strangest s13 problem

[dmaestro]

Okay so I took my valve cover off to paint it today. Everything went fine. I put the valvecover back on after like 6 hours and turned on my car. Switched my lights on, they work but my intrument panel and rear lights don't work. The clock, hud, engine lights, cd player, headlights, turn signals, and brake light all work. The instrument panel and the rear driving lights don't work!!! WTF, all I did was paint my valve cover, I didn't unplug anything! Except when my fender light fell out and came unplugged. Could that have tripped everything? I don't think so, this problem happened immediatley after I painted my valve cover. I checked all the fuses and wiring to see if everything was plugged in correctly, everything is!! WTF s wrong? This S13 is has wierder problems then my AE86!!

[tougebear]

It's the switch. It has nothing to do with you taking out the valve cover. Pure coincidence.

[dmaestro]

the dimmer switch? light control switch? timer switch?
which one? there's a lot of switches down there.

[blue240]

check fuses with a test light not by eye.Learned that the hard way

[Muzzy]

idk y this crosses my mind...u check that ground wire commin off the fire wall to the head????( on the right side of motor..its braided)
idk if thats it...but it could help...idk

[andrave]

yeah I have had a couple "good" fuses that were bad. I'd use caution using a test light though, it actually places a load (the light) on the circuit being tested. Which is bad.
Use a digital multimeter. For 20 bucks at walmart or whereever, there is really no excuse not to have one.