VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - GENERAL Electrical - 6 volt Turn signal indicator issue

On my '53, when I turn on either turn signal the indicator light on the dash flashes as it should for about three flashes then both start flashing. It makes no difference which blinker I start with, both end up flashing after a few blinks. It's only the indicator lights that have this issue. The outside turn signals work normally with no bleed over. Would this be a turn signal switch issue?

Is one side a little dimmer than the other? I would first look for a poor ground in the dash.

The first flash, sometimes the first two flashes are bright (dash lights) then both start flashing and are both dim. I thought about the ground but wouldn't a bad ground cause it to happen all the time? It flashes normally for one or two flashes then changes.

Try another flasher. No books handy right now, but IIRC there is something really weird about how those dash indicators are wired. I think the flasher 3rd pin is used even though there are 2 indicators.

Tiny I checked a wiring diagram and the third terminal is used for both indicators,so trying a new flasher looks like a good first step.

I can't reach the sockets to twist them in the hole to make sure they've got a good ground to the instrument pod. I was able to check the ground of the pod and it's got a good ground so if the sockets are making good connection to the pod it about has to be the flasher. I'll pick one up & try it.

OK, a 6 volt mechanical flasher is not a stock item so it'll be here next week. I looked at photos I have of the under dash area and don't see a flasher. Is it under the dash? If so, where? I read it's above the ignition switch but it's not there in the photos.

Tiny I just checked my 54 and the flasher is right by the wiper switch with the terminals facing the back of the dash

Thanks Denny. I finally found it. Turns out I was looking in the wrong place.

And now it all gets stranger. While feeling for the flasher, I barely touched it and it fell into my hand. No problem, except, now there's no power to the turn signals at all. No power to the whole turn signal system. The fuse looked good but was replaced anyway and still no power. The park & brake lights work normally but the whole turn signal system is dead. All I did was touch the flasher. BTW I installed a new flasher. I suppose it could just be coincidence and the turn signal switch went bad but that would be quite odd. Sigh

Check connection at your power source and at the back of the flasher unit. With your feeling around in there a wire may have been dislodged.

Dick

Finally got some answers this morning. When the flasher came out it must have arced on the dash lip and blew the fuse. I finally was able to read the schematic clearly enough to discover they put the turn signal fuse on the gas gauge of all places. Replaced that and the turn signals worked again but still had the issue of both dashboard indicator lights flashing at the same time. We discovered a loose wire, reconnected it and all is good. Electricity makes my head hurt.

Congrats on fixing the problem!

I always use the analogy of water going through a pipe (for the electrons flowing through a wire) when working with electrical circuits.

Hope this helps.

Dean