I have 3 wires that are not connected (left over if you will)...red/white which is tach and won’t be used...and a solid blue and solid orange wires and the only spot they can go is the dual male spade connecter on the back of the panel..problem is idk if both are used or just one and if so which side of the dual spade connector. Thanks in advanced

 

Don't connect anything to the dual spade connector! That might be the one that fries the speedo!

Does everything work with the blue and orange wires left loose?

 

if I’m not mistaken that would be if I connect the red/white to the corner connector where the red/yellow wire goes. I could be wrong though. Everything seems to work fine except I notice that the left side of the cluster isn’t lit and the left turn signal arrow stays illuminated at all times. When I turn the left turn signal on it does blink though. Also when I press the brake pedal there is an indicator light on the bottom right of the cluster that is a yellow lightbulb it lights up when I press the brake pedal...none of this happened before I needed to remove the cluster which leads me to believe maybe I wired or didn’t wire something correctly which led me to see those 2 wires and 2 prongs left disconnected

 

that yellow indicator is likely the lamp failure detector, they get overly sensitive with age, and any difference in current between the left and right (pick a light) can trigger it, including differences caused by socket or connector corrosion. if its lighting when you step on the brake, then its the brake lamp circuits. sometimes using Caig DeOxit D100 on all the connector contacts and bulb sockets can help. make sure all your tail lamp bulbs are the chrome socket variety and NOT the brass ones, those don't get along well with European car sockets. also replace bulbs in pairs, if a left light goes out, replace the right one with the same exact bulb type as you sued on the left.

 

oh, and the brake light monitor is extra-special in that its a 3-way monitor, the 3rd brake light is monitored also

 

i didn’t even think to inspect the brake lights. I will do that and make sure they are all functioning properly.

as far as the orange and blue wires behind the cluster I am going to leave them as they are as I don’t want to risk anything messing up as it appears everything else is fine..other than the lighting behind the cluster which I have yet to figure out.

 

1. Don't plug in any more wires yet - everything works

2. One of the two instrument illumination bulbs is out

3. ? bad ground? bad connection?

4. You have a brake bulb out, caused by poor/melted connections at the bulb holder in the tail lamps. Very common with 240s. You will find the brake light bulb holders/housing/circuit boards melted and distorted. For a free solution move the brake lights (by moving a wire in each connector at the taillamp) to the rear fog lamp position. (the upper inner positions, if this is a sedan) Wagons have their own list of rear bulb problems - is your car a wagon? Takes a couple of minutes. The bulbs usually have to be identical, same brand and the third brake light bulb needs to work also.

 

it is a sedan not a wagon. I am going to inspect the brake lights bulbs whenever I get home from work today and report back.

I would like to pick up some cluster bulbs. Do you by chance know what kind of bulbs they are? I would like to pick them up on the way home from work today as well. Thanks

edit: further research leads me to believe they are a 74 light bulb.

 

Brake lights are all working. I am very curious what the other wires are used behind the cluster.

In the meantime I am going to bring some life back to this 240 with new timing belt, tensioner, front seals, v belts, plugs, wires, cap and rotor. She will be a happy camper. Oh and fix the odometer gear!

hopefully those 2 disconnected wires are not used..

 

I seem to remember there's a wire when plugged into the wrong place on the cluster - fries your speedometer. Years ago I had to purchase several speedometers when my of my techs would "accidentally" fry the speedo - so if everything works leave it alone. Or take the speedo completely out of the cluster before you play with the extra wires.

 

the OP has correctly enumerated which wire does this, at least twice in this thread.

 

Yeah - it's the red/white tach wire that if you connect to the double spade will fry the ITT chip on the speedometer. OP seems to know this. The only wire that connects to the double spade connector is the wire running to the cruise control unit. I forget the color of that wire. If you don't have cruise control then nothing is connected to the double spade.

 

Awesome. That’s the reassurance that I wanted. Thanks a lot!