Shnalla Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Hi Guys, I know Monte Carlo all have dome light, but I am wondering if Monte ever came with under dash lights ? Also, I will fix ma dashboard ligths (nothing works...). What is the best way to do It? Should I completely remove my dashboard? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monte70car Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Romain those are called Courtesy lights which light up the front floor board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shnalla Posted January 16, 2013 Author Share Posted January 16, 2013 Romain those are called Courtesy lights which light up the front floor board. Thank you Robert... Does first gen Monte Carlo have Courtesy lights ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monte70car Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Some do some don't it was a light package. I put them in my 70 a few years back and when I got the new harness I put them back in. it's a light socket with two wires coming out of it one is a ground and the other is the power. When the doors are open the dome light comes on and so do the under dash lights if you turn the headlight knob to the left they come on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shnalla Posted January 16, 2013 Author Share Posted January 16, 2013 Some do some don't it was a light package. I put them in my 70 a few years back and when I got the new harness I put them back in. it's a light socket with two wires coming out of it one is a ground and the other is the power. When the doors are open the dome light comes on and so do the under dash lights if you turn the headlight knob to the left they come on. Thank you Robert. I will check my build sheet to see if my car has the light package... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCfan Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Hi Guys, I know Monte Carlo all have dome light, but I am wondering if Monte ever came with under dash lights ? Also, I will fix ma dashboard ligths (nothing works...). What is the best way to do It? Should I completely remove my dashboard? Hi, Romain, I'll take a crack at your questions since I've been working on both of those areas on my Monte just recently. First, as Bob said, the lights under the dash on each side are called courtesy lights. My '70 SS had them installed at the factory (I believe as RPO U29 "I P Lamp" shown on the Build Sheet below.): My '70 4-speed car did not have the Courtesy lights (nor was U29 on its Build Sheet) so when Murray (Murphy) recently offered a complete set of under hood, courtesy and trunk lights for sale, I bought them. Unfortunately, when I consulted my 1970 Chevelle/El Camino/Monte Carlo Assembly Manual, it did not list the U29 in the RPO section. As luck would have it, I did find a very helpful drawing in the main Electrical Section 12 on page 391. Although it was actually listed for the Chevelle Convertible only, it works beautifully on the Monte. You can see the page that shows the courtesy lights and the necessary wiring harness in the photo below: On each end of your dash, a wire runs to the plunger switch in the adjacent door sill. That is the switch that connects that wire to ground (the frame) when either door is opened. It turns on your dome light. There is a terrible temptation to simply splice into that wire as it runs right through the area where the courtesy lamps are going to be mounted but don't do it that way. Putting additional bulbs in series on that circuit will progressively drop the voltage at each light in the circuit. Instead, make up a simple wiring harness just like the one shown in the Assembly manual and pull 12V power from the BAT (fused Battery) tab on your fuse panel. Note: you do NOT need to loosen or remove your dash to install courtesy lights BUT you almost have to remove the dash pad (unless you just happen to like trying to see and work while laying on your back on the front floor boards! ) I am very pleased with my new courtesy lights and will probably be replacing the bulbs with LEDs soon. Now, regarding your instrument panel lights not working. You will certainly have to remove the dash pad and probably have to loosen (not completely remove) your dash to find and fix that problem. It might be a ground problem (since you have lost ALL your dash lights) so I would start looking there. As near as I can tell, the instrument panel ground wire terminates BEHIND the dash UNDER the headlight switch. Check first to see if the threaded plug that holds your headlight switch to the dash is tight. If it is loose, you may have lost the ground contact. The next thing I would suspect is the flexible Printed Circuit Board (PCB) on the back of the instrument pod/cluster. Refer to the photo journal by clicking on the link below. Slides 4 through 12 related directly to loosening the dash (not completely removing it) and pulling out the instrument cluster (if necessary). Full Gauge Upgrade Project Journal If your PCB has been shorted out (easy to do - ask me how I know), you can order a replacement from the Parts Place, Inc and other supply houses for around $90 US. If you have an idiot light dash, this is a great time to upgrade to a full gauge instrument panel (includes a tach and three analog gauges) because