• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

1964 Polara Dashboard issue

Dave145

Well-Known Member
Local time
10:25 AM
Joined
Jun 27, 2017
Messages
255
Reaction score
83
Location
Burlington, Wi
Hi everyone, I'm new here! I recently acquired a 1964 Dodge Polara 4 door hardtop that was sitting for quite a long time. Long story short, we drove her from Kentucky to Wisconsin two weeks ago, and I have slowly been working on her since. I'm not new to classics, and not at all new to classic mopars. The issue is this:

I call it the ghost light. It turns itself on, and haunts my whole dashboard right side. The right turn signal indicator will randomly turn on and glow steady. When it does, all of my gauges peg to full, and occasionally my right side dash lights dims way low too (left side is fine and unaffected). To make the ghost light turn off, simply turn on the right turn signal and turn it off again. The light only comes on when the headlights or running lights are on. The issue is hit or miss...sometimes it happens every 5 minutes, other times not at all.

So far, I have cleaned all the bulb sockets outside the car of crud and grime, replaced all the bulb front to rear (di electric greased them to for water resistance). I cleaned the grounding points for my tail lights and front markers.

When this light comes on and the dashboard gets weird, NO turn signal bulbs are illuminated outside the car. The headlights and taillights lights stay on however. This leads me to believe the issue is in the cluster.

The ground from the block to battery is decent and recently replaced. The ground from block to firewall is okay. The insulation is cracking off, but the copper is still solid and pliable (will replace that cable tonight though).

What could be causing this? I know the cluster regulator going bad could peg the gauges, but that shouldn't effect the indicator. Any suggestions?
 
does this happen while the engine is running or off? What is the voltage at the cluster? It sounds like there's a backfeed of voltage to the ground. It might be worth pulling the cluster and bench testing.
 
Hi everyone, I'm new here! I recently acquired a 1964 Dodge Polara 4 door hardtop that was sitting for quite a long time. Long story short, we drove her from Kentucky to Wisconsin two weeks ago, and I have slowly been working on her since. I'm not new to classics, and not at all new to classic mopars. The issue is this:

I call it the ghost light. It turns itself on, and haunts my whole dashboard right side. The right turn signal indicator will randomly turn on and glow steady. When it does, all of my gauges peg to full, and occasionally my right side dash lights dims way low too (left side is fine and unaffected). To make the ghost light turn off, simply turn on the right turn signal and turn it off again. The light only comes on when the headlights or running lights are on. The issue is hit or miss...sometimes it happens every 5 minutes, other times not at all.

So far, I have cleaned all the bulb sockets outside the car of crud and grime, replaced all the bulb front to rear (di electric greased them to for water resistance). I cleaned the grounding points for my tail lights and front markers.

When this light comes on and the dashboard gets weird, NO turn signal bulbs are illuminated outside the car. The headlights and taillights lights stay on however. This leads me to believe the issue is in the cluster.

The ground from the block to battery is decent and recently replaced. The ground from block to firewall is okay. The insulation is cracking off, but the copper is still solid and pliable (will replace that cable tonight though).

What could be causing this? I know the cluster regulator going bad could peg the gauges, but that shouldn't effect the indicator. Any suggestions?
In order to light the bulb, you need two essential things, power and ground. I suspect that the culprit is in the steering column, either the wiring or the turn signal switch. Could be wrong but to prove or disprove this theory, unplug the steering column wiring socket and see if there is a change to your situation. Look closely at your wiring schematic starting at that particular bulb and work your way backwards to any power source, regardless of it's origin, that could find its way back to the bulb. Don't discount the flasher unit, horn button and wiring or 4way flasher system if it exists. This bulb is acting as a ground for some power circuit, and because it's periodic, I suspect a loose connection or periodic shorting somewhere that doesn't blow a fuse because the bulb is lessening the effect of a direct short. Get this situation remedied ASAP or up the insurance on your car. Good luck.
 
The pegging of the gauges could be a clue. I'd start with the voltage regulator for the dash. A LM7805 and a few capacitors is a good, low cost fix. Here is the link:

http://1962to1965mopar.ornocar.org/ml-instrument-voltage-regulator64.html

In the past I have gutted the regulators and placed the components inside the cover, but the fix above is very good, too.

Now, as Yatzee said above, if somehow 12V is directly feeding through the turn signal bulb by steering column wiring shorts, and the dash regulator is somehow trying to sink the voltage then that might be the path?

Let us know how you make out.
 
I have not yet checked voltage at the cluster, but I plan to remove it tonight to clean and service it in event some greenery is between some terminals on the back.

The problem is so hit and miss that there's no predicting when or even if it will happen. I would think though, that if the issue was in the column or flasher (which is also semi-new), that the bulb would flash and an outside bulb would light up...right?

I have already had a few issues with the dash that are prompting this removal anyways. The gauges occasionally would stop working, and it turned out they were loose on the back of the cluster. Makes me wonder what else may be loose back there.

I have NOT seen this issue happen with the car OFF. It only seems to surface while being driven, which is odd. The previous owner installed a new alternator and voltage regulator as well if it helps about the running situation.
 
