Well I smoked something. I could smell it but had a hard time figuring out what it was.

I first attached the battery and there was no sparks when hooking it up so that was good (I think) at least no immedate shorts.

I popped the headlights on for a second or 2 and off and looked OK but I noticed the right turn signal indicator was on but I did not have my lever in place as steering wheel is still off and stuff.

I looked for the lever and then smelt smoke! Ran and diconnected battery.


I could smell something smoked in cab. heavy smell around ignition switch which was OFF the whole time.


I had to try it a few more times to try to isolate it after looking around and not figuring it out.


*** I ended up taking out the light switch. Looks like the new light switch must of had some grease or something on the spring wire resister that dims the dash lights? There is fried dark brown stuff on the ceramic on the first/top 1/3 of the spring wire that I assume glows as it is resisting and varying the dash light intensity.


I took the switch out because while I was trying to figure out what was smelling I managed to see that the heater light and the radio right which connect to the accessory fuse block did not light. I had them going through a fuse on the accessory fuse block and then patched to the gray dash light wire to the light switch. I guess the fuse blew and I went and connected the gray wire up higher by-passing the fuse like the accessory manual shows as there is a fuse on the light switch. That light switch fuse then blew and all dash lights went out!

I was trying to figure out why the dash no longer worked and back traced and checked connectivity through the fuse on the fuse block and it was blown and so was the light switch fuse.

So I took the switch out and saw the burnt stuff on and around the resister.


***Does anyone know if they come with grease or lube on them that burns off when used? ***

I bought it from Classic Parks in Kansas City.


I checked out the switch and everything is still functional and I verified again that I had wired it properly. The new switch does not have the PK S D T H GRN PL lettering on it but is laid out the same and they have the same functions.

PK - Park Lights
S - Stop
D - Dome Light Power
T - Tail light
H - Head Lamps
GRN - Ground for Dome Lamp Switch
PL - Panel/Dash Lights and Fuse block connector for accesory dash lights

I guess I have an issue with either the Heater Light wire or the radio light wire as one had to blow both these fuses.

The Radio is a new rebuilt I may have switched the wires on it I suppose as they are color coded wrong. I will check. The Heater light seems harmless but will check it too.

While it was working the High and Low beams worked and the Park lamps worked and the break lamps and license plate light worked!

I did not check the TURN signals yet as they run off the ACC on the Ignition switch and have not Turned it ON yet.

I found out that the Turn indicator on the Dash that I saw initially was a result of poor ground at the park lamp and resolved that.



Trying not to smoke too much at once!

FUN FUN FUN!