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1973 Cuda cracked open a headlight switch?

73-Cudah2

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I purchased a used Light switch and will want to open up the old one. Just wondering if anyone has done that before
and some tips on doing that.
 

73-Cudah2

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From others on the site and looking under the dash testing things I found out the 5 amp fuse
was not getting power and it looks like the headlight switch is not feeding the 5 amp or dimmer switch.
 

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70chall440

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I have opened up many of them, not too hard but be aware as I recall there may be a spring in there (little one), don't lose it. Take it apart carefully and control the back plate as you take off slowly, its pretty self explanatory as to how it works. Use a pencil (graphite) to clean the contacts, put a little dielectric grease in there and put it back together.
 

73-Cudah2

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Thanks for the info. I did see someone else "Checking a light dimmer switch" and info from Devin Duke ( Thanks!)
he let me know how he opens them and I did see the springs and the ball the toggle switch rides on.
I did see anything that would be a problem? maybe a rusty sprint under the ball but that's it?
I put it back together and running lights still don't work also dash lights still out.
 

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73-Cudah2

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I did put the Headlight together and it seems to be working ok now also I turned the dimmer all the way to dome light that works but still no dashlight's? Going to check each dash socket now and ground.
 

marks ebody

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Even if there was no ground you still should have power to both sides of the fuses. On the dimmer switch with the headlight switch on the tan wire needs to be hot.If that tan wire is in hot(has-voltage whether it’s 7 or 12).All the grounds in the world are not gonna light those dash lights.
 

73-Cudah2

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Success! I have Dash Lights. It looks like I had a few things not connected well as I was testing.
I plugged in all the switches , headlight, dimmer ( bypassed ) and connected the dash panel into it's position
in the dash. I have power to the 5 amp switch now and dash lights work. I'll have to see about fixing or getting a new dimmer switch. I think some of the connections/switchs were not pushed in all the way also ground to dash panel that holds lights was not very good. The manual help a lot to trace down where to test the connection.
Thanks everyone who help me fix it and most of all God!
 

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moparlee

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Success! I have Dash Lights. It looks like I had a few things not connected well as I was testing.
I plugged in all the switches , headlight, dimmer ( bypassed ) and connected the dash panel into it's position
in the dash. I have power to the 5 amp switch now and dash lights work. I'll have to see about fixing or getting a new dimmer switch. I think some of the connections/switchs were not pushed in all the way also ground to dash panel that holds lights was not very good. The manual help a lot to trace down where to test the connection.
Thanks everyone who help me fix it and most of all God!
Glad you got it! Sometimes it just takes a little time to sort out things and sometimes it takes a lot. You just have to plow through it.
 

73-Cudah2

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Here a a few more pictures
 

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73-Cudah2

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After cleaning ( with CRC ) and apply new dielectric grease tested it and it worked.
 

73-Cudah2

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Lesson learned for me was make sure all you switch connection are secure and fully pushed in.
Also install the dash instrument light strip into it's location securely (ground). Then testing orange mold connector was hot
after turning the key switch to on then switched on parking lights and boom DASH lights worked. I still have a bad dimmer switch
but used the bypass wiring diagram for now.
 

73-Cudah2

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Sorry didn't upload bypass pic I used from another contributor.
 

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