you will get a new PCB in the kit which you would need anyway. NOTE: If you choose not to upgrade, be sure to order the correct PCB for the dash you have because they are quite different. I hope this answers some of your questions. Good luck getting it all sorted out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stangeba Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 No dash lights, first verify the fuse has power at both side (the headlight switch must be turned on for there to be power at this fuse, a short 4 AMP I think) The H/L switch also rotates to dim the dash / IP lights. Some times the coil of wire used as a variable resistor, is damaged and a new H/L switch is needed. Be sure to get the correct one with the same number of terminals (unless someone prior to you already tried this and used the wrong switch!) It is a 40+ year old car, anything could have happened. If you don;t have one I recommend a 12 volt test light to diagnose most electrical problems. Good luck. Bruce my original 1971 H/L switch 71 Fuse box inst lmps H/L switch knob release button Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam (Bones) Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
71 MONTE 4 YA Posted January 17, 2013 Share Posted January 17, 2013 Man this Club is GREAT!! Always someone there to help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shnalla Posted January 17, 2013 Author Share Posted January 17, 2013 Originally Posted By: Shnalla Hi Guys, I know Monte Carlo all have dome light, but I am wondering if Monte ever came with under dash lights ? Also, I will fix ma dashboard ligths (nothing works...). What is the best way to do It? Should I completely remove my dashboard? Hi, Romain, I'll take a crack at your questions since I've been working on both of those areas on my Monte just recently. First, as Bob said, the lights under the dash on each side are called courtesy lights. My '70 SS had them installed at the factory (I believe as RPO U29 "I P Lamp" shown on the Build Sheet below.): My '70 4-speed car did not have the Courtesy lights (nor was U29 on its Build Sheet) so when Murray (Murphy) recently offered a complete set of under hood, courtesy and trunk lights for sale, I bought them. Unfortunately, when I consulted my 1970 Chevelle/El Camino/Monte Carlo Assembly Manual, it did not list the U29 in the RPO section. As luck would have it, I did find a very helpful drawing in the main Electrical Section 12 on page 391. Although it was actually listed for the Chevelle Convertible only, it works beautifully on the Monte. You can see the page that shows the courtesy lights and the necessary wiring harness in the photo below: On each end of your dash, a wire runs to the plunger switch in the adjacent door sill. That is the switch that connects that wire to ground (the frame) when either door is opened. It turns on your dome light. There is a terrible temptation to simply splice into that wire as it runs right through the area where the courtesy lamps are going to be mounted but don't do it that way. Putting additional bulbs in series on that circuit will progressively drop the voltage at each light in the circuit. Instead, make up a simple wiring harness just like the one shown in the Assembly manual and pull 12V power from the BAT (fused Battery) tab on your fuse panel. Note: you do NOT need to loosen or remove your dash to install courtesy lights BUT you almost have to remove the dash pad (unless you just happen to like trying to see and work while laying on your back on the front floor boards! ) I am very pleased with my new courtesy lights and will probably be replacing the bulbs with LEDs soon. Now, regarding your instrument panel lights not working. You will certainly have to remove the dash pad and probably have to loosen (not completely remove) your dash to find and fix that problem. It might be a ground problem (since you have lost ALL your dash lights) so I would start looking there. As near as I can tell, the instrument panel ground wire terminates BEHIND the dash UNDER the headlight switch. Check first to see if the threaded plug that holds your headlight switch to the dash is tight. If it is loose, you may have lost the ground contact. The next thing I would suspect is the flexible Printed Circuit Board (PCB) on the back of the instrument pod/cluster. Refer to the photo journal by clicking on the link below. Slides 4 through 12 related directly to loosening the dash (not completely removing it) and pulling out the instrument cluster (if necessary). Full Gauge Upgrade Project Journal If your PCB has been shorted out (easy to do - ask me how I know), you can order a replacement from the Parts Place, Inc and other supply houses for around $90 US. If you have an idiot light dash, this is a great time to upgrade to a full gauge instrument panel (includes a tach and three analog gauges) because you will get a new PCB in the kit which you would need anyway. NOTE: If you choose not to upgrade, be sure to order the correct PCB for the dash you have because they are quite different. I hope this answers some of your questions. Good luck getting it all sorted out! Thank you Dennis for this GREAT answer !!! In fact, most of my instrument panel lights are dead, but not all of them. I guess previous owner didn't care about light In a first