At 04:44 PM 9/23/97 -0600, you wrote:
>Bet I'm not the only one with this, ahem, feature in my british car (TR6
>in my case).
>
>The instrument lights are not very bright.
The proof is to mesure the voltage at the "weak" lamp. This is a bit
tricky because you need to be at the back of the dash. When the engin is
running and the control is all the way up, you should get about 14 volts.
It is also a good idea to messure the ground side of the same lamp. This
should be 0 volts. If not you have a weak ground and can clean all to
correct. (make sure that your volt meter is connected to a very good
ground of the car, the negetive battery post if good)
If the voltage is not around 14 volts then start to work back to the voltage
source one connection at a time. Look for a change in voltage. Then
clean and re connect as necessary when you find some connecton or component
that has too much voltage drop across it.
Also, check the lamps them selves. Are they the correct type. Small dash
lamps do come in different wattages, higher values are brighter (and
hotter). Older lamps always loose some brightness as they age; up until
the last bit then they often get brighter, then very, very, very dark.
What, no voltage meter? Then go through and clean all connections
including the base of the lamp and the lamp socket, both tip and ground.
Good luck,
Thomas Howard
LUSD, (619) 390-2627
('72 Triumph GT-6; and a good bit of USA iron)
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