Dash Lights

Neal Colingham · 08-10-1999, 10:08 AM

I have a dash light out, do I remove the screws and take of the trim around the lights
to get at the bulb ?.

John Rogers · 08-10-1999, 11:31 AM

Depends on which light it is? If it is in one of the three large gauges, they pull out from the front and you can put in new lights and push back in. If it is the lights for the fan control/fresh air blower, you have to remove the lever assembly, we had to do this with the 1974 we own, and replace the bulbs and put back in (it was hard to do). If you have to pull the speedo, make sure you undo the trip reset from the bottom of the dash first so it doesn't get damaged when pulling the gauge out.

Neal Colingham · 08-10-1999, 11:56 AM

It's the left gauge with the fuel indicator.

John Rogers · 08-10-1999, 08:25 PM

Brian's right, the bulb and socket should pull out. Mine were pretty hard and I used a knife blade under the light socket edge that overlaps the socket on the back of the gauge. Just don't pull on the wire.

JP Noonan · 08-10-1999, 10:51 PM

Also a big NO-NO is to pull the lights out and drop a bulb into the gauge. To avoid this have the gauge facing up and pull the bulb out from behind. Otherwise you may release the tension holding the bulb in place in the socket and... (rattle-rattle-rattle)

I think this is only a problem on earlier gauges as the later ones use the plastic bulb housing. Either way better safe then sorry.

Neal Colingham · 08-12-1999, 08:48 AM

I don't mean to be dense but I looked at the gauges and it's not evident how they pull out.
I see a trim plate with a couple screws. I just need to know how to remove the gauge
so I can get at the light bulb.
Thanks everyone for reponding.

Neal

S Schroeder · 08-12-1999, 09:01 AM

Litterally grab the bezel of the gauge and give her a pull. You will probably have to rock it a little to break the seal, especially if it has never been out. Be carfull with the speedo as the drive cable can be a little restricting.
Scott S

Dave at Pelican Parts · Dave at Pelican Parts's Garage

The earlier cars seem to have thicker trim rings around the bezels. The later ones (like my 74) have thinner ones that are hard to grab. You might need to stick a flat-bladed screwdriver between the gauge and the rubber ring that holds it into the dash and wiggle that. Be careful not to scratch anything.

Alternately, you can reach up from under the dash and push the back of the gauge. This works OK with the speedo, but the tach and combo gauge are tough to get unless you have unbolted the fuse block. (For other reasons, obviously--it's too much trouble just for getting the gauges out.)

Once you get one out, you can reach in the hole where it went to push out its neighbor.

--DD