Turn signals won't blink?

[jeffdkid]

1971 40. I replaced the turn signal unit on the steering column and matched the wires exactly. When moving to L or R, the blinkers light, but they don't flash? The emergency lights flash. Is there a separate mechanism that makes the blinkers flash? I was having intermittent issues with the plastic piece that sits directly behind the ignition switch (where the car key goes in). But all in all, everything works, the blinkers just won't blink?

 

[Tim71FJ40]

Couple things. I have a 10/70 (71 model) that only uses one flasher for both turn signals and hazards. This is factory according to the wiring diagram I have.

Yet others have a single flasher setup, factory (my was a midyear change??), with two flashers.

If your setup has 2 flashers, I would check the turn signal flasher. If it's a one flasher setup, then you get your "flashing voltage" to your turn signal from your hazard switch.

Let me know what you have and I can get you through it.

 

[jeffdkid]

How would I determine if I have 2 flashers or 1?

 

[caladin]

Does the bulb on the outside do that too?
a dead bulb can make the flasher turn on and stop, it's easy to check
and makes you feel dumb when your wife reminds you to check it... don't ask how I know...

Cal-

 

[Tim71FJ40]

That's awesome! Check the easy stuff first. However, I think the same filament in a combination light that flashes for hazards, also flashes for turns and he said that one worked.

A couple ways to figure out if one or two. First, the wire that carries the flashing voltage into your turn switch is probably GL (green w blue stripe) or just green. The brake switch power into your turn switch is GW, and the lights at the 4 corners are 2xGO and 2XGY. Follow your flasher power from your turn signal switch. It will either come directly from a flasher or it will come from the hazard switch.

Here's my thought process. If you have only one flasher and it is flashing correctly for hazards, then we have some other problem. If you have two flashers, then it doesn't mean much to our problem that the hazards are flashing correctly, because they are largely independent of each other.

If you can see your hazard switch, see if it has 7 wires or 9. 9 wires will indicate that you have one flasher.

 

[jeffdkid]

Where is the flasher located? The hazards work perfectly and flash normally. I replaced all the bulbs in the dash.The turnsignal lights in the front light once, then go off. The rear running lights are on as normal and when signaling, they stay brighter. Meaning the fronts go off and won't blink, and the rears stay on?

 

[jeffdkid]

Isn't this the flasher?

 

[Tim71FJ40]

Odd behavior for sure. Here's where I might start - disconnect each of your lights from your turn switch one at a time. They are the two green/orange and the two green/yellow wires. Individually jumper a 12V hot wire to each one, one at a time. As you connect a direct 12V hot to each, check to make sure that specific light illuminates and stays lit (your voltage isn't "flashing" during this test). Check all 4. For the two fronts you should also get the dash indicators lighting up. This will check continuity of wires, bulb filaments, and grounds. In other words if your light light up with a constant voltage then they should flash when voltage goes 12V, 0V, 12V, etc. If this checks out then the output side is good and we need to figure out why you aren't getting expected behavior on the input side. Let me know.

 

[Tim71FJ40]

Remember you also have two different power inputs for turns and hazards. Hazards are constant hot to work without key and turns are IGN hot to ONLY work with the key. I think one of them also has an inline fuse. Check fuses.

 

[jeffdkid]

Ok, applied 12 V to connections at fenders and have solid light, but no light to the dash. When re-connected, and signal lever engaged, lights stay on and dash light is on. Hazards work normally.

This is 12 V coming directly from the battery.

 

[Tim71FJ40]

ok. I meant apply the 12V at the wire that is connected to the turn signal switch, but that's alright. You are at least sure the lights themselves are working and grounded correctly. So we are reasonable sure that if the wire at the switch actually got a flashing voltage, then the respective light would come on.

Here's what we do next...

The switch works like this, if it is in the LEFT position, an internal shorting block shorts the "flashing power" with the left front light, the left rear light, and the left dash indicator (which isn't a separate wire on teh switch - it is spliced into the left front wire). One way to test the switch is to disconnect the power wire. This is labeled B on your wiring diagram and is probably the green/blue wire. Put 12V power directly to that pin on the switch. In the LEFT position you should see left front, rear, and indicator on solid. Test the right side the same way. If this works, then the switch is good, the wiring is correct, and teh bulbs, grounds are good.

This also means that you are definitely not getting flashing voltage to the power input, and we'll figure that out next. Report back.

