rheostat interior light switch, 74 AMX
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Category: The Garage
Forum Name: Electrical - non engine
Forum Description: Charging systems, lights, non-ignition system, it goes here.
URL: https://theamcforum.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=93786
Printed Date: Apr/16/2024 at 12:34am
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Topic: rheostat interior light switch, 74 AMX
Posted By: MartyB
Subject: rheostat interior light switch, 74 AMX
Date Posted: Apr/24/2018 at 2:50pm
| Anyone have a source for the small nylon gear that is fitted btw the 2 metal gears in the switch. Who thought putting a nylon gear btw metal gears would last?! |
Replies:
Posted By: vinny
Date Posted: Apr/25/2018 at 5:57am
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https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/american+motors,1974,amx,5.9l+360cid+v8,1293881,electrical-switch+&+relay,headlamp+switch,4472 I think AMC used the same headlight switches as a lot of the other guys so probably it will be cheap and easiest to just instal a new one. I still haven't figured out how to get mine out yet to do the swap but so far its not high on the priority list.
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Posted By: pit crew
Date Posted: Apr/25/2018 at 9:26am
Lack of lubrication and dirt bind up the switch and people just push harder until the nylon gear strips out. There is no known source at this time other than trying to score a used switch. In my experience they are very hard to come by but I did find one once where the rheostat was bad but the gear was still in good shape. Since the frame is pot metal you can get it all apart but the bent over tabs break off in most cases. I have had good luck using epoxy putting it back together. The most delicate part is the copper finger that is depressed for the courtesy lights. Be very careful of that sucker. Once bent it is real heck to get it back to the proper shape. One option is to just add a little jumper wire to bypass the rheostat and run the dash lights at full bright. If all else fails you can try a 73 switch which, if I remember correctly, was a three position switch which gives you three levels of brightness plus courtesy lighting. Not the most correct replacement but someone just looking at the dash would not know the difference and they are much easier to find. P.S. Almost forgot. If you try the self repair option watch when putting things back together as there is a small tab of copper that supplies ground through the pot metal frame. You don't want to wind up insulating that with epoxy. -------------  73 Hornet - 401EFI - THM400 - Twin Grip 20 |
MartyB wrote:Posted By: billd
Date Posted: Apr/25/2018 at 10:32pm
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As I recall (it's been over a year) mine has two levels of bright - sort of dim, and full bright, or interior lights. -------------  http://theamcpages.com" rel="nofollow - http://theamcpages.com http://antique-engines.com" rel="nofollow - http://antique-engines.com |
Posted By: pit crew
Date Posted: Apr/26/2018 at 7:57am
 ------------- 73 Hornet - 401EFI - THM400 - Twin Grip 20 |
Posted By: 304-dude
Date Posted: Apr/26/2018 at 8:13am
Yep, that is correct for 71 to 73... though there may be very late 73 builds with some 74 parts. Only 74 has the rheostat. Any 71 to 73 dimmer switch will work as a replacement for 74. The only differences that i know of between 71/72 and 73/74 on the panel switches connections are for thé wiper switch, you can only mix between 71 and 72 only, or 73 and 74 only between the wiper motor switches. All other panel switches are pinned out the same for compatibility with swap out replacements. ------------- 71 Javelin SST body 390 69 crank, 70 block & heads NASCAR SB2 rods & pistons 78 Jeep TH400 w/ 2.76 Low 50/50 Ford-AMC Suspension 79 F150 rear & 8.8 axles Ford Racing 3.25 gears & 9" /w Detroit locker |
Posted By: mrblatzman
Date Posted: Apr/26/2018 at 8:54am
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I have one of the 74 only interior light rheostat type switches NOS...From memory it had some problem though...The gear part was good but it needed help moving when all the way forward or something like that...been a while...I would take $20 plus 8.50 postage if you think that might help your car...Bob in Alabama ------------- Thankyou....Bob |
