The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Two wiring questions, 54

Pretty much have things figured out except for two loose ends. I can't find the right spot for the headlight wire. My light switch is different from the picture in the 54 manual in that there are two fused posts on the driver side of the switch and I have a wire from the lights running into the dash that is not connected and none of the posts seem to be correct. All other lights work, so where does it go?
Also, I have a ground wire attached to the fender that goes through the dash but I don't know what it connects to. Is there anything under dash (heater, lights, turn signal switch) that requires a separate ground wire?

anything inside that needs a ground can/will be connected to the dash or firewall, the ground on the inner fender should be out to the the headlights, maybe you can't get the headlights to work cuz there's no ground to the bulbs? .... don't know what switch you have [maybe incorrect?], but the TF switch instruction is date 1954, might help? the dash lights connect toward the front of the switch to get power from the rotary resistor, and the headlight terminal should be labeled "H"

Bill

Got headlights working so all good except dash lights, speedometer, and gas gauge. Took speedo apart, oiled and spun the spindle on a drill and the speedo and odo worked. Also oiled the cable but it seems not to be catching correctly when connected. Got a new tank sender but not installed yet so that might fix the gas gauge. I've got an add on turn signal switch but not connected to blinker indicators on dash.

One thing I learned is that cleaning the ground wire from battery to frame, cleaning the connection to the frame can make a huge difference in starting and running.

Installed new sender but gas gauge still doesn't work. looks like the gauge is fried. Reinstalled the speedo but it still doesn't work although the odometer does???

check further on the gas gauge, make sure you have a good ground to the sender base and that the wire to the gauge has continuity .... for the speedo, that's not uncommon, the cable is good and driving the odo, but the speedo wheels need some help - and oil should be used very sparingly in the speedo, will eventually gum things up

Bill

Thanks Bill. I checked continuity on the gas gauge (w/ v reducer) and got 6v. l replaced sender ground wire and wire to gauge. I think my gas gauge is 12v but to be safe put the v reducer on it. If it is could that keep it from operating? Is there a test to determine if the gauge can support 12v?
Also, I have an add on turn signal switch that works fine but I'd like to create a mini - wiring harness to give me turn blinker lights on the gauge cluster. Can I splice into the wires to the front or rear L and R blinkers to power it? I tried connecting to the posts on the blinker unit but that didn't seem to work.

need to determine if the gauge is 6 or 12V but if stock 54 it'd be 6 and should have the reducer .... you should be able to add indicator lights by splicing into the front light wires, that's the way the factory did it

Bill

Ideally I'd like the dash blinkers to be the left side of the gauge cluster and the right side of the speedometer for L & R turns. Obviously I want them to blink with the light switch off and I want them to stay on with the head lights on to light the dash at night, while still blinking when the signal switch is activated. Would splicing into the front signal lights, which stay on with the headlights and blink when switched do this? If not is this doable some other way?

there will be 2 wires to the front lights, you splice into the line from the turn switch to them, nothing to do with headlights or park lights, the blinkers [and indicators] work regardless of other lighting conditions .... as signals were an option in 54, isn't there provision in the gauge cluster for turn indicators?

Bill

Yes there are holes for gauge illumination on the left and right side of both the gauge and speedo clusters. I guess it's just a matter of finding the right wires to tap into as the connections are hard to get to and wires are bundled and wrapped. If I take out my gas gauge would I be able to tell if it was fried, like a broken connection i.e. a light bulb filament, and if so is it fixable (solder)?

Where did you place/install your fuel gauge voltage reducer?
What kind of voltage reducer are you using?

I have tried every conceivable connection to get L & R turn indicators for my dash. Tried connecting at the front turn signal, at the flasher unit, and at the terminal connections under the hood. I can get a light to turn on but not flash unless I connect to a flasher post, in which case I get a light to flash for both left and right signaling but the light stays on with the switch in the neutral position. One light indicating that a signal is on would be fine but I don't want the light to be on 24/7. Right now it is in the bottom hole on the speedo gauge. Can't understand it and it's driving me nuts! The light socket grounds to the dash hole. I just want the light to come on when a signal switch is on and I don't want to start splicing wires in a trial & error manner. Any ideas?

Runtz to E (power) post with ground to gauge cluster post. F post to sender.