Hi folks-
Ok I got the steering coupler replaced (new from Ebay 30.00). Now I'm working on those pesky turn signals. I removed the switch from the column and determined that the turn signal flasher wasn't getting power from the other side of the switch so I jumpered from the red/white on the hazard side over to the flasher side and voila, it worked (briefly). I think I blew something because now it doesn't do anything, not even spark when i jumper over to the flasher, I also burn up a flasher (started flashing fast).

So after that I noticed that when I turn on the headlights, the left turn signal indicator light comes on as well (no flasher). I disconnected the column connection and it stayed on so the new problem is not something to do with the ts switch. With the column wiring hooked up the light would go off when I turn the switch to the left.

Now, days later I go back out and turn on the headlights and the left indicator light no longer comes on. Could a short in the left side wiring cause this to happen? I'm about to rip it all out and put in two toggle switches to work the lights. To hell with paying $80 bucks for a new switch right now, I got other things wrong.

Any ideas would be appreciated.
Thanks-
Alan

 

Bad grounds...

Most of those mysterious lights going on/off with other lights are caused by bad ground wires.

 

Your wires are probably shorted out somewhere. I rewired my truck's blinkers, brake and tail lights by tracing the wires. I found out I had hot wire shorting out underneath truck, I replaced them (painstakingly one by one)and now all of my lights work properly.. Most of my wires were rotten, melted just down right ulgly anyway.

Search for little melted segments in your wiring this is where u had/or can have a bad short.

one the plugs underhood by the drives side ,near the hinge area, was my rear light plug which provided power for my rear lights however it was causing problems including my headlights to blink/flicker because of a short.....underneath truck near the frame and close to the gas tank area.

Figure if u have original 1975 wires u need to replace some of them.. and u should be able to get steering colum a blinker switch at a junk yard fairly cheap..

I also had alot of problems with my 1157 bulb sockets cause they were so old i replaced some of them as well...at $8 bucks a piece at the so called discount auto parts store lol....

You really sould have a """test meter""" as well some times power is going through the wire and light isnt working cause of bad socket or loose bulb or corrosion on contacts......so there are alot of things to consider with flicker and mystery on/off syndrome...

Also u can check continuity of your switch to confirm its not working..

 

The right signal indicator used to come on with the headlights on my truck until yesterday.
After about 3 days I found it was the connection between the ground wire and the plug in the front. There is a pin crimped onto the wire. This pin is locked into the contact(pull of the seal and you'll see it). I couldn't get the pin out, so I just scraped around in there and sprayed in some brake cleaner, and now it works good.

 

Yep, -bad grounds...

 

cool u got em fixed ......My brake lights were staying on after I fixed my lites and all my wires .....but then I lifted my brake pedal and attached a spring to it(Now that problem went away),,,,,But on this one I was baffled for like a day cause I thought it was eletrical wires messed up somewhere....so I say Ya know U just never know lol.........

 

I have the same problem on my 78, A spring will pull the pedal up temporarily but you need to find the real problem. I probably wont find out until I do my restoration and conversion to F350 brake booster.

 

I dont know what to tell u .....Im quite happy with the spring on the pedal for a permanent fix (what else can I do or what else could it be)......I did replace the master cylinder a week before this happened....I doubt its my brand new master cylinder....(Not rebuilt , Brand spankin new from Napa) lol

And all of the wiring was redone from harness to rear lights(tail and brake) and its correct and proper......Thats why i was baffled..

And I had to figure out all of it on my own with a meter trace & replace all the wires .....as the schematics in those generic repair manuals are completely useless from what I see..... (Hayes)

There is a switch the turns brake lights on and off.....connected near pedal inside the truck ...


The switch works like this -when open it connects circuit...which means brake lights are on...When U let off brakes it closes the switch which breaks the circuit and lites are off.....but the pedal needs to be all the way up for lite to be off .....at least thats how mine works....75'

Its workin properly (& legally lol(most of it)) now thats my bigest concern ..
tail and brake lites


I need to replace licence plate fixture(rusted out) and lantern then it will be 100%...U can get pulled over for it Ive been once lol....



But where in the heck is the switch for the reverse lites on the manual transmission if they exsist at all ? or is it somewhere else..???

Anyone know..

 

The switch for the backup lights on a manual tranny is on the tranny. Upper right rear maybe?. I think mil1ion has a pic but you could search for it, it's been posted before.
As far as the brake lights staying on...
On my '77 and on my '78 the pivot/transfer mechanism between the brake booster and the firewall was sticking. The '78 was so bad the brakes would stick on. I just disassembled it, (drove out the stuck bushing from the lever) cleaned it up, lubed it and put it back together. I just got tired of doing the spring thing.
To determine if the pivot is the problem...
The transfer lever pivots on a bushing at the bottom of the lever. There's a bolt that goes through the pivot bushing that holds the bushing tight to the brackets. There should be a couple of felt dust seals on either side of the pivot. If you loosen this bolt and the pedal returns without the spring...voila! you've found the problem. I wouldn't recommend running it for a long time with the bolt loose in case it decides to drop out but this would be a way to diagnose the trouble.
Hope this helps.
Greg

 

Thanks Greg!!!

That sounds like the problem in a nutshell. Lifting the brake pedal with your foot or a spring just ain't quite right. I have not disassembled mine to find the problem. I figured it would get taken care of with the rebuild. Now I know exactly what to look for. Thanks very much!!

 

Sounds logical however I dont believe I have a brake booster.. I have "manual brakes"...and a manual steering and manual transmission...

The master cylinder bolts directly to firewall.....there is no gap..



I took a look at my old master and it has spring action inside of it so maybe i need to check my new one...

 

I'm not sure but I think the brake light switch for manual brakes (at least in older trucks) is a little different than the switch for power brakes. If the switch goes over the end of the link rod to the master cylinder where the rod attaches to the pedal, then the switch has an internal spring that you have to override when you push on the pedal for the light to come on. When the spring in the switch gets weak it can't push the pedal back enough to turn off the light. Recommended fix is to replace the switch. The add-on spring will work but only temporarily. When the spring gets too weak, the switch won't hold in the proper position (it swings down) and the brake lights come on anyway. Been there, done that.
If the switch is mounted by a tab on the support and has a plunger that gets pushed by the pedal, either use the add-on spring or adjust the switch to take up the slack.

 

well The spring action on manual breaks comes from inside of master cylinder form what I see by inspecting at old one...

It is new I can always take it back to be replaced......but ill spray some penetrating oil into area where the real spring should be and see if it is just stuck or broken....


and the switch is opposite,
the pedal has to be lifted all the way up for switch to be off.....thats where spring comes in it lifts pedal so that it just taps switch off....when u release brakes

so the spring i put in is just a switch helper...so my battery dont die out...

When brakes are pressed down the button is released and brake lights are on.....

so the brakes work fine and dont stick without spring they are manual and u have to press down real hard to get brake response so the gravity of the pedal woulnt do Much harm as opposed to power brakes....

but ill check it out further if I have to I can take Master back for another one with a functional spring...on exchange...


It works Im going to try gettin reverse lights working.. next ...