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O/T Chev Electicial problems

O

old

Well-known Member
Location
Camdenton Missouri
Well I have a funny problem. Brake lights work just fine but the turn signals do not. So where am I loosing the power. Brake and turn signal fuse is the same so has to be something sort of odd. Oh by the way the turn signal switch is less then 2 years old
 

Are the brake lights the same filaments as the rear turn signals, or do you have separate brake / turn bulbs?

ID the wire feeding flasher power to the column switch, and verify with a meter/ test lamp that you have flasher power TO the column switch.

If this is OK, and the brake lights are part of the turn signals, then you have a bad turn sig. switch.

IF the brake lights are separate, and the switch is getting power from the flasher, then it could be the switch, or wiring harness troubles to the rear. Usually there's a connector separating the rear harness from the front, used to be traditionally in or near the left kick panel.

A test lamp should make short work of this problem
 
they work on the same circuit but I think fuses are separate as the blinkers work on each side and the brakes work both then the flasher interrupts the one that is turned on.could also be the switch on the colum. Does it turn on any of the indicator lights on the dash?
 
You might want to double check , if my memory serves correctly there is a seperate flasher for the hazards and the turn signals. I am about 90 percent sure of that.
 
Turn switch does nothing. It was new last year so pretty sure the switch is still good. Been thinking it could have 2 fuses for the brakes and trun but not sure yet. Sure sicks to work on where the fuse box sits
 
Turn signal switch is almost new as in used for less then 2 years. Chev part also dealer only type part. It is an odd problem since some times if I hit the right bump they will work for a bit then stop again. This truck has had fuse box problems from day one. So now for a question. If I flip the turn switch on should one side of the flasher have power?? If that it si maybe I can work back from there or maybe even feed power to the flasher and do away with the fuse box and use an in line fuse
 
loose connection where the harness from the steering column plugs in to the rest of the harness? loose wire behind the steering wheel?
 
check to see if you have power were you plug in your flasher one side should be hot if not there your ploblem my s10 had the same problem i had to run a jumper wire to a differnt fuse
 
I think you may have a problem with the 4 way flasher switch..I believe it breaks the brake circuit to run voltage through for the 4 ways and in the off position if it doesn't provide continuity it will not allow voltage through from the brake light switch.
 
Does a 1980's have a multi-function switch. I know I had the same problem on a 1998 chevy. Turn signals would not work, but brake lights would. Ended up being the switch in the streeing column.
 
Just because your switch is 2 years old doesnt mean anything.It could be broke or a wire connection somewhere going to it might not be working.Fuse holder might be melted or lots of things.Sometimes where the wiring harness plugs in to the steering column the wire gets hot there and doesnt make a good connection.A lot of times if the bulbs arent grounding any more,like something that old could be rusted bad and no ground wire,but I guess it wouldnt be a bad ground if the brake lights work.Just because you use the blinkers all the time it could be anywhere from the fuse box to the switch in the steering column.Since the brake lights work the wires from the steering column to the turn signals should be good.There is a plug in somewhere that goes to the back lights I guess that could be bad or unplugged partly.If its seperate from the brake and running lights.The turn signal wires ought to be green and yellow.I seem to remember that Chevrolet used the same wires for brake lights as turn signals.I could be wrong.If it has a seperate brake wire it will be red.You could make a real long jumper wire,long enough to go from the battery to the fuse box.Hook it to the turn signal fuse if it doesnt work,jumper to the flasher,if it doesnt work jumper to the steering column plug in for the green and yellow wires(might not be the same color before the switch),probably need 2 wires then,and if it doesnt work then,its the switch.Or you could use a test light and check for fire from the fuse box to the steering column.
 
Hey Rich,

Here are a few things that may help
There are two flashers, one for turn signals and one for brake lts/ hazard warning.

There are two fuses also, one for each of above. The haz lts and brake lts are on the same fuse.

One side of the haz flasher is fed with an orange wire and is hot all the time.

The turn flasher is fed by a blue wire thru the turn signal/backup light fuse and is hot only when the key switch is ON.

