Lights won't turn off

John,

If moving the wires to the amp gauge makes any kind of electrical change, then you need to fix the amp gauge asap.

The headlights won't go up (or down) unless the ignition key is turned on (I know you know that). Are the headlights also on? Either way, it would appear that you may have a bad light switch. If you can disconnect the pink wire from the light switch, the lights should go off.

John

Thanks for the reply. I'm going to pull the guage panel over the weekend. No, the headlights didn't pop up. They will with the key on and the switch on. If I turn the switch off, they go down, but the interior and parking lights stay on. Something is definitely shorting somewhere.

AS a guess, when you pulled hard on the speedo camle under the dash, you disconnected a power wire to the headlights (and maybe others as well) and its now grounding somewhere. Find it before you drive the car this way, or major problems may occur- including a fire!
And as JB said, if moving the ammeter wire causes changes, thats a separate but also very serious loose-connection problem that can and has resulted in fires.

Sorry, I should have posted sooner. Bosswrench, you are correct. Pulling the speedo cable had caused two wires running to the cig lighter to short introducing power into the circuit. Of course I realized this after I pulled the guage panel. Grrrr.

John,
When you get back to your original Speedo cable problem try a NAPA product called. Silglyde.

Pull the inner cable out and soak it in solvent to remove the old grease. Next take fine emery cloth to remove any corrosion and soak again in solvent. I used a plastic bowl and PB Blaster.


Wipe down the cable and apply a liberal amount of the Silglyde. I also packed the front end of the Speedo cable sheath with Silglyde as I fed the inner cable back in. I did this 2 years ago and no return of the ticking bouncing speedometer.

Jeff

Thanks Jeff - Before I put the cable in, I removed it from the sheath and tried to clean it up. I used white lithium grease to lube it before putting it in. I'm gonna try fixing it, or at least minimizing the problem, while it's in the car. It's a bit of a pita to r&r the cable.

Speaking of speedo cables. can anyone tell me the correct routing of the cable? my basket case came diassembled and i cant get there from here. thanks larry