Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Wiring problem

Collapse
X
 
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
  • 60 T-Bird
    Experienced
    • Jun 2 2010
    • 347

    Wiring problem

    Hope I'm not over-using my privileges here, asking all these questions.
    I have been plugging in all my wired these last few weeks, trying to get everything working. It's been going well if you don't count that black wire on the CVR that shorted out and smoked. I got everything working. I had dropped my brake pedal assembly away and lowered my steering column via the two phillips head, 5/16-24 machine screws.
    I thought I would test the system one last time before moving onto the next project to keep this build going. Wouldn't you know the turn signals are not working.
    I have power to the fuse on the back side of the lighting switch...power to the orange on the blinker...power on the blue wire on the blinker and after disassembling the turn switch in the steering column, power to the blue wire on the switch.
    Here's where it gets interesting...if I activate the switch, no power anywhere on the turn switch. Not even the blue wire on the switch that had the power before activating it. So, I pull the power cable off the battery to do a continuity test on the switch and I get a tone on all the wires on the switch, except the blue wire which seems right as the other wires eventually go to ground via the filaments.
    Visually, I cannot see a wire that I inadvertently disconnected, although I may pull the speedo to see if something happened to the harness as I put the column back up.
    ...Calling all cars!
    "Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming: Wow - what a ride!"
  • Tbird1044
    Super-Experienced
    • Jul 31 2012
    • 1346

    #2
    You can never ask to many questions.
    Are your brake lights still working? If you still have the brake pedal out, just jumper the 2 wires at the master cylinder.
    Let us know.
    Nyles

    Comment

    • jopizz
      Super-Experienced


      • Nov 23 2009
      • 8308

      #3
      I would disconnect the switch wires under the steering column. Connect the Blue wire to the Green/Orange and Green/White wires. Your left signals should work. Do the same to the Blue and White/Blue and Orange/Blue wires. Your right signals should work. If that works then I would say your turn signal switch is at fault.

      John
      John Pizzi - Squarebirds Administrator

      Thunderbird Registry #36223
      jopizz@squarebirds.org 856-779-9695

      https://www.squarebirds.org/picture_gallery/TechnicalResourceLibrary/trl.htm

      Comment

      • simplyconnected
        Administrator
        • May 26 2009
        • 8778

        #4
        Martin, there are seven wires (eight if you count the indicator light) plugged in with bullet connectors on the bottom of your steering column.

        John's technique is good and it should be done at those connectors.

        Bear in mind that turn signals interrupt brake lights so your steering column has two power feeds (one green wire from the brake sw and the blue wire from the flasher unit). There are NO ground wires.

        "...power to the orange on the blinker..." <-- I don't know of an orange wire on the blinker.

        Get your colors straight on those bullet connectors:
        1. Blue/Yellow - horn button
        2. Blue - power from flasher unit
        3. Green/Orange - LH Stop and directional signal lamp
        4. Green/White - LH front direction signal lamp and dash indicator lamp
        5. Green - Power from brake switch
        6. White/Blue - RH front direction signal lamp and dash indicator lamp
        7. Orange/Blue - RH Stop and directional signal lamp
          .
        8. Blue/Red - Instrument indicator lamp
        Member, Sons of the American Revolution

        CLICK HERE to see my custom hydraulic roller 390 FE build.

        "We've got to pause and ask ourselves: How much clean air do we need?"
        --Lee Iacocca

        From: Royal Oak, Michigan

        Comment

        • 60 T-Bird
          Experienced
          • Jun 2 2010
          • 347

          #5
          Originally posted by Tbird1044
          You can never ask to many questions.
          Are your brake lights still working? If you still have the brake pedal out, just jumper the 2 wires at the master cylinder.
          Let us know.
          Nyles
          Yup...they're ok.

          Originally posted by jopizz
          I would disconnect the switch wires under the steering column. Connect the Blue wire to the Green/Orange and Green/White wires. Your left signals should work. Do the same to the Blue and White/Blue and Orange/Blue wires. Your right signals should work. If that works then I would say your turn signal switch is at fault.

          John
          Had a conversation with Dave...going to go there in 5 minutes.

          Originally posted by simplyconnected
          Martin, there are seven wires (eight if you count the indicator light) plugged in with bullet connectors on the bottom of your steering column.

          John's technique is good and it should be done at those connectors.

          Bear in mind that turn signals interrupt brake lights so your steering column has two power feeds (one green wire from the brake sw and the blue wire from the flasher unit). There are NO ground wires.

          "...power to the orange on the blinker..." <-- I don't know of an orange wire on the blinker.

          Get your colors straight on those bullet connectors:
          1. Blue/Yellow - horn button
          2. Blue - power from flasher unit
          3. Green/Orange - LH Stop and directional signal lamp
          4. Green/White - LH front direction signal lamp and dash indicator lamp
          5. Green - Power from brake switch
          6. White/Blue - RH front direction signal lamp and dash indicator lamp
          7. Orange/Blue - RH Stop and directional signal lamp
            .
          8. Blue/Red - Instrument indicator lamp
          Ok...I'll post a picture soon
          "Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming: Wow - what a ride!"

