I have an extreme problem. My Dash lights do not ever come on. When i turn the headlights on, there is no lights on the guage cluster or the a\c cluster and so forth. To top this problem, my fog lights do not work ever now, and my running lights only work when my lights are off. As soon as i turn my headlights on, all other lights quit, and only headlights work. The brake lights only work when pressed, in other words...no running lights work when the lgihts are turned on. Maybe a huge short, i keep blowing the 5 amp fuse for the guage cluster and now nothing seems to work. Everything is going downhill. Any suggestions, i have both headlight motors unplugged, but i dont think that will cause a problem

 

Just a thought, but oftentimes when a fuse keeps blowing you have a short to ground somewhere.

 

Thats what i was thinking, but I have no clue where to start looking, also i hear some things about the dimmer switch, anyone have ideas on that

 

You are going to have to equip yourself with some wiring diagrams and a meter to locate the short that is blowing the fuse. You could also have a bad dimmer switch, but that may not be the source of your short.

 

Does anyone know where the main grounds are for the light system like this, I just recently had the motor out and now that it is running I have been having this light problem, Just trying to think of a place to start looking

 

The ground for the dash lights is located under the drivers kick panel. Its the stud with black wires on it. BUT, as Rob said, you have a short to ground some where. Not a bad ground.

Sounds like to me like you have a problem at the positive cluster (bunch of red wires) on the passenger fender under the hood. If you don't find anything there then:

The first thing to do is identify what you turn on when the fuse blows. Instead of using a fuse to find your problem, use an ammeter. Just put it in the fuse holder. It will keep you from using so many fuses while you track down the problem.

I think you pinched a wire or two when you put the engine back in. I doubt the dimmer switch is causing the fuse to blow since it does not have ground going to it.

Your original post is somewhat confusing. Example, you said "and my running lights only work when my lights are off." Does this mean they are on all the time until you turn the exterior lights on then they go off??????? Like they are operating backwards?

And if I understand right, the gage lights and the fog lights will never turn on no matter what you do. Is this correct?

The only place I can think to start is at the grey 6 pin connector under the drivers side panel under the hatch. First check the tail lights fuse #10, 20amp. With the ex. lights on, check pin C of the 6 pin connector with the brown wire for 12 volts. Then go to the headlight switch and measure the brown wire there for 12volts. If its there the wire to the rear is broke. If it's not on the brown wire to the switch, check the orange wire at the switch. If its not there, check the tail lights fuse holder. Be sure you have 12v going to one side of the fuse holder.

 

To further explain myself, The running lights come on when you turn the headlight switch to the middle position. But when you turn the headlight switch all the way on, my running lights turn off, and none of my guage lights work, and my fog lights are out. I was wondering what could cause all of these to go out. Maybe a short in the switch. It appears that all my fuses are good. So im totally clueless, and i just got it running and cant drive at night, please help.

 

After some work this is what i have figured out, When the ip dimmer fuse is out, also known as the gauge lights fuse, when it is out, all of my lights work, including all the running lamps and so forth, all lights work when that fuse is out(except for the guage lights of course) , As soon as i put this fuse in, it blows my tail light fuse out. After it blows this fuse out, the running lights,fog lights, and tail lights quit working when the headlamps are on. Any suggestions. where could the short be to make the tail lamp fuse blow when i plug in my ip dimmer fuse. I dont understand and i still cant ever get the guage lights to work