Dash indicator lights not working - any suggestions?

richiep

richiep

Club Member
Hi all,

The desperate rush to get the Z finally finished off continues (hence I won't be at Billing - the time is too valuable) and I'm now into electrical gremlin territory. One of the last remaining issues is that although the actual indicators are now fully working and the relay is quite happily ticking away, the indicator arrows on the dash are not.

Any suggestions on solutions? Contacts/plugs/bulbs to check?
 
Richiep,
Maybe the bulb...I don't know if you have a 240z or a 260z, and if there is a difference between how the instument bulbs are fitted, but they are a pain to get to in situ. I replaced on on Status's late 260z, lying in the footwell with your head in the pedals. Feeling your way over the back of the guage "looking" for the bulb push in plug. It helps if you have small hands, which I do, but its tight. The other way is to remove the speedo gauge, but you still have to get your hand in there to remove the speedo from the rear of the gauge, but the fiddly bit is releasing the small screw on the mileometer reset. The one I removed from Status's, the bulb tested fine with the volt meter, but did not work on the car. This is due to the contact point in the bulb plug wearing down, so a new bulb (with a new contact point) renews the circuit. If not, you have to somehow (if gauge in situ) renew the contact point in the bulb holder.

Mr. F now stocks new instrument bulbs.

I hope that helps
Ian
 
Thanks Ian,

I suspect a good bout of discomfort with my head in the footwell will be necessary tomorrow to try and suss this out.... Hopefully it will just a loose connection or dirty contact at the bulb.
 
datsun dave said:
Happy Days :rolleyes:
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Indeed... its into that irritating phase now of faffing around with small but time-consuming issues that all seem to involve getting at difficult to reach places (the above problem, adjusting the clutch pedal height, figuring out why the LH door lock mechanism won't lock, putting my car's custom inner wing splash guards back in) or tracing arsey electrical issues (as above, LH sidelight out, etc.). :mad:

It must be finished this weekend though if I want to get it MOT'ed and back to the bodyshop for a few touch-ups and tweaks before the end of May so that it is perfect for Tatton Park on the 31st.

One positive - I got the S30 FairladyZ bonnet emblem back from chroming. Not 100% perfect but much better than it was originally. I finished repainting the detail on it last night. Just need to fix the pins back on now. That'll be the last piece I attach to the car - bit like christening it!! :)


P.S. saw a suggestion on a US forum that a good way to access the instruments is to remove the heater control panel - relatively easy on a 240z type setup once the heater controls have been disconnected. This gives plenty of room to reach in from the side. Might try that.
 
richiep said:
P.S. saw a suggestion on a US forum that a good way to access the instruments is to remove the heater control panel - relatively easy on a 240z type setup once the heater controls have been disconnected. This gives plenty of room to reach in from the side. Might try that.
Click to expand...

I am doing this on mine ( renewing/checking all bulbs before I refit the heater panel). There is a good bit of access but you have to do most of it 'blind', which is OK taking things out but not so easy putting them back, and in my experience the bulbs ( with their little tiny heads) can be a swine to remove from the holders particularly when you have both hands behind the dash. The bulbs seem to get stuck after 30 plus years. Still perseverance and and a lot of swearing got me through it.
 
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