turn signals

[Atommik]

1951 1/2 ton chevy, GM tilt column, EZ wiring harness.

Everything is hooked up but the turn signals will not work. Fuse is good, flasher is good. I 've got power at the flat wide column connector for the horn, brake lights and hazard lights. None of the turn signal wires have power with the key on. I took apart the turn signal switch and that looks good. Both power wires going into the column at the ignition switch have power. Bad ign switch? Truck starts fine. Does one power wire from the ign switch go to the starter and the other power the turn signals in the "on" position?

Am I getting close here??

[1project2many]

Are you using the older, round column? There are generally two flashers on those vehicles. Originally the turn signal flasher was powered from the IGN circuit at the fuse box then connected to the column through the purple wire at the base. The hazard flasher was powered from a BAT connection at the fuse panel and connected to the column through the brown wire at the base. Brake lights supply power on the white wire at the column so you still have stop lights if the hazards are working.

[itstheshu]

Are you using LEDs?
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[focusedontheprize]

^^^. This.

I ran into the same EXACT problem with my unit. I am running LED turns and rear lights.

Let me know.
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[OrrieG]

If you are running leds you need a resister in the line and/or led flashers. Google it, I can't remember the details, just the problem. the leds do not draw enough current to trigger a regular flasher.

[1project2many]

See, now if you'd posted this in the beginning...

The resistors are placed in parallel with the LED lights. They allow "extra" current to bypass the LED so there's enough current through the flasher to heat the bi-metal strip. It's a bit of a hack imo but it will allow you to keep the non-electronic flasher.

Grote 44891 is sold as an electronic LED flasher but I've been using 44810 and 44690 for years with LEDs on the fleet vehicles. They just plain last.

[Atommik]

I am using LED's, however, I don't think that's the problem because I would still have power at the column connector for the turn signals, they just wouldn't blink. The LED's light up and blink when using the hazard/ 4way flashers. They are powered all the time thru the column, not only when the key is turned on. The hazard lights stop blinking when I step on the brake, like they are supposed to. At first I used LED flasher units, but thinking they weren't working, I wired in a resistor at each light, and switched to a standard flasher. I am using an older GM column( mid-eighties? I would guess). The connector on the column matched up just right with the EZ wiring connector. I am thinking there must be a wire that runs from the IGN switch at the base of the column to the turn signal switch behind the steering wheel to supply power to the switch, when the key is on. I'm going to dig around a little and come up with something!

[Atommik]

Well, happiness combined with stupidity is an unusual emotion.

I now have working turn signals. After checking everything for the 10th time, I decided to follow the wire from the turn flasher back to the fuse box to make sure it didn't get damaged during install or something. As I removed the fuse box from the holder, I saw the turn flasher power wire in the exact opposite place I thought I would. When I installed the fuse box, for best fit of the harness the box was technically "upside down" with the numbers on the fuses upside down. No big deal. But when I put the fuse box cover on, I put it on right side up so I could read the writing on the cover telling me which fuse went where, not thinking that now the diagram on the cover was 180 degrees off.

So...the fuse I thought was the turn signals, was the radio(which is not installed yet). The turn signal fuse was blown. I never checked the correct fuse. I thought it was the radio fuse!!

So now, despite myself, I have turn signals and a correctly installed cover.
Thanks to those who took the time to give me suggestions here!! That's why this forum is the best!!

[1project2many]

So now, despite myself, I have turn signals and a correctly installed cover.
Thanks to those who took the time to give me suggestions here!! That's why this forum is the best!!

Awesome. And you have a bit more experience "diagnosing" wiring problems.

[mr48chev]

That still sounds a whole lot better than my past two weekends of busting my butt to get the Cad 500 installed in my 71 GMC so I can go on vacation next week. I think my son might be packing me off to the old hot rodders home next week the way it's been going.