Posted By: billd
Date Posted: Apr/26/2018 at 12:43pm
Glove box lights, I think.......... ------------- http://theamcpages.com" rel="nofollow - http://theamcpages.com http://antique-engines.com" rel="nofollow - http://antique-engines.com |
Posted By: dltowers
Date Posted: Apr/27/2018 at 4:12pm
"One Year Only".... ------------- Original Owner, 1974 Javelin: 360ci,2v,727TC. Motorola Multiplex with 8-Track. G4 Plum exterior with 421Q Black Uganda Interior. Purchased on July 16, 1974 from Hooker AMC, Sherman, TX for $4500.20 |
Posted By: MartyB
Date Posted: Apr/15/2019 at 4:15pm
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Purchased a non-rheostat light switch to replace the broken one in a 74 Javelin (from a vendor who said it checked good). It had the same connections as the rheostat switch so I just plugged it in. Had other wiring problems so the battery was always unhooked at the finish of work and doors were open when battery was hooked up. Anyway, after everything was 'finished', noticed that the interior lights and dome light will not turn off! Removed the door switches and cleaned them up but the lights remain on at all times (no matter what position the interior light switch is set to). The panel lights work as they should (turn on when the headlight switch is on) and the trunk light will turn on and off. Map light also will turn on and off. I even completely unhooked the door switch and it had no effect on the courtesy or dome lights. Any sugestions? |
Posted By: 304-dude
Date Posted: Apr/15/2019 at 4:42pm
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Door switches create a ground path to allow dome and courtesy lights to turn on. If dome light stays on, a ground is happening from the wiring harness somewhere. Usually a pinch or broken insulation making contact with metal. Most of grounding issues are around the instrument panel frame. Though you can try unplugging the dome and instrument panel switch harness to see if the problem is with the switch. If the dome light turns off with the connection removed, i would measure resistance between the terminals with the switch in the off position. If the resistance is equal to open circuit between the terminals, i would check and follow along the wiring from the connector to verify nothing is improperly grounding. ------------- 71 Javelin SST body 390 69 crank, 70 block & heads NASCAR SB2 rods & pistons 78 Jeep TH400 w/ 2.76 Low 50/50 Ford-AMC Suspension 79 F150 rear & 8.8 axles Ford Racing 3.25 gears & 9" /w Detroit locker |
Posted By: DellyRosen
Date Posted: Apr/06/2021 at 10:28am
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Hi....the water siphon has a similar 12 volt hot side feed that the lights have most the time. In the event that you run a second feed for the lights or siphon the dimmer will turn out great. Not certain why , but rather most these produces run one hot feed to control the lights and siphon. At the point when the siphon runs the dimmer lights gleams without fail. I have seen post on different gatherings that had the very issue and running that new feed fixed the issue. |
Posted By: 304-dude
Date Posted: Apr/06/2021 at 11:33am
From past issues on Javelin grounds... there is a wee ground to the instument panel. Since the frame is plastic and isolated from grouND if that ground is missing, some of the instrument lights fail to function. Haven't looked at all the switch grounds since rewiring, but electric washer is isolated, not grounded, since the only feed is power to the motor. Wiper circuit is isolated at the panel, and uses ground strap at the motor. Unless it's not a Humpster Javelin, then the wiper switch has a ground. Lights share a ground which also is part of the instrument panel. That's all I can think of on the top of my head. The wee wire that attaches to the metal frame of the light assembly is the most overlooked ground wire, when someone is replacing dash assembly and it's components on Humpsters. The grounding strap to the wiper switch is as overlooked on other bodies. ------------- 71 Javelin SST body 390 69 crank, 70 block & heads NASCAR SB2 rods & pistons 78 Jeep TH400 w/ 2.76 Low 50/50 Ford-AMC Suspension 79 F150 rear & 8.8 axles Ford Racing 3.25 gears & 9" /w Detroit locker |