No front turn signals.

[Resto-Rand]

I spent all day cleaning socket contacts, cleaning up grounds, etc. to get my lights working. Someone had mentioned looking at the dimmer and lo and behold my headlights started working again.

I have everything working except the darn front signals. I hear the flasher and both sides work in the rear, but I'll be darned if I can figure out what to do to get the fronts working. My inside indicators don't light while the turn signal lever is operated. The front running lights work but I can't get the other filaments to come on in the standard 1157 bulbs. And I thought all I was going to do today was put in a headlight relay, lol.

Thanks for your suggestions. I'm getting closer every minute to getting this driver back on the road.

[ray_mcavoy]

The fact that your rear turn signals are working okay means the turn signal switch is receiving power and the flasher is working.

Since the rear bulbs also serve as brake lights, the turn signal switch has separate sets of contacts to isolate the front and rear turn signals. The signal indicator lights on the dash are wired to the front turn signals. The fact that neither of those is working sounds like your problem is most likely in the turn signal switch (specifically it's contacts for the front lights).

But before you go to the trouble of replacing the turn signal switch, you can do some additional testing to make sure it's the problem.

Start by locating the semi-circular shaped connector for the turn signal switch ... it's under the dash near the steering column. Use a voltmeter or test light to check the light and dark blue wires. The light blue one should have pulsed power when signaling for a left turn. And the dark blue one for a right turn.

No power on either of those wires is a pretty good indication that the switch is bad. But to be absolutely sure, unplug the connector and use a short jumper wire to connect the purple wire to the light blue wire on the truck half of the socket. That should operate the LH front signal and LH dash indicator. Similarly, jumpering the purple wire to the dark blue wire should operate the RH side.

If the front turn signals work with the jumper wire then it's most likely the switch that's bad. If not, continue to look for problems elsewhere in the wiring.

Finally, some turn signal switches can be repaired by simply taking them apart and cleaning (and sometimes re-adjusting) the contacts.

[Resto-Rand]

Wow, awesome detailed reply Ray, thanks!

I will do that as soon as I grab a cup of coffee and a few tools.

I'll let ya know how I do. Hard to get my creaky old self up in there but I love puttering around on this old truck.

[Resto-Rand]

Can't thank you enough. I poked around enough to discover it was in the switch assembly. Pulled it apart and back together a few times after spraying the contacts with De-Oxit. Old stuff gets old!

Now if I can figure out why it dies when I hit the gas.........

I owe you one Ray.

[Resto-Rand]

Darn...... I was bragging to my son how I got everything working and when I went to show him.....Darn.

Front pass. running light out again. Everything worked yesterday.

Tomorrow is another day I guess.