Lights out

[directorcass]

Hello all. I just got my '86 GT yesterday. The "Pontiac" does not light up. The bulbs look O.K. Is there a seperate fuse for these lights? I did not get an owners manual so I can't check. Also on this automatic car the oil pressure guage dances around when I'm at idle and then reads normal when I apply the gas. Any ideas? I'm not a mechanic as you can probably tell. Thanks for any help.

[dguy]

Hello all. I just got my '86 GT yesterday. The "Pontiac" does not light up. The bulbs look O.K. Is there a seperate fuse for these lights? I did not get an owners manual so I can't check.

Did you check with the ignition switch in the "run" position, or are you looking for them when you have the parking ligts and/or headlights on?  They should come on whenever you have the key in "run," independant of the headlights/parking lights.

Also on this automatic car the oil pressure guage dances around when I'm at idle and then reads normal when I apply the gas.

Have the oil pressure checked with a mechanical gauge.  If everything is normal, you probably have a loose/dirty connection at the oil pressure sending unit, or the sending unit is on its way out.

[directorcass]

I checked the lights while the engine was running with the lights on and off. Maybe I'll just replace all of them and see what that does. Thanks for the info on the jumping pressure guage. It's going in for a full tune up this weekend. The oil pressure guage is normal under driving conditions but at idle and sometimes while driving now it drops to zero and the engine temp goes up.

[dguy]

The oil pressure guage is normal under driving conditions but at idle and sometimes while driving now it drops to zero and the engine temp goes up.

Even with the known inaccuracy of the instruments in mind, seeing a rise in coolant temp that's coincidental with a drop in oil pressure would have me parking the car until either I or someone else located & corrected the problem.

That just plain reeks of metal-to-metal contact where there should be none.

[directorcass]

Yeah, it's parked until this weekend  Otherwise, I'm happy with the car. Everything else works, I will paint it this summer as the paint is fadding from the roof and spoiler. Thanks for your help.