Re: Just as an FYI, I was looking for info on how to replace the lights in my instrument panel
 

That sounds more an more like what I had - works for a while, then decides
to go AWOL util it just feels like working again. Part of what I saw makes
me think that this is pretty much a case of corroded connections behind the
panel (located under the dash on the firewall above and left of the clutch
pedal where it's easy to hit with your foot if your feet are as big as
mine<g>). The wiring diagram shows that the emergency flashers and the
brake lights are powered by two wires that connect to the brake fuse. I
had one of those wires hot, one dead so there had to be a connection
problem there somewhere. If you ever have a clutch master go out, it will
leak right down on the fuse block and cause all sorts of grief -
eventually.

I'm like you - Ocam's razor says dimmer rheostat. But cleaning up the fuse
block is cheap and easy as a second step. BTW, I did replace all my
instrument bulbs when I first got the truck. One or two were out, but the
rest were so silvered that I doubt half the light was getting out anyway.
Just don't lose the lamp holders - those suckers can be a pain to find!

Clint wrote:

> Thanks, Will. I'll maybe see about picking up a can of whatever that
> magic
> stuff is for electrical contacts and water-purging. Or does WD-40 work as
> well as anything?
>
> I haven't had any issues with the fuses or electrical stuff, to the point
> that I'll have to go looking for the fuse box. Don't think I kick it on a
> regular basis or anything, either. I did have to replace 3 or 4 when I
> first got the Jeep about 2 years ago, but those were just crappy
> maintenance
> on the previous owner's part, I think. Some of them were totally mangled.
> Or maybe it was like you say, and someone kicked them by accident.
>
> Clint
>
> "Will Honea" <whonea@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:JxX2tWiP5BNp-pn2-tLXtEfhJ7lru@anon.none.net...
>>I have the same problem with my 88 Comanche - to the point of
>> finishing the last 100 miles of a long trip with a flashlight. I
>> changed the fuse and it worked for a while then started to being
>> intermittent again. AHA! corrosion in a connector - but where? In
>> the past, the simple resolution was the blasted dimmer rheostat on
>> the light switch but this time the dimmer was fine. I fought it for
>> quite a while then my emergency flashers quit and the brake lights got
>> flakey as well. If you look, the brake light and panel light fuses
>> are right together near the top of the fuse block so that focused
>> things for me. I took a can of WD-40, covered the floor with rags and
>> removed the fuses from the top right quadrant of the fuse block,
>> sprayed the whole thing (soaked it, actually) and used a toothbrush to
>> scrub the fuse panel as best I could. Inserted and removed the fuses
>> while it was still wet, then used the air hose to blow everything dry.
>> The sweet smell of WD-40 was annoying for a few days, but that seems
>> to have fixed things for a while - no problems for the last several
>> months. Probably waiting for a snowy, sub-zero day to act up again...
>>
>>
>> The next step is probably to pull the fuse panel and either replace it
>> or do a thorough clean up. I don't know about yours, but my fuse
>> panel could sure use a cover - I keep kicking it somehow and several
>> fuses always seem to have the plastic tops broken.
>>
>> On Tue, 17 Oct 2006 23:39:35 UTC "Clint" <nobody@nowhere.none> wrote:
>>
>>> Sorry, I could have mentioned my truck is an 88 Jeep Comanche.
>>>
>>> BTW, two weeks after swapping the coolant overflow tank, and no
>>> overheating
>>> *knock on wood*. Still choked about $100 for a plastic bottle, but hey,
>>> at
>>> least it solved the problem.
>>>
>>> Clint
>>>
>>> "Clint" <nobody@nowhere.none> wrote in message
>>> news:6IdZg.159093$R63.94918@pd7urf1no...
>>> > Got in my truck to go to work this morning. Headlights came on ok,
>>> > interior light... But no instrument panel lights.
>>> >
>>> > So I did some google searching, and found this link:
>>> > http://jeepwhitegauges.com/cher9196instructions.htm
>>> >
>>> > No affliation with the people doing it, but it looks pretty clear on
>>> > how
>>> > to take it all apart. This is probably old news for many of you, but
>>> > there's probably newbies like me that need it! :)
>>> >
>>> > Now if I could figure out how to replace the bulb for the heater/fan
>>> > panel...
>>> >
>>> > Clint
>>> >
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Will Honea

