJ194950 Posted June 20, 2011 Report Posted June 20, 2011 randroid, i think what your looking at is a 10-24 or 10-32 bolt hanging below the dash. had three nuts on it. not holding anything on.why? no longer there. removed at same time wire cutters came out to remove the spaggetti! it was either a complete rewire front to back or install a fire suppression system under hood,dash and trunk. Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.