Weird '68 turn signal problem...

[hotrod68]

  Hi, guys  . I have my '68 running and am in the process of putting the wiring back in. I've encountered a very strange problem with the turn signals that makes absolutely no sense. The tail, marker and parking lights work fine, i.e. good grounds, bulbs properly phased in the sockets...etc. The brake lights work fine, as do the 4-way flashers. My problem is the turn signals don't work. There is no power going to the turn signals at all, yet when you move the lever to "temporary flash"  with the brake lights on, the bulb on that side in the back will cancel out and you can manually flash it. But when you "click" the lever to full flash on either side, both brake lights go dark and the front lights are still completly dead. The turn indicator lights in the dash don't work, although the gas gauge registers right. However, the dash lights don't work.
  The turn signal switch in the column was in perfect working order when I took the car apart, so I have no reason to believe it just went bad while the column was stored. Is it possible that the printed circuit in the dash pod has a short and that's preventing the turn signals and dash lights from working? It's a long shot, I know, but this makes no sense either. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
 

[tom]

Did you check the flashers? I think turn indicators use a different flasher than the 4-ways. If I'm wrong someone will let it be know.

Good luck,

Tom

[hotrod68]

Tom...you were absolutely right! Thanks. I kept studying the wiring schematics which showed only ONE flasher in the diagrams, but seemed to remember my car had 2. I traced the pink and purple wires to a 90-degree female plug that was not part of the fuse box, inserted a flasher, and voila! I can plead CRS here--the car has been apart for about 7 years now...chuckle. Thanks again and I hope this will help someone down the line.

[ironman24]

Hi guys,
if you dont mind if i jump in.............. I have a question regarding the flashers.  I just bought my 67 about three months ago, All the lights work fine, but the flashers.  they dont work at all.  Blinkers work, parking lights work.  No flashers.  So not to sound stupid but where should i start to look to find the problem.  Is it more of a chance that there is a problem with the switch in the column or shoud i be looking for a relay or something under the dash or in the fuse box?  I know i need to get some books to research this stuff, but i havent goten around to getting them yet.  Can you guys point me in the right direction....
thanks
Charlie

[hotrod68]

Charlie--look at the left-upper corner of the fuse box under the dash--there should be a flasher in that corner, separate from the fuses. If not, you'll see 2 slots at 90-degree angles--that's where the 4-way flasher goes, at least on my '68. It could be that simple, just as my missing turn signal flasher was. I'd try that first. And believe me, the only dumb question is the one you didn't ask! Wiring problems can be especially tough--I'm still slapping my forehead that I forgot about the turn signal flasher in my car. You can get a wiring schematic from any resto company--I've found it's helpful to use magic markers to color the wires in the schematics as they are on the car so you can see exactly where they go and with what circuit. Sure helps to trace them! Good luck to you.

[ironman24]

Thanks Hotrod68--- Ill take a look for it tonight when i get home from work.  And ill keep my fingers crossed that its that simple.
Its a nice day out today and i can tell all im going to do at work is watch the clock till 5:00........... 

[ironman24]

so i took a look under the dash at the fuse box.  And there was a flasher in the upper right corner .  Is it possible that this could have gone bad?

[JohnZ]

so i took a look under the dash at the fuse box.  And there was a flasher in the upper right corner .  Is it possible that this could have gone bad?

That's the flasher unit for the 4-way flashers; pull it and replace it - they're inexpensive.