--
Will Honea

Re: Just as an FYI, I was looking for info on how to replace the lights in my instrument panel
 

That sounds more an more like what I had - works for a while, then decides
to go AWOL util it just feels like working again. Part of what I saw makes
me think that this is pretty much a case of corroded connections behind the
panel (located under the dash on the firewall above and left of the clutch
pedal where it's easy to hit with your foot if your feet are as big as
mine<g>). The wiring diagram shows that the emergency flashers and the
brake lights are powered by two wires that connect to the brake fuse. I
had one of those wires hot, one dead so there had to be a connection
problem there somewhere. If you ever have a clutch master go out, it will
leak right down on the fuse block and cause all sorts of grief -
eventually.

I'm like you - Ocam's razor says dimmer rheostat. But cleaning up the fuse
block is cheap and easy as a second step. BTW, I did replace all my
instrument bulbs when I first got the truck. One or two were out, but the
rest were so silvered that I doubt half the light was getting out anyway.
Just don't lose the lamp holders - those suckers can be a pain to find!

Clint wrote:

> Thanks, Will. I'll maybe see about picking up a can of whatever that
> magic
> stuff is for electrical contacts and water-purging. Or does WD-40 work as
> well as anything?
>
> I haven't had any issues with the fuses or electrical stuff, to the point
> that I'll have to go looking for the fuse box. Don't think I kick it on a
> regular basis or anything, either. I did have to replace 3 or 4 when I
> first got the Jeep about 2 years ago, but those were just crappy
> maintenance
> on the previous owner's part, I think. Some of them were totally mangled.
> Or maybe it was like you say, and someone kicked them by accident.
>
> Clint
>
> "Will Honea" <whonea@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:JxX2tWiP5BNp-pn2-tLXtEfhJ7lru@anon.none.net...
>>I have the same problem with my 88 Comanche - to the point of
>> finishing the last 100 miles of a long trip with a flashlight. I
>> changed the fuse and it worked for a while then started to being
>> intermittent again. AHA! corrosion in a connector - but where? In
>> the past, the simple resolution was the blasted dimmer rheostat on
>> the light switch but this time the dimmer was fine. I fought it for
>> quite a while then my emergency flashers quit and the brake lights got
>> flakey as well. If you look, the brake light and panel light fuses
>> are right together near the top of the fuse block so that focused
>> things for me. I took a can of WD-40, covered the floor with rags and
>> removed the fuses from the top right quadrant of the fuse block,
>> sprayed the whole thing (soaked it, actually) and used a toothbrush to
>> scrub the fuse panel as best I could. Inserted and removed the fuses
>> while it was still wet, then used the air hose to blow everything dry.
>> The sweet smell of WD-40 was annoying for a few days, but that seems
>> to have fixed things for a while - no problems for the last several
>> months. Probably waiting for a snowy, sub-zero day to act up again...
>>
>>
>> The next step is probably to pull the fuse panel and either replace it
>> or do a thorough clean up. I don't know about yours, but my fuse
>> panel could sure use a cover - I keep kicking it somehow and several
>> fuses always seem to have the plastic tops broken.
>>
>> On Tue, 17 Oct 2006 23:39:35 UTC "Clint" <nobody@nowhere.none> wrote:
>>
>>> Sorry, I could have mentioned my truck is an 88 Jeep Comanche.
>>>
>>> BTW, two weeks after swapping the coolant overflow tank, and no
>>> overheating
>>> *knock on wood*. Still choked about $100 for a plastic bottle, but hey,
>>> at
>>> least it solved the problem.
>>>
>>> Clint
>>>
>>> "Clint" <nobody@nowhere.none> wrote in message
>>> news:6IdZg.159093$R63.94918@pd7urf1no...
>>> > Got in my truck to go to work this morning. Headlights came on ok,
>>> > interior light... But no instrument panel lights.
>>> >
>>> > So I did some google searching, and found this link:
>>> > http://jeepwhitegauges.com/cher9196instructions.htm
>>> >
>>> > No affliation with the people doing it, but it looks pretty clear on
>>> > how
>>> > to take it all apart. This is probably old news for many of you, but
>>> > there's probably newbies like me that need it! :)
>>> >
>>> > Now if I could figure out how to replace the bulb for the heater/fan
>>> > panel...
>>> >
>>> > Clint
>>> >
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Will Honea

