[Gimmea250swb]

Any guess why?

My right blinker is slower than the left if that's a clue. It looks like all the elements are working. Signals work with headlights off.

 

[Magnus]

Are you running normal light bulbs or LEDs? Some LEDs have issues with our old cars and just don't work right.

Do the hazards work with the headlights on or off?

The first thing people usually suggest is to check the grounds at each bulb and to check that you've actually got the right bulbs in the sockets. Someone in the past may have shoved one in there that fit but doesn't work right and it might cause some issues.

 

[1968Cally]

Are you having this problem with the engine running or not? You need a certain "draw" of power to make the flasher work. If your battery is weak, you may not be getting enough juice with the headlights on. If it does it with the engine running, maybe you have a problem with the charging system and a weak battery.



Could be bad connection(s) or simply a tired flasher.

 

[FrankieThe69Kid]

My first guess is that something might be wired incorrectly.
Headlights off, everything (TS, brakes, flashers) runs through the turn signal switch. Headlight switch one click on, you have power going to running lights, front fog lights, and tail lights. Headlight switch two clicks on, power off to front fogs, on to tail lights and headlights.
2nd filament to front fogs are controlled by the TS switch. 2nd filament to the tail lights are controlled by TS switch and brake light switch... but they all run through the TS switch which sorts everything out.
Wondering if your front fog lights light up when you step on the brake... just a thought.

 

[Gimmea250swb]

Thank you all, I’ll check this out today. I’ve got standard, not LED, lights.

No issues with battery as far as I can tell. Engine seems strong. I don’t have fog lights on this one but we’ll see what I can figure out.

 

[Klutch]

Grounding issues cause havoc on these cars. I highly recommend you disconnect, clean and reconnect all grounds in the electrical system. Also, remove the turn signal lamps and clean the sockets. Inspect the lamps. If the base is dirty and/or corroded, replace them. Likely, everything will work better.

 

[TheRktmn]

Also check that you have the correct bulbs in each socket. I have seen single filament bulbs in Brake / Turn signal sockets. They can cause some interesting problems.

 

[FrankieThe69Kid]

Thank you all, I’ll check this out today. I’ve got standard, not LED, lights.

No issues with battery as far as I can tell. Engine seems strong. I don’t have fog lights on this one but we’ll see what I can figure out.

… by "fog lights" I'm not referring to the round ones in the grille, I talking about the amber lights that are your directionals in the front. If wired correctly, when your headlights are on, they shut off acting only as turn signals. If the headlight switch is one click out, they turn on.

As was stated above, clean all of your grounds.

 

[1968Cally]

… by "fog lights" I'm not referring to the round ones in the grille, I talking about the amber lights that are your directionals in the front. If wired correctly, when your headlights are on, they shut off acting only as turn signals. If the headlight switch is one click out, they turn on.

As was stated above, clean all of your grounds.

That's what I thought you meant. I call them parking lights. I think that is what they were used for before before turn signals came along. And at the beginning, the turn signals were on the rear only.

 

[gordonr]

As previously stated grounds are a huge issue as the exterior turn/brake light sockets with 1157's (A dual filament bulb with 2 wires feeding the back side of the the socket) are case grounded. These sockets are not satellite grounded as modern cars are with modern ground systems (a third wire) and much better designed chassis ground systems. Installing an 1156 in the rear (for a single wire type socket) in a 2 wire 1157 socket can turn on the park lights all around the car with brake lights on or turns the the brake lights on with park lights or even an old bulb that has smashed out the soft metal contacts points on the bottom enough to short to each other. And the corresponding turn signal on flashing because the single terminal bulb (1156) normally contacts both terminal contacts within the 1157 rear socket. With regards to the front park lights on the socket with the 1156 in it will be bright as like a front brake light if was such a thing and cause the park lights around the car to flash with the 1156 in it depending on which side it was installed. If both fronts are incorrect it becomes a little more confusing. By keenly observing the lights on all corners of the car by turning "park Lts" on only then "turn signals" on at the same time then "brake lights" then "head lights" can send you in right direction for the solution. Of course there are variations to the basics I described but it can get you in ball park and coupled with an incandescent "test light" connected to your battery ground terminal you can accurately determine your issue quickly. For example by using a test light lead attached to the battery negative terminal and probing a powered light socket on the bulb base itself with the lense removed. A poor ground will show with the test light illuminating and that there is a difference of potential. It is confusing to see a power on ground at first but when the ground is good the test light wont illuminate and has no difference. Its that simple.

 

[Gimmea250swb]

Well, that'll do it. I tracked down the grounding and this is what I found. I'd say the ground was a little weak...

Thank you all for your help!!

 

[tom991]

Well, that'll do it. I tracked down the grounding and this is what I found. I'd say the ground was a little weak...

Thank you all for your help!!

Where exactly is that ground. I have an intermittent similar issue when the headlights are on.

 

[Gimmea250swb]

It’s in front of the battery. Good luck!

 

[Huskinhano]

Low voltage. The flasher has a bimetallic strip that requires a specific amount of voltage to heat the strip up so it curls and opens the circuit. As it cools it straightens out, make contact and repeats the process. So your problem is not enough voltage to create enough wattage to create enough heat. Voltage loss can be poor grounds and poor connections or weak battery and or alternator not making enough power. Now the fun, finding out which is the problem