At the turn signal wire connector under the steering column, power from the haz flasher will be a brown wire and power from the TS flasher will be a purple wire, power from the brake light switch will be on a white wire.
HTH
 
There is probably a seperate fuse for brake lights and turn signals.Its been a long time since I worked on a Chevy but I think there might be a seperate flasher for the 4 ways and turn signals.So the flasher thats in the fuse box might be for the 4 ways and there could still be another one somewhere for the turn signals.Also since you say if you hit a bump right it works a while almost for sure means its a plug in or connection somewhere.If the cab is real rusty it might not be grounded good on the turn signal circuit and once in a while it gets ground when you hit a bump.
That could be a Ford that has the seperate flasher outside of the wiring harness I just dont remember,but I have worked on several of those old Chevys years ago.Look for a wiring diagram somewhere and it will show if it has 2 flashers.
 
I suspect you have a bad ground somewhere. This will cause power to back feed thru things and cause all kinds of symptoms that don't seem to make any sense at all. I would highly recommend you clean them all up, especially before you start throwing parts at it.
 
99% of the time that is nothing but a bad flasher.

I always use heavy duty types on both the 4-ways and the turn signals.

Allan
 
Nope not the flasher since I have changed it so many times I can not remember how many times I have done so and I have tried all sorts of them. Heavy duty ones, normal ones and extra light ones and no working turn signals yet
 
I would agree with you if I also had other problems but ALL the other things work as they should. Brake, head, and tail lights all work just fine just not the turn signals
 
So, based on the diagram I posted, have you located the 2 flashers and the fuses involved?
 
I will have to look at that but it only has the single flasher so your wires may not be correct for this truck. It is a 1980 camper special 1/2 ton Chev. Turn signal switch is almost new and has been in the truck less then 2 years and I only use this truck if I need it other wise I drive the smaller truck so the switch has very little use
 
Single flasher for both 2 prong at that. Only has one wire for each side for brakes and signals so that is not it. Now as for fuse it may have 2 of them for brakes and flasher/signal so will have to look closer and may even wire it up so as to get rid of the fuse box and use an in line fuse holder because yes the fuse box has some problem areas in it and in the past did smoke a tad bit but not sure which area did the smoking but hey at least it is old enough to smoke and be legal LOL
 
Wish that was correct for my truck but it only has the single flasher that works both E and turn signals but the fuses maybe be correct and I'll have to look closer at it
 
I would really check that turn signal switch and connector to it. Does the truck have tilt? I know somtimes on fords anyway that when colume tilt is used alot it can pull the wires out of the connector then signals will work sometimes not others.If you know the fuse block is a problem you may try to bend the tabs on the relay and fuse a little to possibly get a better connection. If it works somtimes when you hit a bump then you have a bad connection somewhere
 
1980, correct?

Let's face facts... if it's a Chevy full-size pickup of that era it IS supposed to have TWO flashers AND separate fuses for hazard and turn flashers.

Gotta get a good light and get your face down there and have a close look!

Glass fuses or ATO fuses?

Is it like the drawing I posted with BOTH the fuses I circled? Even that it may not have 2 flashers in place, are the flasher sockets there as shown in the drawing?

<img src = "http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u125/27Grainfield/1980.jpg">

Here's 3 photos of 1980 Chevy pickup fuse blocks found "on the net", ALL of which have 2 flashers. (The location of the hazard flasher is even visibly labeled.) Either your's is older or somebody has swapped something WEIRD in there. Even the next older series, 1973 - 1979 have 2 flashers. They have glass fuses, however.

<img src = "http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u125/27Grainfield/Flash1.jpg">

<img src = "http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u125/27Grainfield/Flash2.jpg">

<img src = "http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u125/27Grainfield/Flash3.jpg">
Link to BOTh 1980 and earlier diagrams showing 2 flashers
 
one side of your flasher should have power when your ignition switch is on...the other side should flash when your turn signals are working..
 
