Turn Signal Issue Tracing

[slexwild]

I am finishing up puting everything back together on my newest project. I cannot get the turn signals to work. They worked before i took everything apart. Looking for advise where to check.

What i have done so far:
Checked and changed out the flasher relay - no change
Replaced all the bulbs
The Turn Signal arrow lights up but does not blink on the dash
I did remove the side puddle lights aon the fenders and left the wiring in the engine compartment
The front turn signal lights, light up brighter when the correcsponding turn signal is on, but no flash.

[sly]

I'm assuming you have a box. Anything after 1995 will be LCM related and require rather tedious troubleshooting.

try plugging in the ditch lights and see if that changes anything. If not, verify the bulbs are not out in the tails. If one bulb is out, it won't be enough current draw to flash the bulbs except like once every 30 seconds. If all bulbs are good and the ditch lights don't change anything, you may need a new multifunction switch. If the ditch lights fix it, it may be a load thing and need the electronic flasher mentioned below. Not sure about the ditch light circuit, I thought it was just a delay relay on the circuit and not an actual load for the flasher circuit.

Also, if you're using LED bulbs, the stock thermal flasher will never flash. Get an United Pacific 90650 stle flasher for the blinker and hazard flashers and tie the loose wire into a ground point somewhere. The fuse box mounting plate should work. This will allow flashing with smaller loads. Here's a 2pk of that style on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CS6C46SG/

[slexwild]

Yes it is a 1986. I had leds in there, but have removed them as i did not like the way they were reflecting in the housing. The bulbs in the tailights are all working. I heard that possible the headlight switch could cause issue? I guess if all else fails i can act like a bmw owner and do a turn signal delete.

[gadget73]

so the lights front and rear on the approprite side come on when you flip the turn signal, but they do not flash at all? Can you verify its just a single filament in each bulb lit, not both? If there are grounding issues it will light both but it won't have the right current draw and it may not flash.

If the bright filament is what comes on, usually its the flasher itself. They need a certain current draw to work but they also get tired and just stop working. Low voltage will do it too, if the battery is low, alternator isn't alternating, or excessive drop in the ignition switch. Can check for voltage drop in the ignition switch by poking a voltmeter into the fuse box to find a key-on fuse and a constant hot fuse. Turn the key on and compare voltages. If its more than about 0.2v different, something is not right. I did that on the Continental and it was about 3 volts. New switch is almost no difference. With the engine running I'd expect better than 12v anywhere in the fuse box.

there are two flashers on these too, one is the hazard, one is the regular one. they are different part numbers. The 4 way one doesn't work if installed in the regular flasher position. Having a brain fart and don't remember if its the one on the front or rear of the fuse box that runs the regular flashers.

[sly]

rear of the box is the hazard. one on the fuse side of the box is blinkers.

[slexwild]

Alright, so hazards work. When I turn on the turn singal only one filiment lights up but does not flash. I tried the original flasher relay and another one, still no go. I might just try a third flasher and then if that doesnt work will plug the puddle lights back in. Thank you for the suggestions.

[gadget73]

one filament on each bulb though, or just a single filament at either the front or the rear?

[slexwild]

Meaning when I hit the turn signal left or right. Both the front and rear bulb on the side light up. But no flash. When the lights are on the same thing occurs

[gadget73]

sounds like the switching is fine then and the only thing not working is the flasher. With the flasher out I'm guessing no lights ? With the flasher out it should have no power to the turn signal lights, if they are on, something is providing power to the turn signals downstream of the flasher.

[slexwild]

Thank you everyone. It turned out to be the flasher. I had put in 3 and nothing, went to napa and got another "newer" flasher and it worked. I guess there still are defective parts from these part stores out of the box.

[87gtVIC]

That’s pretty annoying. Thanks for posting what happened.

[sly]

I always suspect new parts not working. Been burned by that too many times.

[gadget73]

I think all of the flashers I have are old enough to drink at this point. All used junkyard pulls. I actually rolled flashers in the Continental when I got it to get a decent blink speed and the right sound. Some are quiet, others are annoyingly loud.

[DerekTheGreat]

I did the same thing with our F-150 when I got it. Had a pile of flashers in my stash, went through four or five before I found one that sounded right along with the right delay.