Originally Posted by Brian Carlton

I've had an interesting story with the SD. For years, it would not charge when started. The engine had to be revved to about 2K to get the brake light to extinguish. At that point, the alternator would charge. If the brake light was illuminated, the alternator would not charge.

This issue was ongoing for many years and both the alternator and the cluster were replaced during this period for other reasons. The problem remained.

I finally got off my ass today and sorted it.

The wires to the plug have the appropriate continuity. One has 12V with the keyswitch on and the other is closed to the blue wire that feeds the alternator field. So, that's good news.

The bulb is good. Excellent.

I'm thinking that the bulb is not making contact with the printed circuit board so I bend the pins slightly. No change...........no light.

After screwing with it for about an hour, I finally get a wisp of a light. The question is why?

Turns out that I can get the light to work if I manipulate the wiring bundle that goes into the plug. Interesting.

But, I determine that the plug is not the culprit because the 12V and the continuity to the alternator field is not affected by manipulating the wires into the plug. So, the plug is good. Excellent.

What is it?

Only possibility left is the sockets. They must not be making proper contact with the pins.

I carefully bend the sockets with a jewelers screwdriver to close them slightly.

I get the light to work well enough to push the cluster back in. So far...........so good.

Clearly, over time, the sockets expand and don't contact the pins satisfactorily.

I don't know of an easy solution..............the fact that the cluster was out and in at least 20 times in the past year is not helping the situation.