Another Turn Signal Saga

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Ninjamouse
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Another Turn Signal Saga

Post by Ninjamouse »

Hey guys. I've got a turn signal issue with my '69. A while back I was stopped at a light and a little bit of smoke came out of my steering column. I didn't have my blinkers on...only the brakes. I got back home to discover that my turn signals weren't working. I guessed the cam switch, but I thought I'd go for the flasher as well.

Long story short...I've gone through tho Chinese cam switches and finally a NOS switch...two flashers, new bulbs all the way around and ran emery cloth in all of the sockets.

When I turn either signal I can either hear or sometimes hear and see the turn signal for a couple blinks and then it fades to nothing. This only happens when I first turn the key or start the truck. The brake lights work as they should, but when I turn the signal lever either way brakes only light one bulb.

What the heck am I missing here...? :evil:


Thanks in advance.
71Fe2O3
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Re: Another Turn Signal Saga

Post by 71Fe2O3 »

That sure sounds annoying.
If you haven't yet done so, spend some time with the wiring diagrams available here.
Many circuits go through the turn signal switch-perhaps you have a major short somewhere, though I fail to see how that would burn out the whole switch.
I doubt it is the switch itself-many folks here are using Chinese switches from Dennis Carpenter without issues.
Perhaps pull the fuses and/or bulbs for all of the circuits that go through the switch, then put them back in one at a time to see which ones cause problems?
Another possibility-unhook your emergency flasher switch-several circuits go through there as well-I keep mine unhooked because my turn signals don't work properly when it is hooked up.
Electrical problems can be vexing and time consuming. Good luck.
Fred

1970 F100 4WD short bed, 360 engine, very rusty plow and yard truck

1971 F100 2WD long bed, 302 engine, on the road

1968 F100 2WD long bed, 360 engine, stripping for parts
Ninjamouse
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Re: Another Turn Signal Saga

Post by Ninjamouse »

71Fe2O3 wrote: Another possibility-unhook your emergency flasher switch-several circuits go through there as well-I keep mine unhooked because my turn signals don't work properly when it is hooked up.
Electrical problems can be vexing and time consuming. Good luck.
Thanks for that tip. I'll try that tonight and report back to you. I seem to remember at one point having the switch on and trying the turn signals and having some different and odd things happen. You may be right (hopefully :thup: ).

It's been a prolonged issue as I have been driving my '48 F1 every day for a year now, but I just sold that truck and I only have five days to figure out what's wrong now. lol...shot myself in the foot.
Ninjamouse
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Re: Another Turn Signal Saga

Post by Ninjamouse »

I unplugged the hazard switch in the glove box, but that didn't make a change. I know the cam switch HAS to be good. This is the third cam switch and a NOS. I'll change the flasher again, I guess.
Ninjamouse
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Re: Another Turn Signal Saga

Post by Ninjamouse »

Hmmm....weird. The fellow I bought this truck had installed a 90-91 5.0 and he converted it to carburetor. I've been righting some of the wrongs with that conversion, but here's an odd thing.

I removed the flasher tonight to change it again and noticed that with the flasher gone the cheap electric fuel pump he installed stopped getting power. He's got the fuel pump working off of the same circuit somehow. I have a Carter 4070 I was going to change to until I dig in and go back with a mechanical (I'm pretty sure this year had no fuel pump eccentric). So...that project just jumped up a bit on my list. I like to relay fuel pumps and I knew he didn't, but this setup....yikes. Other than that, he was a nice guy. No knock on him as a person.
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