65 no dash cluster, radio, oil, high beam indicator bulbs

[wh23g3g]

The exterior lights, cigar lighter, door jamb switches/dome light, wipers all work on my 65 Valiant. No lights on the dash cluster light up nor the oil light or transmission indicator light. The turn signal indicator lights up when you use the turn signal. There's a new engine/forward light harness under the hood so doubtful it's in there even though the oil light bulb doesn't light up. I had to replace the dash harness from a donor 65 Valiant because the original was burned out. The fuel gauge and alt gauge work. They're a small amount of surface rust on the contact where the instrument panel fuse goes. That's the only idea I could have. The harness is pretty simple and there is no breaks anywhere. The plug on the back of the gauge cluster is pushed in all the way. It's probably a ground problem. But where is the common ground for the dash lights, radio, and oil light. I think the oil light might be a separate circuit but not sure. I know the dash lights, transmission indicator, and radio all plug into the same fuse.

 

[cudamark]

First, check all the circuits at the fuse box with a test light to make sure you have power on both sides of the fuses. No dash lights at all is usually the light switch dimmer control or a connection on the dash circuit board cannon plug. The oil pressure light could be the dash bulb or the sending unit. Attach a jumper wire from sender wire to a good ground and turn on the ignition switch. If it now lights, it's the sender. If it still doesn't light, it's the bulb or circuit board connection. The radio power is on a separate circuit. The radio light should be ganged with all the other instument lights.

 

[wh23g3g]

I went over tonight when it was dark to see what lights worked and didn't work on my 65. The front passenger turn signal bulb wasn't even in the socket and a new one won't push in. It doesn't push in like the rest of them so something is stuck there. Otherwise the signals work fine. The backup lights work fine except the driver's side only comes on when I wiggle the wire going into the socket. Looks like it needs to be soldered. Headlights are fine. Dome light is fine. Wiper moves slow, probably because the battery is drained from testing. The fan doesn't come on but it dims the light when you turn the switch on but nothing is heard. High Beam indicator light shines on the instrument cluster. The radio light illuminates as well as the transmission shift indicator. When you turn the headlight switch you can dim them or brighten them. The three illumination lights for the dash and the oil light doesn't shine. When I probed all the fuse both sides they all shined but the instrument cluster light fuse. But it's weird because the radio wire is plugged into a piggyback connector on the underside of the fuse there and the radio light shines but still didn't show power on the test light. I don't see anything unplugged. Any idea what it is? I have an extra gauge cluster that I should've probably put in over the one in there now because the black face is darker. I didn't realize there is only 3 illumination bulbs, the others are for the oil, turn signal, and high beam. So it won't be too bright when they are working. Does led 194s fit here and do they really help brighten it up? Most importantly any idea what I need to check next for no illumination lights?

 

[wjajr]

Oil light outage can be caused by poor connection of conductor at sending unit located on oil pump, bad conductor feeding indicator light, and corroded connectors at bulkhead, and burnt indicator bulb in gage cluster.

Dash light failure can be from bad ground, bad circuit board, bad circuit board connectors, and burnt bulbs. You may have to pull gage cluster to get a good look at the electrical condition of its circuit board and related connections.