 

[tyama]

hiya,

here's what I did a couple of weeks ago with Tim's help (thanks again.). I pulled all the wires off from the steering column turn switch from their chassis housing AFTER marking them all with tape. i did this as I wasn't sure what wire was what. Your front turns will have two wires going into each relay (right and left). With the key in the "on" position, you can use your voltage meter to check which wire from the chassis is the hot wire and which is the brake wire-- it should show 12v after pressing the brake pedal. After that, you can run a wire from the + terminal of the battery to the remaining wires to check what wires go to what corner. You should see the signal light up at the corners if they have 12v going to them. If they work as they should, it would might mean your switch has a problem. To check the switch, I plugged the hot and the brake wires back into the switch, and with the key on and the lever to the left, I checked the both left front and left back wires going into the harness for 12v. I also did the same for the right side. Doing this should narrow down what is the problem; your switch or something in the harness.

Good luck, ty

BTW, your flashers will be squat cylinders with two wires going to them. I have two on mine: one on the firewall near the clutch pedal and one on the passengers side by the heater hose.

 

[jeffdkid]

So I have 2 blue one connects to a blue and red wire that connects to a 15 A on my fuse box, the other connects to a green wire. Which do you want me to test as left at the switch? And I am assuming this is my switch box.

 

[Tim71FJ40]

Ty - glad to hear you had some luck with yours. Once you get a plan for how you are going to test and troubleshoot and you follow it methodically, the wiring on these cruisers is pretty easy to figure out.

Advice to anyone - find a way to check grounds first. Almost always the problem...

 

[Tim71FJ40]

Check these out... the first is a switch from a 1958-9/71. The second shows the operation of the turn signal switch with its internal shorting block. This is for one flasher, but if you have two it doesn't matter because we are not dealing with the hazards.

Your turn signal should be getting flashing voltage at pin (wire) labeled B, which is a green wire with blue stripe. Your turn signal switch has 6 green wires: Grn/Blue, Grn/White, 2 Grn/Orng, and 2 Grn/Yllw.

I want you to leave all of them connected except the Grn/Blue wire. I want you to disconnect that one. Then I want you to apply 12V to that Grn/Blue wire into your switch. With the turn signal in OFF position, nothing should be lit. Put turn signal in LEFT position and you should get left front and rear and the left indicator. Put the switch in the right position and you should get right front and rear and the right indicator.

This will prove the switch is working correctly.

 

[Tim71FJ40]

Forgot to post pics...

 

[tyama]

hiya,

I would look at the wires coming of the switch itself because then you would know you're looking at the right wires. I wouldn't start pulling wires unless you have a pretty good idea what's going where. It looks like the PO did some rewiring, but the wires coming off the switch should still be routed in the same manner. There isn't a switch box. All the important stuff is at the box connector.

Good luck, ty

 

[jeffdkid]

Ok, so when applying 12 V to the B/G wire, I got solid (no flashing) on the left with dash indication lit (not flashing). But with the right test, all lit but the dash light stays on. Even after connecting regular, when I turn the ignition to the on position, the right side indicator dash light remains on all the time.

AND, one correction to make, the hazards only work when the key is in the ignition and turned once to the right. The hazards should work with the key out of the car, but they don't.

This is exactly what is happening:

When the key is out of the innition, I pull the front head lights and everything lights up. Hazards do not work. Left turn indicator light is on. When I push down on the arm, the indicator light goes out. Right side is not lit.

When the key is in the on pos on position, with head lights off, the right side t/s indicator light is on. When I pull the head lights, both t/s indicator lights are on. Hazards work and blink as normal, but only the left side t/s dash indicator blinks (along with th e rest of the lights) - the right side t/s dash indicator stays constant on.

All lights off key in pos position, the right side t/s dash indicator is on. When enguage the right t/s lever, front and back light are constant, right side t/s dash indicator is on. When left t/s is enguaged, front and back lights are constand on and so is the left t/s dash indicator, right side t/s dash indicator remains on.

So basically when I put the key in and move to pos position, I get the ritht side t/s dash indicator light on. All else off.

Deep breath.

 

[jeffdkid]

@ TY

I took the back panel off the old and new turn signal and mapped it exactly to the new one. And yes you are right, the PO modded the horn.

Just needed my blinkers to blink...

 

[DSRTRDR]

Isn't this the flasher?

part number is for a "speed marker"