I'm back to trouble shooting this issue. Left turn signal works fine. Same condition with the Hazards ON. I have checked the turn signal bulb and socket seems fine. It seems like it could be a bad ground but which one. I jumpered the two below the headlights to the battery and it didn't improve. Pressing the High Beam switch didn't make a difference. How is the Turn Signal switch actually grounded? Is it the same for the horn? I kinda think that this could be the problem. Any ideas? What the general approach to sorting this out? Can I assume I don't have "cornering lamps" as some Turn Signal Switches seem specific. Autozone wants $75 and the ones on EBay seem to have a different connector and even some sort of adapter. Any recommendations? Thanks all. Mike
Had all sorts of gremlins in my lights until I replaced the turn signal switch (the whole thing with all the wires that go up the steering column, etc). That fixed most of my problems. I got one from Autozone, but the connector wasn't quite right that plugged into the dash harness (wouldn't fit), so I pulled each wire out of the connector in order and put it into the old connector (each wire is just held into the connector with a tab).
Just a few thoughts...DISCONNECT the battery, then... Check the ground wire from the battery post clamp to the fender. IIRC there used to be a fusible ground link in there. Should hold continuity there. Did you ever mess with the rag joint? There's a ground strap in there. Check there for continuity. Pull the bulkhead connector apart. Theres probably corrosion cross tracking in the plug. Check ALL the light sockets for 100% good grounds. Check for a flasher fault. Probably not as that would affect both sides. My previous truck was set up to pull an enclosed car hauler with electric brakes etc. the lights were all acting up. My pal happened to lift the plug cover and there was a wad of wettish fuzzy blue-green crud growing in the socket. Maybe an "EX spider web"? That had a slug of dielectric grease in there too BTW... ws
The turn signal switch uses a ground to activate the horn . When you press the horn button you are grounding the horn relay thus making the horn blow. The ground IS the steering column all the way to the steering box . Bill is right there is a ground strap at the rag joint completing the grounds path from the steering wheel to the steering box. That's for the horn not the lights. If you think it is the turn signal switch itself you can plug a new one in at the connector on the column and activate the turnsignals , 4-way flashers , brake lights and horn . The horn will need to be jumped to ground from the brass button on the switch . The lights each have their own ground incorporated into the socket itself . That is why most have 3 wires . 1 for parking lights , 1 for Turn Signals and the other is the ground . If yours only have 2 wires it is grounded thru the socket itself. It sounds like you have multiple ground problems at some if not all the light sockets . I would start at the Right side turn signal and check those grounds . Front and rear .
Thanks for the info. A lot could likely be wrong, but I am thinking grounds as well. I don't have the ground strap to the inner fender and I don't see one on the rag joint either. I have two wire front turn signals. Why do they have two element bulbs and I assume they shouldn't work without the housing being grounded to the bumper? I plan on replacing the switch as it looks original but I doubt thats the problem. The car was recently painted so things have changed slightly but I want to solve this ground problem. How much resistance should these ground loops have? Less than 50 or less than 5 ohms? Thanks for the help. Love the knowledge on this site. Cheers, Mike
Is the hot lead for one circuit acting as the ground for the other? I vaguely recall Ray Bohatz writing about this in HMM.
That's exactly what happens. If you have only 2 wire parking lamps like you said , your turn signal housing IS the ground . The socket is pressed to the housing and the housing is bolted to the bumper which is bolted to the frame which should be Ground. Try grounding EVERYTHING . You can use a alligator clip on the bulb socket itself directly to the battery . Ground sheet metal to the battery . Use a jumper cable to the the battery . Now that you say the car was just painted points to grounds . Were the bumpers off when painted ? Your problem is GROUNDS
Thanks for all the help. I've grounded the fender to the battery. I really can't find the ground strap on the rag joint and the ones I see for sale don't really seem to have one. I drained my battery by leaving my key on so I'm a little behind schedule. I plan on picking up a new turn signal switch today as well. It may not be the solution but the one on the car looks to be the original and for $30 I'd like a new one. Wish me luck. Thanks again, Mike
FWIW... This is a rag joint off my '64... The yellow highlights most of the bounding (ground) system to the column. Plus I seem to recall a flat thin strap between the flanges internally. ws
Bill, The grounding element needs to bridge adjacent quarters? How would conductivity transfer from the upper to lower in the example above? That is a strength member. No?
Are you sure the Bumper is grounded ??? If I am not mistaken the Turnsignal housings are bolted to the bumper . And are you saying the headlights are flashing on and off the same as the turnsignal ???. Or are the headlights turned on and dimming and brightening with the turn signal ?? Bill suggested a while back to check the bulk head connector .
Yes, The headlights are flashing on and off the same as the turn signal. My plan is to remove the bulb and check if the headlights flash and maybe swap the left and right turn signal and see if the problem swaps sides. I'll check on the bumper ground but the left side turn signal works fine. I've checked the bulk head connector it seems fine.
The left side might work fine but the Right side could have no ground . The bulb socket could have lost its ground where the socket is attached to the Complete lamp assembly . All you have to do is ground the bulb socket to either the bumper or better yet to the battery itself
Plus you are sure its a 1157 bulb in the socket . Take a ground wire from the battery and touch it to the brass base of the bulb. Thats the ground
Ok, replaced the battery as it died and was already on its last legs.... Problem persists with housing ungrounded. Problem persists with bulb removed. Looking into hi beam switch and isolating front signal harness with single wire jumper for right turn. Thanks for all the help, Mike
The problem seems to be manifesting within the speedo cluster as the high beam light is flashing in concert with the right turn signal.
