VCCA Home Forums GENERAL DISCUSSION New User Forum Turn Signal Stopped Working

I have a 1950 Chevrolet Deluxe, 6 Volt system.

Just 2 days ago the turn signals stopped working. I have the old green turn signal non self cancelling type of signal switch that mounts to the steering column. This is an old unit, not like the new ones available on line. Looks like it is from the 50s.

I'm looking for help on how to trouble shoot what could be causing them to not work.
All 4 lights work when the head lights are turned on. The two clear running lights in the front and the 2 tail lights.The rear tail lights brighten up when the brake pedal is depressed. when I switch the turn signal to left or right, the corresponding tail light and front light goes out. when I put the switch back in the center position they turn back on.
It feels like a short or a ground problem. I've done my best to check the wires and ground points, but still no luck.
Any thoughts or suggestions on what tests i can do with volt meter, or some other tricks? I have thought that possibly the signal switch is bad, but before I start swapping out parts, I wanted to ask the folks here for thoughts / suggestions.
Thank you.

It sounds like you have a bad flasher, or no voltage to the flasher.

Your brakelight turning off when you turn a signal on is normal. The turn signal switch disconnects a rear bulb from the brakelights and connects it to the flasher.

The 3 pins on the flasher are:

---6v in
---flashed 6v back out to the turn signal switch
---flashed 6v to the indicator light

Unplug the flasher and test to see if one pin of the socket has voltage. If no voltage, find out why (maybe a fuse?). If there's voltage, try another flasher.

Quick update, Thank you for the quick response bloo! I got them to work for a spell while I had the car in the garage. I found the flasher and checked voltage. When I put the flasher back in it worked for a few times. As soon as I pulled out of the garage it stopped. I think the flasher is bad. Its a Wagner 535 and looks very old. I'm going to replace it and hopefully that solves the problem. I appreciate the learning about how the brake lights should turn off. As I'm the only one who drives the car, I never noticed that.
Really appreciate the quick response. I'll provide another update when i get the new flasher.

Madman
Here in Aus I was able to get electronic indicator unit that has a constant speed irrespective of the load. The older type are "thermal operation" therefore the flash rate will vary depending on load.
Tony

Got the new flasher today and plugged it in and still not working.
I found a post from Bloo about wiring the Guide 6004 and where the wires go. I have the Guide 6004 unit in my car. I noticed that one of the wires goes through the brake light switch. I just had the master cylinder replaced a couple of weeks ago. The signals stopped working about the same time if I recall. I have not driven the car much lately due to the rain here in Cincinnati, but the timing is interesting. I'm thinking that when the brake work was done, possibly a wire may have got moved around, pulled out or something. I'll give it a look.

Also, I tested for voltage at the 3 prong flasher connector. I was only coming up with 2-3 Volts. I was thinking it should be closer to 6 volts?

Still not working, but will keep working on it. Its strange why they were working in the garage, but stopped when I pulled the car back 15 feet. Maybe a loose wire somewhere.
If anyone has thought, I'm all ears!
Thanks in advance.

Based on your original post, the brake switch part is fine.

Yes, there should be 6 volts (or so) on one of the pins of the flasher socket with the flasher removed. I think you need to look there if you only have 3 volts.

The brake light switch is connected to the turn signal switch because of the shared bulbs (shared with the brakelights) in the back.

When you turn on a signal, lets say left for an example, it 1) connects the left front signal bulb to the flasher and 2) disconnects the left rear brakelight from the brakelight switch and connects it also to the flasher.

The flasher has 6v supplied to it.

6 volts comes out the other side and goes to the turn signal switch.

The flasher has to have the electrical load of the bulbs to actually flash, and so it only cycles on/off when the switch is on (and there are bulbs attached).

I am a little confused about the operation you describe in you original post.

You stated that 2 clear running lights in front come on. Are these the parking lights? Have you wired them so they are on when the headlights are on?

On a '50 Chevy normally the front parking lights are only on when the light switch is in the first position. They go off when the switch is pulled to the headlight position. Also, the parking lights were a single filament bulb. Have yours been converted to dual filament bulbs with the turn signal function added?

I would make these 2 simple checks.
- Confirm the voltage on the wire that feeds power to the brake light switch. There should always be 6 volts available tp that switch.
- Jump the 2 wires connected to the brake light switch. Compare the brightness of the brake lights when the wires are jumped to when they come on by pushing the pedal.

I agree with Bloo that you should have 6 volts going to the flasher.

Quick update, problem is resolved. Thanks guys for the tips and insights.
Checking voltage again at the flasher connector turned up to be zero volts. I traced the X wire back and found the fuse holder tucked up under the dash. I checked the fuse and it was blown. Got some new fuses and installed 1. It worked for about 2 seconds then off again. Taking a step back and checking the wiring, I found inside the Guide 6004 signal unit, one of the wires coming into the unit from the steering column was rubbing against the signal housing. I move it away, installed a new fuse and wallah! The worked. I then very slightly moved the tattle tale bulb to get in put back in the housing cover and bam! They stopped working. Looking closer, there was a rub on that wire too. Keep in mind this is the original wiring with the cloth covering, so its pretty old and frail by now. I tapped it up and wallah! They worked. I got it all put together and took it for a drive and things are working fine.
Summary. Those two wires were shorting out against the flasher unit and causing the fuse to blow. I believe both of those wires are hot, so it makes sense. I did not do anything else and used the original flasher that I though was bad.
For anyone else with a similar problem, find the fuse first. Check that. Then buy a box of fuses and check the wiring for any shorts or chafe marks.

Thanks again everyone for the help, very much appreciated.
Mal

Glad you got it sorted out!