Can someone explain the Rheostat modification with detail

[Wookard]

Hi everyone,

I am a good friend of felix_29 and we are trying to get his rheostat situation figured out. At one time the lights on his dash were coming on full. As of a few days ago they are nearly dark until you turn the rheostat to the last little bit and it comes on very dim.

He is interested in getting me to make it so it is always on full when he turns on the lights.

Can anyone please let me know of what sections of the rheostat wiring I need to modify and any parts I require, such as resistors etc..

I am very excellend at soldering and have helped many friends with car modifications on interiors over the years. I just need a good explanation of what wires need to be jumped and what needs to be done. Attached is a photo of what his actual rheostat looks like in its current form. This is of the proper viewpoint on the driver side of the shifter. I have spent a few hours searching the forums and google and not a single things comes up other then somone saying I jumped it with a resistor. Not a proper explanation at all!

Thanks!12455

[82DMC12]

I was playing with my rheostat yesterday. If you put the red/white wire on the last (4th prong) and the red/orange wires on 2 and 3 the rheostat does nothing and the lights are on full. My rheostat was flakey until I got the wires in the right order (by experiment because I couldn't find a diagram online) and now it dims correctly. If you use a jumper I don't think it would hurt anything. No resistors needed if you just want full brightness.

[Rich]

If you use a jumper I don't think it would hurt anything. No resistors needed if you just want full brightness.

Correct. A properly-executed jumper hurts nothing. Photo below shows a jumper/bypass wire - the yellow one, #14ga wire in this case.

Soldered one end to one of the adjacent spade connectors on right, with a female connector onto the formerly empty male spade, second position from left in photo. Can be reversed out later to restore original functionality.

Responded to Felix29's related posting as well, mentioning the jumper option you are exploring.

12476

[jawn101]

Correct. A properly-executed jumper hurts nothing. Photo below shows a jumper/bypass wire - the yellow one, #14ga wire in this case.

Soldered one end to one of the adjacent spade connectors on right, with a female connector onto the formerly empty male spade, second position from left in photo. Can be reversed out later to restore original functionality.

Responded to Felix29's related posting as well, mentioning the jumper option you are exploring.

12476

Rich - would it be possible to just take the rheostat out of the equation entirely and replace it with a 3-way jumper similar to the one used in the fan fail socket? This would allow you to avoid modifying the wiring in any way and be one less thing to disconnect if you have to remove the shifter trim panel for any reason. I seem to do that a lot and my rheostat has started giving up the ghost. I am 100% LED in the interior so it is useless anyway.

[dmc6960]

Rich - would it be possible to just take the rheostat out of the equation entirely and replace it with a 3-way jumper similar to the one used in the fan fail socket?

Yes, I've had exactly that for 10 years.

[jawn101]

Yes, I've had exactly that for 10 years.

I figured as much. Thanks Jim, that's probably what I'll do! I might even still have my old fan fail jumper around somewhere.

[WelmoedJ]

My old one's bottom part gave way and so no contact between fingers and printed circuit.

Should you want a new replacement for the Rheostat, go here:
http://www.autoelectricsupplies.co.uk/category/101

I have one in my car and it works better than the old one even with LED in the dash.

[jawn101]

I built a short 3-way jumper today and cut the rheostat out entirely. Took about 5 minutes, cost about 5 cents, required no modifications to the wiring and worked like a charm. No more flickering dash lights. Thanks for the advice, guys!