--
Will Honea

Re: Just as an FYI, I was looking for info on how to replace the lights in my instrument panel
 

"Clint" <nobody@nowhere.non> wrote in message
news:E%vZg.70197$E67.36656@clgrps13...
> Thanks, Will. I'll maybe see about picking up a can of whatever that
> magic stuff is for electrical contacts and water-purging. Or does WD-40
> work as well as anything?
>


CRC and a small wire brush work really great.
Don't use the brush on any metal that's coated though.


Spdloader

Re: Just as an FYI, I was looking for info on how to replace the lights in my instrument panel
 

"Clint" <nobody@nowhere.non> wrote in message
news:E%vZg.70197$E67.36656@clgrps13...
> Thanks, Will. I'll maybe see about picking up a can of whatever that
> magic stuff is for electrical contacts and water-purging. Or does WD-40
> work as well as anything?
>


CRC and a small wire brush work really great.
Don't use the brush on any metal that's coated though.


Spdloader

Re: Just as an FYI, I was looking for info on how to replace the lights in my instrument panel
 

"Clint" <nobody@nowhere.non> wrote in message
news:E%vZg.70197$E67.36656@clgrps13...
> Thanks, Will. I'll maybe see about picking up a can of whatever that
> magic stuff is for electrical contacts and water-purging. Or does WD-40
> work as well as anything?
>


CRC and a small wire brush work really great.
Don't use the brush on any metal that's coated though.


Spdloader

Re: Just as an FYI, I was looking for info on how to replace the lights in my instrument panel
 

Just as a followup on this, my clutch master DOES have a slight leak (I'll
be monitoring fluid levels before I go replacing it), and it is leaking
directly on the fuse box. After pulling out the top fuses and cleaning
them, my lights are back. If nothing else, I may try putting something in
place between the clutch lever and fuse box to try to divert any drips.

Clint

"Clint" <nobody@nowhere.none> wrote in message
news:6IdZg.159093$R63.94918@pd7urf1no...
> Got in my truck to go to work this morning. Headlights came on ok,
> interior light... But no instrument panel lights.
>
> So I did some google searching, and found this link:
> http://jeepwhitegauges.com/cher9196instructions.htm
>
> No affliation with the people doing it, but it looks pretty clear on how
> to take it all apart. This is probably old news for many of you, but
> there's probably newbies like me that need it! :)
>
> Now if I could figure out how to replace the bulb for the heater/fan
> panel...
>
> Clint
>

Re: Just as an FYI, I was looking for info on how to replace the lights in my instrument panel
 

Just as a followup on this, my clutch master DOES have a slight leak (I'll
be monitoring fluid levels before I go replacing it), and it is leaking
directly on the fuse box. After pulling out the top fuses and cleaning
them, my lights are back. If nothing else, I may try putting something in
place between the clutch lever and fuse box to try to divert any drips.

