I'm (still) having some annoying problems with my turn signals on my
'70 TR6. They all started when I replaced my old dying/dead flasher unit with
a new replacement from TRF last fall.
Ever since I replaced it, left turn signals are slow at best, non-
blinking at worst. With the engine on, they work, though a bit slowly (slower
than the right). If I have my foot on the brakes, they slow down (the right
side slows down too, but not as noticibly). If I turn on the lights or stop
the engine, the left turn signals stop (the rights slow slightly). I have
to use manual-flashing for left-hand signals (I don't trust modern drivers to
understand hand signals...)
Basically, the turn unit seems far more voltage sensitive than the
old one, which ran at the same rate, roughly for left and right, and didn't
noticably slow on voltage drops.
Note that the flasher is only a single unit, so any difference
between left and right would have to be after the turn switch. At first I
thought that the problem was caused by the PO replacing the left rear bulbholder
with one from a different car (didn't fit well, different bulb). So I
finally replaced the bulbholder. No change.
(The flasher unit is a different number than the old, probably from
"rationalization" by Lucas (old was type S175, I didn't write down the new #)).
It's not grounding at the rear, I tried running a wire from the rear
light to the battery ground. No change. All lights burn equally brightly.
I measured the resistance in each circuit (LF,LR,RF,RR), with the turn
indicator bulb removed (since it interconnects the left and right). All were
about the same - 1.5-1.7 Ohms from the flasher unit - which also means it
isn't the turn signal switch.
With engine off, voltage: at battery, 12.6-12.7. At flasher input:
12.0. At flasher input with left signals on (not flashing): 11.0 or so.
Can't measure right side, since it flashes too fast for my digital VOM to
give useful reasons, but it appears to alternate between ~12 and ~10.x. Each
bulb circuit from the flasher unit is 1.5-1.7 Ohms (tested by removing the
bulb from the other end of that side, and also removing the dashboard
repeater bulb). All bulbs checked for correct type.
Wiring diagram: (roughly)
- +
i|----|i|i|i|---->fuses--->ignition switch---->(n-way connection with other
dashboard circuits (stop lights, heater, voltage stabilizer, wipers)) ------
--->flasher---->hazard switch----->turn switch
from the turn switch, it looks roughly like this:
# (switch)
/ \
/ \
/--&--\ (indicator light)
/ \
/--@ @--\ (hazard relay connections - not an issue, I
/ \ disconnected them without effect)
/\ /\
| | | |
& & & &
LF LR RF RR
I can't see ANY difference electrically between the left and right
sides! I'm at the tearing the hair out stage now. I'll appreciate any help
I can get.
Randell Jesup, '70 TR6 with slow signals
|