1965 FJ 40 blinkers not working (1 Viewer)

[Oldskoolmx]

Just bought a 1965 FJ 40, everything works really well except for the blinkers. The hazards work as well as the brake/ marker lights. Just no blinkers. Any ideas guys? Thanks!

 

[Krondor]

95% of the time it’s a bad ground wire somewhere.

 

[Oldskoolmx]

Thank you! I'll start with that.

 

[Tancruiser]

Blinker fluid is probably low .

 

[thebigredrocker]

Here's a good explanation why clean connections and grounds are key.

Be aware that the flasher is a CURRENT driven device. That means that it MUST have at least 1.3 amps of current flowing through it BEFORE it will flash. What this means to the end user is that at least TWO bulbs must be lit before there is enough current to cause the flasher to flash. That is why the Hazards almost always work as it turns on all four bulbs. The turn signal only flashes two bulbs.

So...
If your battery is low (below 12.5 volts)
Your harness has bad grounds at the lights (high resistance)
Your bulb sockets are corroded (high resistance)
Your bulbs are the wrong type (not enough current flow)
Your turn signal switch is dirty (high resistance)
Your connections between any of these are dirty (high resistance)
Your flasher relay is defective (very possible if OEM) CityRacer sells an NEW OEM replacement or you can order one of my LED flasher kits (you do not have to use LED bulbs if you don't want to. It will flash normal bulbs also)
Your flasher relay works but has dirty relay contacts (high resistance)

If any, all, or some of the above apply...Your turn signals will NOT flash!

These high resistances add up quickly. If there were no resistances in the turn signal circuit you would have battery voltage (+12.7 volts) AT THE LIGHTS! The voltage readings posted above show a lot of resistance in the circuit. Just think about the path the current must take to reach the rear turn bulb. The key switch contacts, the fuse block fuse contacts, the turn/hazard switch contacts, the flasher contacts and all the bullet connectors and wire it must pass through, then finally the bulb sockets contacts, and last the ground connection. If you would clean everyone of these areas properly, you should see that voltage go up.

Another thing about voltage: Incandescent bulbs are rated at battery voltage for their rated lumen output. The lower the voltage at the bulb, the dimmer the light. A bulb rated at 13.2 volts will be how much dimmer at 10 volts? This is why the headlight relay harnesses were invented: to get the voltage at the head lights as high as possible for the brightest lights.

OEM colors for turn signals
Green = Park
Green/Orange (early) or Green/Black (later) = LEFT Turn
Green/Yellow = Right Turn
Green/Blue = Turn switch to flasher (L) to bulbs
Green/White or Green/Red Flasher (B) +12V

 

[Oldskoolmx]

Wow! Thanks so much for all your help! I'll get started on this first thing Saturday morning. I'll keep you posted on what I find! Again, thank you so much!!

 

[Living in the Past]

Curious how you turn the hazard light on? Is there a red knob switch mounted to the bottom of the dash. Hazards would have been a option and not sure it went back to 65. Just trying to be sure what you have is stock not something aftermarket added. I've a few old cruisers the original turn single switch was gone and a aftermarket added.

 

[DSRTRDR]

95% of the time it’s a bad ground wire somewhere.

/this\

 

[Oldskoolmx]

Curious how you turn the hazard light on? Is there a red knob switch mounted to the bottom of the dash. Hazards would have been a option and not sure it went back to 65. Just trying to be sure what you have is stock not something aftermarket added. I've a few old cruisers the original turn single switch was gone and a aftermarket added.

First off I need to mention that it's a right hand drive vehicle. There's a small aluminum knob with a red lens, just to the right of the instrument cluster. It looks factory but I'm not sure what may have been added in 55 years. When I pull the knob out, the flashers work and the two indicators flash on the dash. Thanks for the question. I'll have to look into that.

 

[65swb45]

If the lights flash properly with the hazards, it’s more likely that the switch at the bottom of the stalk is not working properly. Instead of pushing the turn signal arm up and down, try grabbing the stalk and rotating it directly, as far as it will go in each direction, which is often further than the turn signal arm will move it.

 

[Oldskoolmx]

First off I need to mention that it's a right hand drive vehicle. There's a small aluminum knob with a red lens, just to the right of the instrument cluster. It looks factory but I'm not sure what may have been added in 55 years. When I pull the knob out, the flashers work and the two indicators flash on the dash. Thanks for the question. I'll have to look into that.

If the lights flash properly with the hazards, it’s more likely that the switch at the bottom of the stalk is not working properly. Instead of pushing the turn signal arm up and down, try grabbing the stalk and rotating it directly, as far as it will go in each direction, which is often further than the turn signal arm will move it.

That's good to know! I'll give that a try this evening!
Thank you!!

 

[peesalot]

I'm with Mark on it's the switching unit attached to the arm, if the hazards flash they use same ground at light as blinkers and should use same flasher. Curious, have you tried the blinkers while parking/running lights on ? ( headlight switch at first pull )
Does the hazard flash the tail light or the brake light ? It may not be wired up as we would assume. IIRC the blinkers, brakes, and hazards have 2 power supplies, not sure but I remember 2 hots in that system, have fuses been checked ?

 

[65swb45]

Tha

That's good to know! I'll give that a try this evening!
Thank you!!

that’s what the like button is for.

 

[JohnnyC]

9 out of 10 ...

"It's a ground issue ~~ Claudia" @DSRTRDR

but you could have the 1

 

[Oldskoolmx]

I'm with Mark on it's the switching unit attached to the arm, if the hazards flash they use same ground at light as blinkers and should use same flasher. Curious, have you tried the blinkers while parking/running lights on ? ( headlight switch at first pull )
Does the hazard flash the tail light or the brake light ? It may not be wired up as we would assume. IIRC the blinkers, brakes, and hazards have 2 power supplies, not sure but I remember 2 hots in that system, have fuses been checked ?

I'll check everything out this evening. I just got the FJ this weekend! Thanks

 

[Coolerman]

Toyota did have the option to add Hazard lights to the FJ40/45. I don't know exactly when they added the option, but I have a 1966 FJ40 harness that has the optional Hazard switch sub-harness installed. This sub-harness will work on ANY 1962 to 1967 FJ25/40/43/45 with the standard 6 connector turn signal switch. I have replicated this Toyota sub-harness and sell it under Part# HAO62-1967. You have to provide the Hazard switch and two pin flasher or I can provide a LED flasher. I can build the harness to support the 1968 to 6/1970 Hazard switch, or the 9 pin 7/1970 to 8/1972 switch.