ConcoursMustang Forums

1st Generation 1964 1/2 - 1973 - Questions & general discussions that apply to a specific year => 1964 1/2 - 1965 => Topic started by: skinner36 on August 25, 2013, 07:32:14 AM

Title: Dim Rally-Pac lights
Post by: skinner36 on August 25, 2013, 07:32:14 AM

I have a 1965 mustang with a rally pac. The lights are very dim in the clock and tacho, even when the brightness setting is turned to full. Is the fix for this something as simple as getting brighter globes?\
Any suggestions what the problem might be?

Thanks,

John

Title: Re: Dim Rally-Pac lights
Post by: J_Speegle on August 25, 2013, 05:13:20 PM

Things IMHO to check

1- Do you have a strong/good ground?

2- Do you have the correct bulb?

3- Lastly you might increase the reflectiveness of the inside of the case so that more of the light gets reflected to the face

Just the process I would go through  ;)

Title: Re: Dim Rally-Pac lights
Post by: jwc66k on August 25, 2013, 06:57:16 PM

Add to Jeff's list:
With the ignition switch off, unplug the bulb leads and run a jumper from a hot spot on the fuse panel to the bulb feed leads. If the bulb is brighter, your dimmer circuit is the problem. If not, it's the ground, or you got the maximum voltage available to light the bulbs.
A solution is to unplug the triple connector blue-red wire for the Rally-Pac lights from the blue-red wire triple connector behind the instrument panel and plug it into the black-red triple that feeds the radio and back-up lights. It is fused and switched so your Rally Pac lights should be brighter but cannot be dimmed.
Jim   

Title: Re: Dim Rally-Pac lights
Post by: midlife on August 25, 2013, 08:57:37 PM

Quote from: jwc66k on August 25, 2013, 06:57:16 PM

A solution is to unplug the triple connector blue-red wire for the Rally-Pac lights from the blue-red wire triple connector behind the instrument panel and plug it into the black-red triple that feeds the radio and back-up lights. It is fused and switched so your Rally Pac lights should be brighter but cannot be dimmed.
Jim

True, but the lights will be on whenever the key is in ACC or RUN position, day or night.

Title: Re: Dim Rally-Pac lights
Post by: jwc66k on August 27, 2013, 08:42:00 PM

Quote from: midlife on August 25, 2013, 08:57:37 PM

True, but the lights will be on whenever the key is in ACC or RUN position, day or night.

That's the price you pay for bright lights. Or you could replace that 48 years old headlight switch (which is what I'm going to do real soon on two of my three) and get a better variable resistor to control the dim-able lights.
Jim