Stupid question #59 - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

farside847 · 03-11-2005, 12:11 PM

(this is my 59th post)

Driving home last night sitting in traffic I was taking a closer
look at my gas gauge and noticed two reddish lights that I
never saw before. I have never seen them come on and I
have no idea what they are for. here is a pic.

Jason915 · 03-11-2005, 12:14 PM

Dummy lights one is for brake and one is for temp overheat.

Solver · 03-11-2005, 12:16 PM

I would say that your fuel gauge is from a larger truck c50 or greater as they had those dummy lights

Alexis · 03-11-2005, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Solver

I would say that your fuel gauge is from a larger truck c50 or greater as they had those dummy lights

eh?

my blazer had the same thing.....

Putter · 03-11-2005, 12:19 PM

I have those lights in my C-10 and the cluster has never been replaced.

farside847 · 03-11-2005, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason915

Dummy lights one is for brake and one is for temp overheat.

Ahhh. Well then I guess its a good thing the lights dont come on. Thanks!

FYI: it is the stock guage from a 71 c10

Longhorn Man · 03-11-2005, 12:27 PM

they ALL had those lights.
The brake one should work
the temp one should only work if you have the base model inst pannel...the 3 hole one.
In the bigger trucks, the brake light was replaced with overspeed

farside847 · 03-11-2005, 12:33 PM

So should the brake light go on when the Ebrake is on? Or go on when the brakes fail?

Longhorn Man · 03-11-2005, 12:35 PM

brake failure

Putter · 03-11-2005, 12:56 PM

If the brakes fail.....do you REALLY need a light to tell you????? It's usually too late anyway.
My brake light come on once..EVER. The Master cylinder was almost empty, I fired it up, and started out of the shed. Hit the brake, it went to the floor, and the light came on. I was impressed that it even worked.

shifty · 03-11-2005, 01:00 PM

I have those lights also. They both come on while starting up the engine. The brake light *doesn't* come on when the e-brake is engaged though.

I'm sure Longhorn Man is correct. Only with failure.

Either way, ... my '68 C-10 has 'em. I'll snap a photo of them on and post

Longhorn Man · 03-11-2005, 01:13 PM

the brake light *should* also some on when you crank the engine over...I've only seen one that actually still did it though.
it it is working properly, it'll alert you when one side is lower than the other, way before you'd feel it in the pedal.
It's helped me quite a bit when i leakey wheel cylinders in the old GMC.

70 shorty · 03-11-2005, 01:34 PM

One more dumb add on here. Is there a high beam light on an idiot light cluster? If I have one it doesn't work.

JoetheMobster · 03-11-2005, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 70 shorty

One more dumb add on here. Is there a high beam light on an idiot light cluster? If I have one it doesn't work.

Mine is located in the Speedometer gauge, and shows up as a red dot when the highbeams are on.

BTW - my brake light comes on just before I start the motor, surprised it still works.

mrein3 · 03-11-2005, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Putter

If the brakes fail.....do you REALLY need a light to tell you????? It's usually too late anyway.
My brake light come on once..EVER. The Master cylinder was almost empty, I fired it up, and started out of the shed. Hit the brake, it went to the floor, and the light came on. I was impressed that it even worked.

I believe the only way the light can trigger to signal a failure is when the proportioning valve goes one way.

This design makes sense. How else, with 1967-1972, could you get a signal telling you about a failure?

That system along with the divided master cylinder allow you to have brakes in case of a failure. If a failure occurs in say the rear, all that fluid will eventually drain out but only that half of the system. Then the porportioning valve moves to close off that half of the system, and the light turns on. By the time it gets to that point most folks would have noticed the puddle near one of the wheels or caught a low half of the master and addressed the subject.

Checking brake fluid should be done at EVERY oil change. Along with all the other fluids in the vehicle.

70 shorty · 03-11-2005, 02:01 PM

Thanks Joe, I'll check mine out tonite.

Pete

**guyryan100** · 03-11-2005, 03:01 PM

That's the wire plug in the bottom of the regulator.

Might be a nice-n-easy mod to have the light also come on when the parking break is set? Just a reverse push button switch behind the brake handle that is pressed in (no electric current) when the brake is not set and the circuit is closed (powering the light on the dash) when the handle is in the forward position...

shifty · 03-11-2005, 03:16 PM

Here, here are some pictures from my truck taken a few minutes ago.

