IML: On The Road!

["Eric" <gearhead@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Joe,
  Congrats! A few ideas....

3) Could the 'click/thunk' be the electric clock resetting? It will take a 
small charge from the electric system which might cause a slight, momentary 
dimming of the lights, but not much. It should happen every 1-2 minutes for 
a well working clock. An older clock may not be getting a very powerful 
spark that sends back this little....   hmm... hey clock people on the list, 
whats that part called that is rotated back from the electric spark that 
resets the clock? Every 10 seconds seems a little often for this to reset..

4) Panelescent lighting. In the website repair archives, there are specific 
part numbers of the 2 or 3 electronic components in your panelescent 
powerpack that need to be unsoldered and renewed. Its a lot handier to 
access this device with the instrument cluster rolled back out of its hole 
and reached w/a long screwdriver through the opening in the dashboard. Just 
be sure to cover the top of the 4 switch pods w/some masking tape, the 
instrument cluster will, always, every time, and is guarenteed to chip the 
paint off the top of the pods if there is no protective layer there. The 
powerpack feeds power to all the light rods and needles in the cluster, to 
the 2 large flat panels that light up the canted pushbuttons, and the clock 
and radio dial and needles. These powerpacks are good for ?? 20-30 years but 
rarely past that. The capacitor in them dries up, from what I understand.

5) Often, the vacuum hose(s) for the HVAC system will melt from coming too 
close on the back of the left exhaust manifold on the engine side of the 
firewall. Also, the plastic switch behind the pushbuttons could be at fault, 
or any of the vacuum dashpots. I'd check the vacuum hoses in the engine 
compartment first.

Glad to hear you're having fun and success at this.

Eric
'63 Crown Four-Door sedan
'63 Belvedere Four-Door sedan
'72 Newport Custom sedan



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