Strange blinker behavior.

[Steve P]

Hello, all. I'm new to the forums (and to bumpsides), and I've really enjoyed digging around in here. I just bought a '67 F100 Custom that is in great shape generally, especially since everything on the truck is pretty much original. A couple of electrical questions:

First, I have no light on the instrument cluster. This turns on with the headlights, right, and the headlight switch is also a rheostat to control the dash lights? I've got a new bulb for the instrument cluster, but based on what I've read in the forums, I'll have a look at the headlight switch itself.

Second, blinkers are acting strange. Right blinker turns on right front blinker and both rear blinkers. Left blinker turns on left front blinker and both rear blinkers. Any ideas here? I also get a solid light on the blinker indicator on the dash when I'm on the brakes: is this standard?

Thanks in advance for all the help.

Steve

[kaptnkaos]

Hey Steve...

Welcome to the forum...

The headlight switch is usually the culprit when it comes to dash/headlight issues... it is an easy fix and costs less than $20.
It is always a good place to to start.
Olde SKool's PO had problems with the lights and began cutting wires and patching in circuits trying to get the lights to work.
The orginal problem was a $17.00 switch...
When I replaced the switch, I had power to all the wires, but had to figure out the circuits myself because there isn't a wiring diagram available for it.
It took me nearly a month to repair the carnage.

The turn signals are an another situation entirely.
It sounds like a PO might have been "doin' sum fixin'" and got some wires crossed.
Or, there might have been a short that fused a couple of wires together.
I'd check the turn signal switch & wiring in the steering column first.
The switch might be bad or wires may be pinched and shorted...
I'd download the wiring diagram from the archive here and start chasing wires with a test light or multimeter until you find where things got crossed...

Good luck with that...

KaptnKA S

[fordman]

that sounds like the right start to finding the problems. i would check the connections at the bottom of the column and see if they have been cut and taped back together or if its a plug. if its a plug you have a better chance that someone hasnt messed with it before. which is a good thing. the blinker lights should not go on when you hit the brake. it almost sounds like the brake wire switch is feeding back into the blinkers. check some of that stuff and let us know more about what you have found out

[rjewkes]

sounds like some one rewired and may have ran the rear blinkers through the Emerg. flashers wire.

[fmartin_gila1]

Sounds like one of two possibles to me. 1 the 4 way switch is on and the 4 way flasher is burned out. 2 The Turn signal switch has gotten overheated,warped, and is shorted.
Fred

[bluef250]

For the panel lights, first check the fuse. Then look at the headlight switch. For the turn signals, I would say the turn signal switch is bad if the wiring harness appears to be unmolested. But first, make sure all of the turn signal bulbs are in good shape and sockets are clean.

[ima71 trucks are older]

someone has either wired it wrong in the past or the turn signal switch failed.

What the turn signal switch does is take the power signal from the brake light switch and split it. when it is set to left or right, it disconnects that light from brake power and powers that light from the flasher power. thats how when your stoped with your foot on the brake and your blinker is on, one light blinks and the other is on solid. It sounds like the transfer part of the switch is bad and powering both of your rear lights from flasher power in any position.

[fordman]

a start would maybe too change the flasher for the blinkers. its way up under the dash attached to the instrument cluster.