At the top of the speedo, the red square is your high beams indicator.

At the bottom of the gas gauge, those are the two gauges in question.

Longhorn - now you've seen two of them

70 shorty · 03-11-2005, 03:55 PM

Shifty, that's a damn clean looking instrument cluster!

shifty · 03-11-2005, 04:04 PM

Thanks. The whole truck is pretty clean. It just sucks the person who "restored" it did a pisspoor job of getting rid of the rust, they just painted over some of it (it has at least three coats on it that I can see now)

If you want to see the whole truck, it's really clean, I just bought it for $4000. You can see some pretty rough pictures if you click on the link in the signature of my post.

purple gas · 03-11-2005, 04:49 PM

Nice clean truck shifty. How's the power / fuel economey with the 6 ?

shifty · 03-11-2005, 05:15 PM

I'm not sure. I just bought it last friday

I filled the tank @ the gas station after buying it and drove it back to the house (~30 miles) I then drove my girl around my neighbourhood and today I drove it to work. The gas gauge you in the picture I posted above is exactly where the gas gauge rests...so - It took about 45-50 miles to put that dent in it. I don't know if that's good or not.

I *can* tell you this - it's burning rich. I'm not sure why, I haven't played with it yet. I'm curious what it will do when I get it a little more towards the lean side.

Overall, I'm happy.

(I don't know what size my tank is, though)

**CPNE** · 03-11-2005, 05:24 PM

Stock tank is approx 20 gallons. An I6 should do between 12-15 mpg around town. On the highway, I have managed to get around 18mpg with 3:73 gears.

Your mileage may vary.

724wdcopper · 03-11-2005, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shifty

Here, here are some pictures from my truck taken a few minutes ago.

At the top of the speedo, the red square is your high beams indicator.

At the bottom of the gas gauge, those are the two gauges in question.

Longhorn - now you've seen two of them

never seen a square light. mines round, but in the same spot. is it a model year difference? bueller?

Longhorn Man · 03-11-2005, 06:00 PM

I did a poll on this a couple years ago...seems there is no rhyme nor reason.

03-11-2005, 12:11 PM	#1
farside847 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Bay Area, California Posts: 995	Stupid question #59 (this is my 59th post) Driving home last night sitting in traffic I was taking a closer look at my gas gauge and noticed two reddish lights that I never saw before. I have never seen them come on and I have no idea what they are for. here is a pic. __________________ 1971 Chevy C10 Shortbed Stepside, 307v8 3-on-the-tree

03-11-2005, 12:14 PM	#2
Jason915 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Colorado Springs Posts: 693	Dummy lights one is for brake and one is for temp overheat. __________________ 1971 GMC K1500 SWB Fleetside, 4" skyjacker softride and, 14 Bolt FF, HD Dana 44 4.10's 1970 K5 TBI conversion lifted etc SOLD 1968 C20 camper truck SOLD “To ban guns because criminals use them is to tell the innocent and law-abiding that their rights and liberties depend not on their own conduct, but on the conduct of the guilty and the lawless.” Jeff Snyder

03-11-2005, 12:16 PM	#3
Solver Registered User Join Date: May 2000 Location: Storm Lake, Ia Posts: 1,449	I would say that your fuel gauge is from a larger truck c50 or greater as they had those dummy lights __________________ 1972 Cheyenne Super 20 LWB-Blue 1972 Cheyenne Super 10 LWB-Black 1972 Cheyenne Super 10 LWB-Red 1972 Cheyenne Super 10 LWB-green 1972 GMC 4x4 LWB-White 1971 Cheyenne 10 LWB-Ochre 1971 Cheyenne 20 Longhorn-Copper 1971 Cheyenne 20 Longhorn-Black 1969 Custom 10 LWB-lt blue 1968 GMC 3/4 ton-green 1968 1/2 ton swb stepside-silver 1967 Chevrolet CST 10 LWB-green 1967 Chevrolet custom 20 LWB-Maroon

03-11-2005, 12:33 PM	#8
farside847 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Bay Area, California Posts: 995	So should the brake light go on when the Ebrake is on? Or go on when the brakes fail? __________________ 1971 Chevy C10 Shortbed Stepside, 307v8 3-on-the-tree

