Strange Turn Signal Behavior

[Dano 1]

I have an issue with the passenger side front turn signal/marker light on my '69. With the headlights on the turn signal is on constantly as is the indicator light on the dash. When indicating a right hand turn the light just goes off and when the column switch auto-cancels it returns to a constant-on state. With just the marker lights on everything appears normal, and with the lights off the turn signal works just fine, it's just when the actual headlights are on.

I've checked for ground continuity at the light connector and have a good ground there. The forward light harness is new as are the ground cables between the battery/engine/firewall. Could there be an issue with the gauge cluster ground in the dash or somewhere else in the light system? Any ideas would be helpful, just about everything else electrical works perfectly on the car and this is driving me nuts!

[b5blue]

Check the connector and change the light bulb. 

[panhead]

Good day,

Take a look at reply #282.  http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,105085.msg1736752.html#msg1736752

I had all kinds of weird stuff going on until I discovered the harness was assembled back-wards.

Just a thought.

Curt

[Dano 1]

Thanks for the ideas guys.

I did manage to solve the problem, after a lot of quality time with my multimeter. Turns out the bulb socket itself had lost continuity with the rest of the light housing. I had a good ground to the housing but the bulb socket itself was still isolated and causing my issues.

The solution I decided on was to tack weld an 8-32 nut to the bulb holder and run a dedicated ground to the core support. Everything is working perfectly now so if you ever have an electrical issue always remember grounds grounds grounds!

[b5blue]

 

[Nacho-RT74]

Woah! Too radical LOL. The sockets takes easily regular tin/lead what could be used to attach a wire with a terminal to be able to be removed if needed, using a regular soldering iron.

What I did on the parking light ground problem thought is gently smash the socket with a screw driver and a hammer at some points of the socket lips on front against the parking light housing. Problem solved

[Dano 1]

Too radical?! Never!

All joking aside I did try to solder to the holder first but I don't think I have the right type of solder or didn't prep the material right so out came the welder. These are not priceless, NOS turn signals, just some random used ones I picked up somewhere so it really doesn't bother me. I TIG welded the nut so the welds are really small and if I ever want to remove the nut I can just zip them with a cutoff wheel and you'd never know.

Re-crimping that joint is a great idea I just always seem to look for any excuse to get the welder out 

[Nacho-RT74]

I just always seem to look for any excuse to get the welder out 

LOL

yes, prepping the surface is really important here... file or sandpaper... soldering paste and maybe 40 or even 60 watts soldering iron. Then a wire with an eyelet terminal to attach to the same parking lights screws throught the valence should make the job. But as mentioned, smashing the front lip socket to get back the installing pressure uses to be quite enough.