I have a 1964 Volvo Amazon. When it's dark outside the dashboard (speedometer, fuel, temperature, etc) lights up with a green luminous light. But two days ago I had the car parked in the parking garage at a hockey arena while I saw Ozzy Osbourne. When I drove home the lights didn't go on. Everything else worked (blinker signals and so on) but not the green light. So basically I couldn't see anything in the cockpit because it was so dark outside. I had no idea how fast i was driving and so forth. My question is, does the green light come from a lamp that suddenly had burnt out or is it like a wristwatch that powers it self from sunlight and glows in the dark. The parking garage was lit, so it didn't sit there in the dark. Another thing that bugs me is that I just had the entire thing worked on by a mechanic since the fuel gauge didn't work. I ordered the entire instruments from sweden and the mechanic used the two to make one that worked. Or so he was at least supposed to do.

Can I fix this myself or what?

Max;

Instrumentation lighting is protected by Fuse 3, so check this first...also variable (by turning lighting knob) and this is typically intermittent after so many years...meaning that it typically works at only at the position of the variable control, where the slider control was positioned for a long time and no oxidation was able to form.

If while rotating the knob back and forth , it flashes on and off, that pretty much confirms the oxidized control condition...I suggest you simply rotate the control back and forth a bunch of times more to scrape away the oxidation...

I'm working on an article on this issue to show repair options which address this chronic issue, but variable instrument lighting can be bypassed altogether and set to maximum by tying terminals 58a and 58b of Light Switch together.

See also: http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=100943

Cheers

First check that you haven't just turned them off. They are controlled by turning the main light switch, and if turned all the way to one side will be off. If you had the dash worked on and the dash lights worked before and don't now it's the mechanic's problem not yours...but you may have trouble convincing him/her of that.

I'll go and try this right away. I've only had this car for a few weeks so I'm at a loss when it comes to small problems like this when I can't find a decent manual for dummies like me. Thanks. I'll report back.

re: books All you need is the Haynes manual for Volvo 120. If that doesn't help, i.e. seems to complicated I suggest Haynes Basic Motorcycle Maintenance. This is a good intro to engine mechanics....read it about 5 times and you will have a good basic understanding of motor vehicle systems. If you had a mechanic put a gash together out of 2 dashes you may have the solution to your lack of knowledge, (especially if you have enough coin to pay him/her)

I have this book, and it has helped me a lot. But what I would need is Amazon for Dummies. Lol!

I changed all the the 8amp fuses. Now the light works great.
The smaller 25amp one was one that I couldn't find. It seems that it has to do with windshield washers etc. The one that was in my fusebox was obviously self made. But I'll be going to the mechanic tomorrow. Thank you all very much for your help.

Max;

...it seems to me that an owners manual (or even just the little piece of paper which lists which fuses protect which functions) would have been been enough for this issue, but a full shop manual is always advisable to have for a 50 year old vehicle! Factory Green manuals are the best and most complete, but Intereurope and Haynes are very good alternates. See: http://www.sw-em.com/library.htm

Fuses should be installed with a dab of ACZP for long-term reliable connections which are not susceptible to corrosion caused intermittency. See: http://www.sw-em.com/anti_corrosive_paste.htm

25A shorty fuses are somewhat rare, but there are sources for them. See: http://www.sw-em.com/swemkits.htm

If Mechanic determines that the homemade 25A fuse is a little too squirrely, you can have him remove the homemade, and have him bridge a modern a modern fuseholder with 25A fuse across the terminals which connect to the 25A fuse, while you procure the correct 7X17mm shorty.

I'll see if I can post or link a pic of this fix...

Cheers

This pic might suit. Note new solder to improve the rivited connections but the 2 upper right pair is bridged and solder should also be flowed between the two.