03-11-2005, 12:56 PM	#10
Putter More Cowbell.... Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Puckett, MS Posts: 3,569	If the brakes fail.....do you REALLY need a light to tell you????? It's usually too late anyway. My brake light come on once..EVER. The Master cylinder was almost empty, I fired it up, and started out of the shed. Hit the brake, it went to the floor, and the light came on. I was impressed that it even worked. __________________ *There once was a member from Puckett.....Who ( fill in the blank blank blank* ) bucket**

03-11-2005, 12:19 PM	#5
Putter More Cowbell.... Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Puckett, MS Posts: 3,569	I have those lights in my C-10 and the cluster has never been replaced. __________________ *There once was a member from Puckett.....Who ( fill in the blank blank blank* ) bucket**

03-11-2005, 12:27 PM	#7
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,690	they ALL had those lights. The brake one should work the temp one should only work if you have the base model inst pannel...the 3 hole one. In the bigger trucks, the brake light was replaced with overspeed

03-11-2005, 12:35 PM	#9
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,690	brake failure

03-11-2005, 01:00 PM	#11
shifty Questionable Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Atlanta Posts: 13,373	I have those lights also. They both come on while starting up the engine. The brake light doesn't come on when the e-brake is engaged though. I'm sure Longhorn Man is correct. Only with failure. Either way, ... my '68 C-10 has 'em. I'll snap a photo of them on and post __________________ If I've got anything up for grabs, it'll be here: 7-hole gauge cluster for a 67-72 p/u FREE (link) I can't check the forum daily. If I don't reply to you within 24 hours, drop me a PM! I'm (hopefully) still alive and will reply faster to a PM.

03-11-2005, 01:13 PM	#12
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,690	the brake light should also some on when you crank the engine over...I've only seen one that actually still did it though. it it is working properly, it'll alert you when one side is lower than the other, way before you'd feel it in the pedal. It's helped me quite a bit when i leakey wheel cylinders in the old GMC.

03-11-2005, 01:34 PM	#13
70 shorty Where's my beer? Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Glen Allen, VA Posts: 1,772	One more dumb add on here. Is there a high beam light on an idiot light cluster? If I have one it doesn't work. __________________ 70 C10, shortstep, .30 over 250,Hurst shifted 3 spd parts hauler. Holley 390, Clifford Intake, Header, ported cylinder head, unknown bigger cam. 79 Corvette L82, 4 spd, black, red interior, headers, flowmasters, and unkown bigger cam. '03 Grand Cherokee Laredo, 4.0 4x4 daily driver. 165K miles, and runs great '08 Tahoe LTZ 4x4 155K

03-11-2005, 02:01 PM	#16
70 shorty Where's my beer? Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Glen Allen, VA Posts: 1,772	Thanks Joe, I'll check mine out tonite. Pete __________________ 70 C10, shortstep, .30 over 250,Hurst shifted 3 spd parts hauler. Holley 390, Clifford Intake, Header, ported cylinder head, unknown bigger cam. 79 Corvette L82, 4 spd, black, red interior, headers, flowmasters, and unkown bigger cam. '03 Grand Cherokee Laredo, 4.0 4x4 daily driver. 165K miles, and runs great '08 Tahoe LTZ 4x4 155K

03-11-2005, 03:01 PM	#17
guyryan100 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Cumming, GA Posts: 485	That's the wire plug in the bottom of the regulator. Might be a nice-n-easy mod to have the light also come on when the parking break is set? Just a reverse push button switch behind the brake handle that is pressed in (no electric current) when the brake is not set and the circuit is closed (powering the light on the dash) when the handle is in the forward position...

03-11-2005, 03:16 PM	#18
shifty Questionable Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Atlanta Posts: 13,373	Here, here are some pictures from my truck taken a few minutes ago. At the top of the speedo, the red square is your high beams indicator. At the bottom of the gas gauge, those are the two gauges in question. Longhorn - now you've seen two of them __________________ If I've got anything up for grabs, it'll be here: 7-hole gauge cluster for a 67-72 p/u FREE (link) I can't check the forum daily. If I don't reply to you within 24 hours, drop me a PM! I'm (hopefully) still alive and will reply faster to a PM.

