I think you're almost there. Looking at the circuit board, I don't see a hole for a threaded stud in the foil trace that must be ground. The trace I'm looking at wanders all over the board. It connects to one side or the other of each of the bulb holder sockets but the one without a bulb holder in place.

That trace ends at the center one of what appear to be 3 brass contacts at the top center of the board. The other end is at the pin just to the left of center on the RIGHT multi- pin connector at the bottom of the board. I've stared at your pic 'til my eyes hurt, but you can (and should) verify this with a continuity checker. Did Ma Mopar rely on those brass (?) contacts for the board to talk to the rest of the car??? If so, check the dash assembly where that center brass contact fits into a hole.

Having said (and typed) all of that, if it was mine I would solder a 12-14 ga wire to either of those end points and route it carefully out of the cluster. connecting the other end of the new wire to a solid chassis ground. I might put a quick disconnect bullet-type terminal in the wire for easy disconnect in case of having to pull the cluster in the future.

The hi beam bulb may have an off center holder. Compare it to the other bulb holders, and be sure the bulb or holder is not deformed and the holder is properly centered in the hole. Failing that, I might just hardwire a bulb to both of the foil traces and stick it into the tube behind the lens.

I hope that's helpful and solves the problems. However, my usual disclaimer is: "I might be wrong!"

BC

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'64 Dart GT convertible, 64 Dart 170 2-door post sedan in faded blue and rust (the Az Dart) & a sixty THREE Dart 170 2-door post sedan in faded blue and rust. (future project)
Early Dart Disorder (EDD) is real, and I've got it!

Chassis-body service manual.Page 19-29 shows clip {W shaped sheet metal} Steering column ground. If yours is missing use a ground wire on one of the studs.


Ok add some info here.I was wrong . Ground wire on stud wont ground steering column. The plastic spacer slider [ in a crash lets the column slide forward but blocks rearward movement toward driver] wont pass electrical current. The clip passes current around the plastic , completes the ground.

I just droped the column on a 79 aspen.Looks like there is enough room on that suport flange to drill a small hole to add ground wire. Then run ground wire to stud.

Ok so I think i get the picture so far. The clips just jump the plastic spacer to complete the ground. Adding a ground via soldering and having it attache to the support bracket and then to the column will ensure my panel and steering column are grounded.

This only leaves one question. Will my horn work? I guess there is only one way to find out...

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1978 4 door Dodge Aspen, Super Six

I'm not sure but looking at the instrument cluster it seems as though neither of the 2 bulbs actually line up with the high beam lens and it appears as though the left side is slightly dimmed by the half raised plastic divider. Which makes it appear that the right side bulb does the greatest share of illuminating. So, in finishing I am not positive but, I think it requires 2 bulbs to get a bright high beam light on the cluster.

I'd like to see what others think about this!

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Where ever you go there you are!

I just droped the column on a 79 aspen.Looks like there is enough room on that suport flange to drill a small hole to add ground wire. Then run ground wire to stud. Added info. Drill small hole into steering column at the same flange the plastic sliders are on. Use this hole for for one end of ground wire the stud for the other end. That will ground column much the same way the factory did with that clip. See page 19-38 fig. 28 of chassis manual.

I can upload a picture of the wiring diagram for the board, it shows that the bulb is correctly placed and the neighboring bulb that does line up does not connect to anything and the pins are not labeled. Maybe my cluster was replaced with a slightly different model? It is curious. I am thinking of removing the plastic divider with an exacto.
Thanks for the page reference, that is a helpful diagram. I'll show you a picture of the set up I drilled into today. I went from the column bracket shown in Fig. 28 to the metal panel behind the circuit board and then to the circuit board's ground. Quick disconnects on both lengths. should be ready to get the dash back together to test it tomorrow after work.