Old, do the signals come on but not flash when you move the switch? The turnsignal switch is basically a DPDT switch that switches the input from the brake light switch to the turnsignal flasher. Something that old most likely has a 2 terminal flasher. You need to be sure 1 terminal of the flasher has 12V available with the key on. Don't depend on what a volt meter tells you with no load on the circuit. You can read battery voltage with no load, but the instant you connect a load the reading may drop. For a load, I use a head light bulb. Pulls enough amps that the supply has to be good for it to light.
Like some of the others have said, be sure you're replacing the turn signal flasher and not the hazard flasher. They're the same.
If you can't get the turnsignals to come on, and you have battery voltage at the flasher, either you need a flasher or a switch. With working brake lights, you confirmed the wiring from the switch to the bulbs is ok.
 
This truck only has the one flasher so it does both jobs. At least I now know I need to have battery voltage on one side of the flasher at all times so I can then go from there, just hope I can figure out which side it should be so I can maybe rewire it with an in line type fuse and be done with it. And yes it is a 2 terminal type flasher
 
Ok found the hazard flasher socket and installed a flasher in it and they work like they should. So I guess my next step is to check the fuse again and where it plugs in to make sure it has power to one side of the fuse and then see where it gets lost at. Sure wish I knew which side of the flasher should have power with the switch on because if I knew that it would make it easier to either wire it up with an in line fuse and or find where the power is getting lost at. But at least I have things going in the right direction and have working hazard flashers now LOL
 
Alright,I think I know whats wrong now.It probably fried the fuse box on the back side then and its not an easy job to fix it or change the fuse box.To get flashers you probably can run a wire from your hot terminal or battery to an inline fuse then a flasher.Dont even mess with the 4 way flasher,just use another one.Then you have to figure out what wire goes to the steering column from the flasher.Then unplug that wire out of the connector to the steering column(if you have a piece of wiring from another vehicle you can cut a wire with an end that you need off of it)and either hook the wire in the connector or use the wire end from another the connector and plug it back in,see if it fixes them.If that doesnt work it has to be the switch,or possibly a wire going to the switch.

Another thing is where that flasher plugs in at is hard to tell its a plug in maybe.It just looks like some slots there and if a flasher is not in it,you cant tell very easy.Also it could still be a fuse.Also you might be able to take the fuse box loose,turn it around,and see what got hot and melted.If you do that then you could solder a inline fuse holder in where it melted the fuse holder in the fuse box.Sounds easy but it might be better to change the whole fuse box than try to solder a wire in there.
 
Found where the hazard flasher should go and installed one in it and the hazards now work just like they should. If I can figure out which side of the flasher is the hot side it would be easy to wire it up with just a terminal on a wire to plug in then the flasher and an in line fuse but till I know which is the hot side not sure how to do it or since it is not likely to have power might be hard to figure that out
 
Alright,so you do have 2 flashers?Now lets see,in order for one side at the flasher to be hot the switch would have to be on and working.So pull the switch to turn one way or the other,have the ignition on just in case it would happen to not be hot with it off,pull out the flasher and check for which side is hot.If its not hot look for a fuse blown.If fuse is good switch or wire is bad.Also look for bad connection where wires hook to steering column.
 
Another thing to try is if you have power to the flasher try pulling it out a little.It may have vibrated to where its not got a connection all the way in.
 
Sort of found the problem. Found I have no power on either side of the fuse and of course no power to the flasher either. So I pulled the flasher out and have it hooked up with wires so I now have them working. Not the best way but sure better then not having any. Also found if I jumper power to either side of the fuse I still had no power to the flasher so I'm guessing the fuse box in that area is smoked
 
Don't know what fuse you have but if they are the glass type with metal ends and press into clamps don't take it as being good because the wire is not broken. Lost my headlights once fuse showed as good but in fact it had come adrift at the end and could not be seen. 1980 vehicle Oz GM Holden.
 
(quoted from post at 13:03:12 12/15/09) Wish that was correct for my truck but it only has the single flasher that works both E and turn signals but the fuses maybe be correct and I'll have to look closer at it
Click to expand...

Do your back-up lights work? The wiring schematic that Bob posted shows a fuse at "N" for turn sig. &amp; BU lights
 
No but after doing a lot of checking I found that area of the fuse box is smoked big time. No power to either side of that fuse or power to the flasher. I have since wired around things and have the turn signals working at least for now. I will have to do more later when it gets warm out but for now this will keep me from have cop problems
 
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