Turn signal dilemma - SOLVED

[Napes]

I have an unusual occurance with my driver's front turn signal. I have stock '75 turn signals. It works when the parking lights or head lights are off, but as soon as they are turned on the turn signal in that corner only no longer flashes.

All three other corner's turn signals work fine. My first indication of the malfunction was the turn signal indicator in the instrument console flashing only once when the turn signals were turned on in that direction. That usually means a filament in the bulb is burned out.

Removed the bulb only to find it is fine. Replacing that bulb is a PITA - apparently the original developers of our turn signals had very long, very skinny, high-tactile fingers. Grounding/mounting screws are clean and rust free (as is the entire car - its always been in So. AZ). That's when I discovered that it works when the headlight/parking lights are off, but does not when those lights are on. The parking light in that turn signal works fine.

Fuses #2,6,7, & 8 were all removed and verified good (though the fuse legend in the car does not say which fuse is specifically for the turn signal flashers). The flasher system and switch work as intended.

Where do I begin looking for the solution to my problem?

TIA

Bob Napier

[bnam]

Pull out that side and make sure you've got the wiring on correctly and is grounded well.

I had a similar situation and found that it was my parking light that was actually blinking. I forget the exact incorrect set up of the wires, but correcting that fixed it.

Byas

[Timmer]

Bob,

that's what comes to mind for as well; that the front parking light/turn assembly wires are in the right posts and or that one has started to fray a bit or oxidize. If the wires are not in the correct posts, the parking light when on, will be brighter than it should be and you won't be able to see the blinker on when parking lights are on; you're right, front stock turn assembly bulbs are a bear to get to for replacing. Once a year or so I would take my front units out, clean the inner lense and give a once over to the condition of the wire ends, where they feed into the posts, I'd strip the wire back just a bit to expose cleaner wiring if one needed it.

Tim

[RAS-2002]

I had a very similar problem on my '72 '02. Make sure you check that the contacts on the bulbs are making a good connection with the receptacle. I also found I can only use bulbs with oblong-shaped contacts; the bulbs with round contacts simply would not work at all. As you noticed, it's a real pain getting our fat hands into the fixture, but that's what the problem turned out to be (for me, at least . . . )

Good luck.

Bob

[Napes]

Thanks, Guys. After my friend, who was an avionics technician in the Marine Corps, soldered in new end wires so I had more that the five, or so, strands of copper wire still remaining in the OE wires, and replacing the bulb with a new (nickel base version) one, things were still the same.

So following the advise from a couple of you we reversed the wires and everything is working perfectly. Should have tried that first . . .duh.

The only puzzling thing is why for the past couple of years, since I last had the wires disconnected, the dash light has functioned as it's supossed to, and only started its one flash and out function Monday night. That is something I may never know the answer to.

Bob Napier

[Mike Self]

turn signals came from the factory with a little blob of solder on each bare wire end. Most have fallen off over the years as front turn signals are removed and replaced on the car.

You can visit your local hobby shop or hardware store and buy a foot-long piece of small diameter (1-2mm) brass tubing, cut off a slice 2-3mm long, insert a cleaned, stripped wire into it, mash it flat with a hammer and then put a little solder on it. That'll keep the wires together for some few years.

cheers

mike

[Napes]

Thanks for the idea, Mike. My friend did float solder into the stranded ends of the wire before we re-inserted them into the light, but it's possible it may not last forever, as you pointed out.

Bob Napier

[Timmer]

Bob,

Mike has a write up on removal of the back cover of the flasher relay to possibly solve the one flash of the "B" light; seems quite a few folks experienced it, myself as well, but the time it happened to me I replaced the flasher relay, not knowing at the time you can remove the rear cover and check the contacts; should show up in a search, Mike's write up that is

Tim