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1978 4 door Dodge Aspen, Super Six

Looking at wiring diagrams on pages 8-260 8-261 8-272 in electric manual. Terminal C wire H4 20BK is the ground for a lot of stuff. At least 2 junction points. But one single point ground. All current flowing same direction to the same place. Now add a second ground, at junction points current will divide some going to orignal ground and some going to new gound. That printed circuit may wind up carrying more current than designed for. If H4 is the circuit with new ground. Cut wire going to terminal C. That will isolate printed circuit

I don't have a picture of the set up I drilled but I will describe it the best I can. I drilled a hole in the column support bracket, put a bolt in there and attached a wire with a washer crimp fitting to it. I drilled a second hole in the metal panel directly behind the circuit board and instrument cluster. The cluster carrier was removed to gain access. I put a bolt in that hole with 2 wires, one from the first hole and the second to the circuit board where I soldered the end to the ground channel. Bolts were #10-32 .75" long and installed with split washers on the side with the nut. all wires have quick disconnects and crimped washer fittings on the side with the bolt head (not with split washers). I dremeled around both holes to expose bare steel and cleaned with alcohol.

Today I completed the new ground wires and installed just the circuit board in. The lights and horn worked! However, the BRAKE light did not ever illuminate with the key in the on position, with the parking brake engaged or not. Even tested with known good bulbs. Now I know that light should be on, should the oil indicator light also be on with the car off and the key in the on position? I am going to replace some bulbs and see what happens.

Also, I noticed some of the pins on the board seem to be in less than perfect condition, is there a way to replace them or a recommended method for fixing it? my soldering skills are not the sharpest but I am pretty sure I could meticulously solder each one if need be.
Thanks again matv91, you've been a huge help so far! I see where you are coming from with this. I will get something to cap the wires and cut them.


74A1Swinger, here are pictures I promised about that spare light socket. It shows that it's contacts are labeled H and G. The second pictures shows them as leading to nothing. I think the plug may not even have wires at those pines. I wonder if that is just how it is intended to be. If there are too small, don't kill your eyes over it, I can upload a new set no problem.

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1978 4 door Dodge Aspen, Super Six

see page 8-233 fuse no 1 and 8-272. Note the circuits fuse no 1 powers . Fuel gauge,low oil lamp,Brake warning lamp etc. Now on to page 8-272 and 8-273.Follow G5 20DBL over to pin K Right pc board. Next page 8-276 Follow pin k on the board powers low oil pressure lamp,Park brake lamp,and the voltage limiter.Look at pin L the ground side of the bulb for park brake lamp. Next page 8-273 Follow P5 20Gy/BK to the junction S.C.11. All 3 of those ignition ,brake warning ,park brake are all switches to complete ground circuit for brake light. Oil pressure switch G6 20GY just completes ground for bulb powered from pin K. Now maybe all these grounds are bad? Start at fuse . Replace it fuses can be a problem. Look for corosion bad connections, loose pins etc.

Page 8-276 voltage limiter from 5 volt side powers both fuel and temperature gauge. The middle connector 12 volt power from pin k. Just below there is a spot of solder. That might be a good place to solder a new wire. And take it back to fuse 1. Cut old wire at pin k and at fuse. Page 8-272 From fuse one G5 20DBL goes to pin k and then branches off to power the seat belt warning buzzer. That thing might be defective partly shorted to ground but not enough to blow fuse.Leave disconected for testing.

Due for an update,

I was wrong about what light wasn't lighting. the BRAKE light was, the OIL light was not. I found out that the a wire hanging unpluged under my hood was supposed to be connected to the switch on the oil pump. I cleaned the contacts and connected it. Works as it should now. Any remaining dash lights are working after I cleaned up the ground connection on the control clusters.

I think that about does it! I still need to test my radio and install an FM modulator if the FM/8-track one works and I can put my entire dash back together.

I did test all the fuses and cut the ground wire, I did not do anything to the K wire though.

And I ended up soldering any loose pins on the board. It was easy, flux works magic, using thinner solder helps too.

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1978 4 door Dodge Aspen, Super Six

Thanks for the update.

So everything has been working fine under the dash. Not a single issue other than the fuel gauge. I cut the grey wire that comes out of the sending unit and sent both sides of it to a ground in the trunk. At first, this immediately worked but now it doesn't work some days. I tried moving the wires around to see if my connections were the problem but it didn't seem to make a difference. Not really sure what could be causing this.

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1978 4 door Dodge Aspen, Super Six