Clint

"Clint" <nobody@nowhere.none> wrote in message
news:6IdZg.159093$R63.94918@pd7urf1no...
> Got in my truck to go to work this morning. Headlights came on ok,
> interior light... But no instrument panel lights.
>
> So I did some google searching, and found this link:
> http://jeepwhitegauges.com/cher9196instructions.htm
>
> No affliation with the people doing it, but it looks pretty clear on how
> to take it all apart. This is probably old news for many of you, but
> there's probably newbies like me that need it! :)
>
> Now if I could figure out how to replace the bulb for the heater/fan
> panel...
>
> Clint
>

Re: Just as an FYI, I was looking for info on how to replace the lights in my instrument panel
 

Just as a followup on this, my clutch master DOES have a slight leak (I'll
be monitoring fluid levels before I go replacing it), and it is leaking
directly on the fuse box. After pulling out the top fuses and cleaning
them, my lights are back. If nothing else, I may try putting something in
place between the clutch lever and fuse box to try to divert any drips.

Clint

"Clint" <nobody@nowhere.none> wrote in message
news:6IdZg.159093$R63.94918@pd7urf1no...
> Got in my truck to go to work this morning. Headlights came on ok,
> interior light... But no instrument panel lights.
>
> So I did some google searching, and found this link:
> http://jeepwhitegauges.com/cher9196instructions.htm
>
> No affliation with the people doing it, but it looks pretty clear on how
> to take it all apart. This is probably old news for many of you, but
> there's probably newbies like me that need it! :)
>
> Now if I could figure out how to replace the bulb for the heater/fan
> panel...
>
> Clint
>

Re: Just as an FYI, I was looking for info on how to replace the lights in my instrument panel
 

The stuff eats paint too.

Earle

"Clint" <cneufeld@mysocks.shaw.ca> wrote in message
news:eE_gh.490810$5R2.169110@pd7urf3no...
> Just as a followup on this, my clutch master DOES have a slight leak (I'll
> be monitoring fluid levels before I go replacing it), and it is leaking
> directly on the fuse box. After pulling out the top fuses and cleaning
> them, my lights are back. If nothing else, I may try putting something in
> place between the clutch lever and fuse box to try to divert any drips.
>
> Clint
>
> "Clint" <nobody@nowhere.none> wrote in message
> news:6IdZg.159093$R63.94918@pd7urf1no...
> > Got in my truck to go to work this morning. Headlights came on ok,
> > interior light... But no instrument panel lights.
> >
> > So I did some google searching, and found this link:
> > http://jeepwhitegauges.com/cher9196instructions.htm
> >
> > No affliation with the people doing it, but it looks pretty clear on how
> > to take it all apart. This is probably old news for many of you, but
> > there's probably newbies like me that need it! :)
> >
> > Now if I could figure out how to replace the bulb for the heater/fan
> > panel...
> >
> > Clint
> >
>

Re: Just as an FYI, I was looking for info on how to replace the lights in my instrument panel
 

The stuff eats paint too.

Earle

"Clint" <cneufeld@mysocks.shaw.ca> wrote in message
news:eE_gh.490810$5R2.169110@pd7urf3no...
> Just as a followup on this, my clutch master DOES have a slight leak (I'll
> be monitoring fluid levels before I go replacing it), and it is leaking
> directly on the fuse box. After pulling out the top fuses and cleaning
> them, my lights are back. If nothing else, I may try putting something in
> place between the clutch lever and fuse box to try to divert any drips.
>
> Clint
>
> "Clint" <nobody@nowhere.none> wrote in message
> news:6IdZg.159093$R63.94918@pd7urf1no...
> > Got in my truck to go to work this morning. Headlights came on ok,
> > interior light... But no instrument panel lights.
> >
> > So I did some google searching, and found this link:
> > http://jeepwhitegauges.com/cher9196instructions.htm
> >
> > No affliation with the people doing it, but it looks pretty clear on how
> > to take it all apart. This is probably old news for many of you, but
> > there's probably newbies like me that need it! :)
> >
> > Now if I could figure out how to replace the bulb for the heater/fan
> > panel...
> >
> > Clint
> >
>