Okay guys I have a dilema. My turn signal switch is broken. The brake lights dont come on when youre on the brakes, and the turn signal contact does not get power to a terminal.

BEFORE YOU READ ON: I am trying to do something that we all curse out the po's for doing. So if you are going to flame me for it, please don't. I just need a little help keeping an old ford on the road.

Okay, my truck has been sitting for various repairs. I'm out of money and I havent found any job opprunities as of yet...at all. I really would like to be able to ... you know... drive my truck. Is it possible to wire the turn signals up through the flasher, as to make them work correctly like turn signals? I would wire them idependantly of the turn signal switch. Secondly, I know how to wire brake lights, but how would I wire them so that they would turn off and allow the turn signal flashing to take over?

I know this sounds like stupid kid stuff, and it really is, but I really want to drive the damn thing. Like I said again, please don't flame me for asking this, I will put it back right as soon as I get the cash to do it.

 

Why are we in a new thread now?

Anyway, yes, it's possible to replace the factory turn signal switch with some form of a double-throw switch. All the turn signal switch does is decide which set of bulbs and indicators (left or right) to tie to the flasher. When the flasher sees this load to ground, current flows through it and it heats up. This opens the flasher, which cools it off, and it closes again...over, and over, and over.

You would need to use a more complex switch to implement the brake light feature. When one side is engaged, the same switch would need to interrupt power from the brake lights. This starts to look like a pair of complementary SPDT switches. By the time you go through all this, you're going to end up with something more convoluted than the factory-correct switch.

I can't follow your troubleshooting steps in your other thread, so it's not clear to me why you're at this step. I'm not trying to sling you out, but if you can't afford a new turn signal switch, you might evaluate if you're prepared to own and maintain such a vehicle in the first place. A turn signal switch is about the last unexpected expense you need to think about when maintaining a nearly 40 year old vehicle. You do have insurance at least, right?

 

My parents and I have a deal that I get x amount of gas money and insurance for the truck as long as I A) keep my grades up B) don't get in trouble with the law and C) be their indentured servant. So thats the finances part. It hard to be a 17 year old kid in the job market in kansas right now because of all the laid off aircraft workers. People with families are, like they should be, put ahead of kids in everything imaginable. You dont just see 17-18 year old kids working cash registers anymore, you see 40-50 year old adults trying to keep their family afloat.

We are in a new thread because I wanted help jerry rigging something into place and I figured it was a new topic.

Troubleshooting steps: First I measured the voltage going to the turn signal cam. One wire had the full volts, the other had no voltage period. So then I checked the voltage at the soldered points, one had voltage, the other did not. Then the turn signal cam broke because a certain helper yanked too hard with his bear hands. So then I put the wire with power on each of the contacts. The front two contacts work. The passenger side rear contact works as well. The drivers side contact does not work. And the reason I figure that is because that was the only point in which the flasher did not make sound with it touching the contact.

So my question I suppose would be, are both of the leads into the turn signal cam supposed to have power running to them? Because if they aren't, there is problem #1. Problem #2 it seems as if a contact is dead. #3 Is that i have no brake lights. I have tail lights, but no brake light comes on, even manually playing with the switch

 

Before I go all ***** nilly swaping out parts I'm going to make sure the wires that should have power, have power. What wires in the steering column should have power? You don't have to tell me colors (though they would be nice), just tell me where they are suppose to lead. I have a hunch there are wires a) out of place or b)with no power. That is probably why I cant get brake lights

 

first of all you are in wichita and there are a few junkyards/you pull its in your area. a turn signal switch is not that expensive. it did snow not that long ago in your area i know i drove through the crap knock on a few doors scoop a few driveways next time it snow theres your income. get creative and you can make some scratch. my brother and i ran our own little company doing such thing raking leaves scooping manure bucking bales whatever it took. look on c-list there is always someone looking for day help dont be picky if you want money you can find it.

 

Heres the paradox with that. I need a vehicle to drive to work, I need work to maintain a vehicle. Anyways, I guess I'm going to bite the bullet, buy the switch, and registration will be put back however far it needs to be I guess

 

Have you actually verified the fuse is intact? That was my very first instruction. Just because there's power on any given contact point in the switch does not mean the turn signal fuse is intact. Two separate fuses feed the turn signal switch, one for the turn signals, and a hot-at-all-times fuse for the brake lights and hazards.

Your next response should consist of two voltage measurements, one on each side of the fuse. If the fuse is GOOD, then I agree that your best bet is to replace the switch. It's not very straightforward to try and troubleshoot your existing switch over the internet in terms of contact points and such; there are too many variables.

 

The fuse is good as 3 of the 4 turn signals activate, as well as the hazards. And I checked continuity on all of them and they were all good as well

 

I thought you had no turn signals at all. Now it's just one corner that's out? What am I missing?

 

When I was troubleshooting the turn signals the new turn signal cam broke because my father was being too rough. So I took the wire that had power going to it and touched each of the connectors with the powered wire. 3 of the 4 turn signals began blinking, although on one it did not. So i then checked the voltage to the bulb and there was no voltage. I checked the voltage at the turn signal relay and there was no voltage with the powered wire on the contact. SoI figured the contact was not functioning as the other 3 worked (when pressed manually)

 

Okay here was my order of troubleshooting

Steps
#1 - Check fuses with voltmeter. - All the fuses under the dash came out A-Okay
#2 - Check wires leading onto the turn signal cam for power. - The wire spliced into the blue one showed voltage. The wire spliced into the red one did not.

#3 - Check the voltage at the soldered point on the red wire. - There was no voltage even up to the soldered point on the red wire. The blue wire had voltage through the whole thing.
#4 - I touched the blue wire (the one with power) to a contact on the switch. One of the front turn signals turned on and the flasher relay was clicking.
#5 - I touched the blue wire (the one with power) to another contact on the switch. The other front turn signal turned on and the flasher relay was clicking.
#6 - I touched the blue wire (the one with power) to a third contact on the switch. This time no turn signals came on and the flasher relay did not click.
#7 - I touched the blue wire (the one with power) to the final contact on the switch. The passenger back turn signal turned on and the flasher relay was clicking.

I do not know why when these wires were inside of the cam I had no signals at all. But when they were disconnected from the cam, the blue one did have power. Were both the blue and the red wires suppose to have power? but with the cam in place no turn signal activated.

 

The switch is a okay, someone spliced into the brake lights and cut the wrong wires. So I didn't have a complete circuit to make the flasher work