Desperately need some wiring help

[General Sherman]

Working on a 71 with a SBC and the wiring has been giving me some trouble. Ive surched the archives and found nothing so here we go.
I'm having turn signal issues. The brake lights work fine, When hitting the turn switch the flasher workes properly (you can hear it flashing) but no lights are working. Ive applied power to each light independently through the factory harness and they all work fine but still not working through the flasher. It probablly is something really stupid so school me please. Any help or insight would be greatly accepted.
N

 

[Coolerman]

Have you tried a different flasher? The circuit comes from the fuse box, through the flasher to the turn signal switch on the B terminal then out to the lights. Sounds like a defective flasher.

 

[General Sherman]

if the flasher was defective would it still make the same "klicking noise" as if it were working?

 

[SteveO]

Are you getting a voltage(to ground) on the wire out of the flasher? Any chance your signal lights just aren't grounded? The flasher may be working fine but if the lights aren't grounded they won't light up. Good luck. .....Steve

 

[DSRTRDR]

in the OEM configuration, flashers are in the same circuit as hazard switch and brake switch - is your circuit closed?

 

[Pin_Head]

The flasher won't trip if no (or low) current is flowing, so chances are that the output side of the flasher is shorted to ground if the lights aren't burning.

 

[General Sherman]

Are you getting a voltage(to ground) on the wire out of the flasher? Any chance your signal lights just aren't grounded? The flasher may be working fine but if the lights aren't grounded they won't light up. Good luck. .....Steve

I know the lights themselves are grounded fine as they all will light up when powered individually from under the dash. Ive even try'd bypassing the hazard swich by wiring a ignition hot wire directly to the flasher and still get nothing to the lights. Any ideas about the "voltage to ground" could prove helpful.
If i'm grounding out somewere in the harness would that cause all the lights not to work? And wouldn't they not work when i aply 12v power to them seperately?

 

[SteveO]

I think Pin Head is right in that the flasher won't work unless you have current through it which would mean you have a wire grounding out. Try disconnecting the rears and see if the fronts work and then do the opposite. If the problem is in the wiring to one set of lights then you can at least narrow the problem to one end of the rig. ..Steve

 

[General Sherman]

I think Pin Head is right in that the flasher won't work unless you have current through it which would mean you have a wire grounding out. Try disconnecting the rears and see if the fronts work and then do the opposite. If the problem is in the wiring to one set of lights then you can at least narrow the problem to one end of the rig. ..Steve

Thanks, i'll try this in the morning and let you know. Thanks for the insite.
N

 

[General Sherman]

Fixed!!!!!

I'm not sure how as i just reran everything but hey there working. Thanks for all ther help
N

 

[fullm00ner]

something to keep in mind...

one of the best tools for finding and solving electrical problems is a good DMM
Fluke makes a nice cheap and totaly capable model it is the #12....
goes for around 100$ new... probably less on e-bay... does resistance cont voltage etc....
when looking at DC circutry its kinda hard to just use the basic lights or whatever to try and figure out what is causing the issues.....
I have a 80 cruiser and I have found alot of problems at the connection points due to corrosion or oxidization of the AMP terminals.... the spade connectors inside the plastic housings at all the joints or stakons or whatever you want to call them. Anyhow... using an continuity or resistance check can eliminate elements of the circuit and help you track down the issues as well as prove the logic of the blinker module.....
with a bit of practice it becomes an invaluable tool both in the shop and around the house for basic to advanced diagnosis of any electrcial issues.
I carry one in my pouch for basic things and I use the 1500$ one when accuracy or data logging is necessary....
Anyhow I am glad to hear it worked however if the problem should return just borrow or buy a GOOD DMM and give it a shot you will not be dissapointed.
Cheers
Chris

 

[65swb45]

I'm not sure how as i just reran everything but hey there working. Thanks for all ther help
N

You cleaned some corroded contacts in the process of pulling everything apart to test it. Amazing how that works!;p



Is the rumour true that you'll be driving down to Calico?

 

[General Sherman]

You cleaned some corroded contacts in the process of pulling everything apart to test it. Amazing how that works!;p



Is the rumour true that you'll be driving down to Calico?

Wishful thinking i'm afraid. Dave keeps lobying for it but i just don't think i can pull away right now. The shop is rockin and rollin and i'm pretty busy just keeping up.
Raffle prizes are on the way though and i'll keep a good thought for all of you selfless souls keeping our environment clean. did they issue your orange jump suits yet?

N