I have not yet checked voltage at the cluster, but I plan to remove it tonight to clean and service it in event some greenery is between some terminals on the back.

The problem is so hit and miss that there's no predicting when or even if it will happen. I would think though, that if the issue was in the column or flasher (which is also semi-new), that the bulb would flash and an outside bulb would light up...right?

I have already had a few issues with the dash that are prompting this removal anyways. The gauges occasionally would stop working, and it turned out they were loose on the back of the cluster. Makes me wonder what else may be loose back there.

I have NOT seen this issue happen with the car OFF. It only seems to surface while being driven, which is odd. The previous owner installed a new alternator and voltage regulator as well if it helps about the running situation.

I just experienced the same thing on my 64 Polara 500.
Here is what I found that cured the problem for me so far.

All of the nuts for each of the gauges were only finger tight. With the battery disconnected, I tightened up the nuts.

I then went to the headlight ground connection (which is just in front of the radiator, offset to the drivers side, on the cross support for the radiator). This ground connection is two white wires in one ring terminal attached to the cross support with a philips head screw.

I pulled the screw and cleaned the threads and the area where it is attached.

Whew hooooooo! My temp gauge now worked correctly, the fuel gauge now reads the fuel in the tank. They both quit going to full scale. My left turn signal bulb now works as it should. My headlights became brighter.

Still have a non working clock, but thats for another day.

I suspect the biggest problem with mine was the power feed back from turning on the headlights. The two gauges would go full scale as soon as I turned the headlights on. The right turn signal bulb would also light up without using the turn stalk. While this was happening in the dash, I noticed the headlights were dim. Turn the headlights off, the gauges would go back to zero.

By the way, before finding the loose nuts and the bad ground I pulled the voltage limiter out and hooked it up to my battery charger. Checking it with my volt meter, I could see that it was limiting the voltage (pulsating rapidly). So i put it back in and nothing changed. Thats why I suspected the bad ground would be the biggest problem.

Good luck with yours,

Happy Moparing...
God Bless America
Mike
 
I have not yet checked voltage at the cluster, but I plan to remove it tonight to clean and service it in event some greenery is between some terminals on the back.

The problem is so hit and miss that there's no predicting when or even if it will happen. I would think though, that if the issue was in the column or flasher (which is also semi-new), that the bulb would flash and an outside bulb would light up...right?

I have already had a few issues with the dash that are prompting this removal anyways. The gauges occasionally would stop working, and it turned out they were loose on the back of the cluster. Makes me wonder what else may be loose back there.

I have NOT seen this issue happen with the car OFF. It only seems to surface while being driven, which is odd. The previous owner installed a new alternator and voltage regulator as well if it helps about the running situation.
 
Welcome Dave... looks like you are in the neighborhood! Those gremlins can be a stinker to find!
 
It would appear as if I have it fixed. Removed the cluster, cleaned everything and lightly sanded all the contacts, then snugged down all the gauges again. Added another ground to the cluster right where the ICVR plugs in. Grounded to my steering column support.

Plugged everything in and broke out my meter. Car OFF key ON, I have 11.4v to the regulator, and about 5.1v to the gauges. Car RUNNING, I have 13v to the regulator and about 6.1 to the gauges.

Reinstalled everything, cleaned up my grounds in the engine bay and made a new ground cable from the block to the firewall.

Finally, I was able to take her for a drive and didn't see the dreaded ghost light!!
 
It would appear as if I have it fixed. Removed the cluster, cleaned everything and lightly sanded all the contacts, then snugged down all the gauges again. Added another ground to the cluster right where the ICVR plugs in. Grounded to my steering column support.

Plugged everything in and broke out my meter. Car OFF key ON, I have 11.4v to the regulator, and about 5.1v to the gauges. Car RUNNING, I have 13v to the regulator and about 6.1 to the gauges.

Reinstalled everything, cleaned up my grounds in the engine bay and made a new ground cable from the block to the firewall.

Finally, I was able to take her for a drive and didn't see the dreaded ghost light!!
glad to hear! and glad to see another 4 door out there. Got any pics of this beauty?
 
Glad you got it fixed Dave. I spoke with you at the Eagle show. Your 64 is a true survivor. It's good to see some young blood taking an interest in these cars.
 
Straight off my phone, this is the best picture I have of her. The '59 DeSoto is my friends car.

KIMG0467.JPG
 
That's correct! Yes the photo was at Gus's last Saturday night. I am from Burlington, which is 20ish minutes away. Despite the town being called "Atlantis" for a few days, my family and I along with the cars are just fine. We live in a higher area in town, so we only had some water in the basement. The Polara sat in the garage, while my other 6 cars at outside. Thankfully, no damage to any of them.

Yep...7 cars, one garage. 77 F-150 I hand built, (2) '72 T-Birds, '76 Dodge Dart (totaled from a rear end hit), '64 Polara and an '04 Sport Trac.

And I wonder why I'm always working overtime haha
 
Auto Transport Service
Back
Top