03-11-2005, 03:55 PM	#19
70 shorty Where's my beer? Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Glen Allen, VA Posts: 1,772	Shifty, that's a damn clean looking instrument cluster! __________________ 70 C10, shortstep, .30 over 250,Hurst shifted 3 spd parts hauler. Holley 390, Clifford Intake, Header, ported cylinder head, unknown bigger cam. 79 Corvette L82, 4 spd, black, red interior, headers, flowmasters, and unkown bigger cam. '03 Grand Cherokee Laredo, 4.0 4x4 daily driver. 165K miles, and runs great '08 Tahoe LTZ 4x4 155K



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03-11-2005, 04:04 PM	#20
shifty Questionable Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Atlanta Posts: 13,373	Thanks. The whole truck is pretty clean. It just sucks the person who "restored" it did a pisspoor job of getting rid of the rust, they just painted over some of it (it has at least three coats on it that I can see now) If you want to see the whole truck, it's really clean, I just bought it for $4000. You can see some pretty rough pictures if you click on the link in the signature of my post. __________________ If I've got anything up for grabs, it'll be here: 7-hole gauge cluster for a 67-72 p/u FREE (link) I can't check the forum daily. If I don't reply to you within 24 hours, drop me a PM! I'm (hopefully) still alive and will reply faster to a PM.

03-11-2005, 04:49 PM	#21
purple gas Registered User Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: saskatoon, planet earth Posts: 696	Nice clean truck shifty. How's the power / fuel economey with the 6 ? __________________ I got a bench seat baby, you don't have to sit over there.

03-11-2005, 05:15 PM	#22
shifty Questionable Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Atlanta Posts: 13,373	I'm not sure. I just bought it last friday I filled the tank @ the gas station after buying it and drove it back to the house (~30 miles) I then drove my girl around my neighbourhood and today I drove it to work. The gas gauge you in the picture I posted above is exactly where the gas gauge rests...so - It took about 45-50 miles to put that dent in it. I don't know if that's good or not. I can tell you this - it's burning rich. I'm not sure why, I haven't played with it yet. I'm curious what it will do when I get it a little more towards the lean side. Overall, I'm happy. (I don't know what size my tank is, though) __________________ If I've got anything up for grabs, it'll be here: 7-hole gauge cluster for a 67-72 p/u FREE (link) I can't check the forum daily. If I don't reply to you within 24 hours, drop me a PM! I'm (hopefully) still alive and will reply faster to a PM.

03-11-2005, 05:24 PM	#23
CPNE Resident Curmudgeon Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: NH Posts: 6,662	Stock tank is approx 20 gallons. An I6 should do between 12-15 mpg around town. On the highway, I have managed to get around 18mpg with 3:73 gears. Your mileage may vary. __________________ Currently on or near the homestead: 67 Chevy SWB 2WD stepside 350/3 on tree (Pat's) 67 GMC SWB 2WD Fleet 402/auto (Brian's under construction) 67 Chevy 3/4 ton 2WD 402/auto (Business Hauler) 67 Chevy 1 ton dually 2WD 396/4 speed (Former business hauler, Needs TLC) 68 Chevy 1/2 ton Suburban 2WD 250 six/3 on tree (Brian's Needs TLC) 70 Chevy 3/4 ton 4WD 350/4 speed (Pat's - Disguised as a 68 GMC) 71 Chevy SWB stepside (Crushed by tree - parts donor) 72 Chevy 3/4 ton 4WD (Parts donor) 72 Chevy 3/4 ton 4WD Suburban (Parts Donor) 72 GMC 3/4 ton 4WD 292 six/4 speed (Mine - Disguised as a 67 GMC) 81 GMC 4WD Dually Dump Body 350/4 speed (Business Hauler) 82 Camaro Z/28 355/Super T-10 (Pat's toy) 93 Caprice 9C1 (Brian's Cop Car) 02 Toyota Camry (Reliable but a souless steel and plastic hulk) 2011 2SS RS Camaro M6 Factory Hurst Shifter Maybe I need to sell some of this crap Yet another Bozo with a sawz-all

03-11-2005, 06:00 PM	#25
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,690	I did a poll on this a couple years ago...seems there is no rhyme nor reason.

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