Running lights, tail lights and or dashboard light not working! (Grounding points?)

[Bettan_85]

As stated, my circuit for the tail lights, side markers, running light and dashboard light is completely out. I’ve tried cleaning the headlight/light switch (really needed a clean) but still nothing. I’ve got the Electric wiring map, but since someone has changed the colors of the cables I have a hard time following. Can anyone tell me - How does this circuit run? Where are the grounding points? Connections that might fail? In the Dashboard? All ideas appreciated!!!! 
Oh, and I’ve got a -73 240Z, 5 speed manual. 

Thanks!!

Edited May 14, 2020 by Bettan_85

[Dave WM]

have you inspected the wire connection blocks from the combo/dimmer assembly?

[Bettan_85]

I did! I’ve cleaned the connections there. It does look a little sketchy though, but the connections seem ok.

[siteunseen]

Sounds like the exact thing my combo switch did. I went by this, flip those 2 plates now it works like new. Eh, it's a pdf. Here's the link, it's safe to download.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.kamikazeracing.org/dl/ZTech/Rebuild_240Z_combo_switch.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwj3vYv0oLTpAhVkhuAKHZ86C70QFjAEegQIARAB&usg=AOvVaw1MgWNgBd3yM5WQ0jnGnjgR

[Bettan_85]

Thanks siteunseen, however I did exactly that today and nothing happened :/. So I guess I have to look somewhere further down the wiring. 

18 minutes ago, siteunseen said:

Sounds like the exact thing my combo switch did. I went by this, flip those 2 plates now it works like new. Eh, it's a pdf. Here's the link, it's safe to download.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.kamikazeracing.org/dl/ZTech/Rebuild_240Z_combo_switch.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwj3vYv0oLTpAhVkhuAKHZ86C70QFjAEegQIARAB&usg=AOvVaw1MgWNgBd3yM5WQ0jnGnjgR

 

[siteunseen]

Did you get 12v on the white/red solder blob? If you have a wire peirceing volt meter you can just check that wire under the steering wheel. Good luck.

 

 

[heyitsrama]

Happened to me when I was driving in the rain at night to Thunderhill Raceway, glad my headlights were working, turned out to be the fuse that was causing an issue. Did you inspect the fuses? I feel like on the old glass fuses, they can look “ok” but sometimes there is intermittent to no continuity between the sides....

[Jeff Berk]

It seems like the procedure would be to test if you have power at one point, perhaps the combo switch like what Siteunseen suggested. If you have power going into the switch, see if you also have power going out. If you do, then work your way to the next connection and see if power makes it that far. 

I've got a '74 so the electrical system should be similar. There is a 3 blade connector on the combo switch with a red/white wire that I think should be hot when the headlights are on. Check to see if it is. If not, and power goes to the combo switch, the switch is the problem. If it has power, work your way to the C4 (Brown) connector and see if there is power going in and if power is going out the other side. Keep looking for where power should be and if it's not there, you've isolated the fault.

It's a long shot, but try cleaning your fusible links.

When you are done and found the issue, look into adding a headlight relay.

Good luck.

Jeff

[Bettan_85]

BIG thanks to everyone! I got it sorted out! After the dimmer switch disassembling and cleaning, I tested the relay, bought a new one - still nothing. Then checked the bulbs in the side marker lights. The front lamps had this extremely bad corrosion/rust going on. They were stuck to the base. Had to destroy them completetly to get it out. Might've been a short there, but still nothing. THEN! I went on with the multimeter and realised the "newer"(?) fuse (two-pinch) connecting to the motor was out!!

Thank you for all your wonderful help! Hopefully someone else can read this if they encounter the same problem. ?

Best regards!