          Comment

          • 60 T-Bird
            Experienced
            • Jun 2 2010
            • 347

            #6
            Ok...disconnected the Blue wire...Green/orange and Green/white. Turned on ignition and found 12v to the blue wire which is what I expected. Jumped the blue to the two others and nothing. And as I stated earlier the 12v on the blue wire is now gone until I disconnect the jumpers. Then the 12v is back.
            "Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming: Wow - what a ride!"

            Comment

            • Tbird1044
              Super-Experienced
              • Jul 31 2012
              • 1346

              #7
              Okay, so the brake lights are working which means the wiring from the t/s switch/brake light switch is good.
              Now you have 12V on the blue wire, which is downstream of the flasher unit, so you should have voltage to the t/s switch. You also state that when you put a load on the blue wire (connect to the lights) you lose the 12 volts. That makes me think that the flasher may be bad. I think they are designed so that when a load is placed on the flasher it will momentarily open (turn the lights off) and then close to turn them back on again. Sounds like your flasher is opening but taking way to long to reset. I guess you could test this theory by putting a jumper wire where the flasher goes and see if the lights come on when you turn the turn signal switch to either position. The lights should come on but not flash.
              Flashers are also designed to work under a specific load. Some are designed for 2 or 3 bulbs and then the warning flasher is pretty universal as all of the lights need to flash. I think you have the bumper turn signal and one rear signal, so a flasher designed for 2 bulbs should work.
              Good luck and let us know what happens.
              Nyles

              Comment

              • 60 T-Bird
                Experienced
                • Jun 2 2010
                • 347

                #8
                Well...I figured it out. It was actually a problem upstream. So I tried Nyles idea of bypassing the flasher...no go. Then I thought if the blue wire goes dead when activating the switch, then does the orange wire from the light switch to the flasher go dead? Yes...it did. Then lets isolate the two orange wires at the fuse, behind the light switch and jump those two without the fuse and fuse holder...bingo...flashers works! The fuse has tone on the meter which is a good fuse. So we're down to the holder and connections on the wires. Bingo...the upper orange wire at the upper terminal has a deeply receded female spade connector.
                To conclude, I'm going to 320 all the connections and cut back some of the rubber covering the spade which is too deep. It was a high resistance problem. It could pass 12 volts but when current was requested, it hit the high resistance and cancelled the voltage which was why the 12 volts went away. E=IxR.
                "Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming: Wow - what a ride!"

                Comment

                • simplyconnected
                  Administrator
                  • May 26 2009
                  • 8778

                  #9
                  That's exactly why I never use a meter when troubleshooting cars. A homemade test light works much better every time because it is a load. A meter is not and neither is an LED tester.

                  You lost power due to a poor connection. It happens often. All connections (even fuse holders) need to be tight.

                  Sometimes a battery connection can do the same. You connect the battery, dome light shines but when you turn the key to start... nothing. The already terrible connection blows itself open again and you start all over.

                  Glad you found your problem, Martin. I knew, once you used sound troubleshooting techniques it would point you in the right direction. I am an electrical troubleshooter. The last thing I want to hear is, "Well, last time it was..." It goes in one ear and out the other. I always troubleshoot like the problem is unique because they usually are.

                  What really stumps most non-electrical folks is when they have TWO problems at the same time. Always and forever, sound troubleshooting techniques. Don't get sidetracked by using voodoo psychology but follow the wires and prove everything. - Dave
                  Member, Sons of the American Revolution

                  CLICK HERE to see my custom hydraulic roller 390 FE build.

                  "We've got to pause and ask ourselves: How much clean air do we need?"
                  --Lee Iacocca

                  From: Royal Oak, Michigan

                  Comment

                  • 60 T-Bird
                    Experienced
                    • Jun 2 2010
                    • 347

                    #10
                    Thanx Dave. Makes me think..."what evil lurks under the dash of a 56 year old car. I cleaned up all the light sockets that inserted in the dash and now the two stand alone fuses on the light switch, as well as the encapsulated fuse holders that twist together. The wire male to female connectors looked really new and not too worried about them. Time to go through the trunk wires too.
                    As I move under the dash from drivers side to passenger side, the next project will be heater vents and modern stereo. I can't believe how cheap they are these days. A 200 watt for $35. Then I can install the air/heater counsel and finally the glove box.
                    Our weather here gets into the 100's for a few weeks in the summer. That's when I'll lie out the new black carpet in the sun and re-carpet. Like we spoke earlier...the seats in last.
                    "Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming: Wow - what a ride!"

                    Comment

                    Working...
                    😀
                    🥰
                    🤢
                    😎
                    😡
                    👍
                    👎