Ok, I’m an idiot.
Thats all I really needed to write, but I feel like explaining my idiotness might help someone, someday, to avoid it.
Sure, I connected everything as it should be, it wasn’t so bright in my garage, and from the front, I saw nothing. NOTHING, how could that be. I double checked everything, tested each bulb, replaced the ribbon, headlight and turn signal switches, so I would have no worries; I saw nothing.
So, after doing my due diligence, checked for power at the headlight switch, ok good; I had a good ground, fuel gauge moved to 1/4 tank, that’s right, wiggled stuff; I saw nothing.
So I reached out to the community, read off the facts, etc. Then, 71fast, who was in a conversation with me, asked a few, logical questions. I checked those things, nope, still nothing wrong. So, I removed the instrument cluster for the 4th time, sat it on my bench, and using my power probe, simulated the power, which I assumed I didn’t have, to test the dash lights. Well, I couldn’t hold my two hands to hold the probe on and see the front, so I had the wife look at the front, while I did the power. She said, “I see Nothing.”, but I, looking from the back, see some signs of light life.
This is my 2014 F150 dash in day light:
My memory isn’t what it use to be. I’m never gonna have that with my stock 73 dash, and I forgot that. Now, I did have two bulbs that would not light. Turns out you have to clean each of those bulb sockets and contacts to assure you’ll get light out of them. Now, all 7 lights illuminate the dash, and I can barely see that in the semi darkness of the garage. I’ll test it tonight, pitch black conditions.
So, sorry to raise a ruckus when all along it was me. Steve