time I will simply try new lights (I have ordered LED ), and I will let you know if it works (I hope so....). Thank you again ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shnalla Posted January 17, 2013 Author Share Posted January 17, 2013 Man this Club is GREAT!! Always someone there to help. Oh yeah ! I agree It's a f***ing cool club Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ddiddle Posted January 18, 2013 Share Posted January 18, 2013 If you can get the courtesy light harness (I got mine on Ebay, I think), they're not hard at all to install, and they make a HUGE difference in the amount of light inside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GSB Monte Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 Hey Bruce, I just replaced my dash and replaced the printed circuit also. All my lights work except my "idiot lights and interior gauge lights". The fuse continually blows. Do you think I need to replace the H/L switch? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam (Bones) Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 so you are saying none of the instrument panel is working? it blows the fuse as soon as you turn them on? did you purchase the correct printed circuit, there is one for gauges, and one for idiot lights? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GSB Monte Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 I only have idiot lights for the printed panel. As soon as I turn on the lights the (4amp)fuse blows. Everything else works....Dome light, glove box, H/L, all exterior lights, turns signals blink.... the instrument lights and the idiot lights will not come on....I know it's from the fuse blowing. I have checked to ensure the panel plug is in correctly. It is really starting to erk me:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam (Bones) Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 but what I am saying....there is 2 different printed circuits for our montes, one if you have gauges, and a different one if you have idiot lights and they are not interchangable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wallaby Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 4 amp fuse? That doesn't sound right. I didn't think there was that tiny a fuse in the box.... I could be wrong, anybody verify? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
montefrazer Posted February 26, 2013 Share Posted February 26, 2013 It's there. Shorter than the other fuses. Very little glass between the metal ends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chevyss Posted March 2, 2013 Share Posted March 2, 2013 Good subject. I want to install the underhood lamp, trunk lamp and underdash lamps. I found the hood and trunk and now I need to find the underdash lamps and wiring. Is this something you can order from vendor or will someone have them from another car? Thanks in advance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LS5 Posted March 2, 2013 Share Posted March 2, 2013 hey Royce, The Parts Place Inc sells the under dash lights and harness, I just finished installing one in Vaughns Monte....he would know the price but it was a simple plug in and installs within the hour Darren. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GSB Monte Posted March 2, 2013 Share Posted March 2, 2013 <<<<<<<<<UPDATE>>>>>>>>>>> I found the issue!!!!!!!!! The ground wires on the back of the cluster housing! They have the eyelet ends on the wires. Well, the part of the eyelet that where the wire is crimped was on the circuit board. Which was causing it to ground out. The issue now is that the lights are so dim.....Like before the new circuit board. I guess I am naive in thinking the new circuit board would brighten the lights. Guess not..... I should've paid the extra money for the LEDs.... Next year. Thanks for your help!!!! Adam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72-CLASSIC_RIDE Posted March 3, 2013 Share Posted March 3, 2013 If you are referring to the Insturment Panel lights as being dim, it may be from your headlight switch. Does anything change as you rotate the headlight knob? Left should increase lighting & activate dome light while rotating right dims lights. Just a thought! I would think if your getting lighting from the Insturment Panel and all are dim, the headlight switch would be the most probable culprit. Doug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GSB Monte Posted March 3, 2013 Share Posted March 3, 2013 Nah....The lights for these cars just flat out stink. They were dim before the changes I made. I am probably going to install the LEDs next winter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72-CLASSIC_RIDE Posted March 3, 2013 Share Posted March 3, 2013 Keep us posted if you do change to LED. Would be interesting to hear how much difference they made. Doug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stangeba Posted March 3, 2013 Share Posted March 3, 2013 This "LED" dash light question has come up many times with the big question being (I think) if the LED bulbs are able to be dimmed and where to purchase them, part number. Sounds like a good tech article to me, anyone ready to do a write up or is there one already? Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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