hey guys
on my 53 f100 when i turn the parking lights on my turn signals work but when i turn the lights on they dont blink ,, is that normal ?? if so can i change it ??? i would like them to work all time

thanks

 

Sounds like some wiring issues. Get a wiring diagram and chase down the setup on your truck (do an advanced search on the forum for the diagram if needed).

It sounds like the signals don't have a power source - you'll also want to check that the sockets are set up for dual filament bulbs and the bulbs are duals.

DW

 

so its not normal ?? they should work in both modes right

thanks i will do a search ,, after i check the socket lol

 

Yes, the front signals should work independently of any other of the lights on the truck. Yours are not set up correctly. I'm making an assumption that the issue is with the fronts.

 

yes front like i said they only work when in parking light mode ,, not in headlight mode

thanks

 

Your turn signals should work with the lights off. You said they work with the parking lights on. The parking lights should go off when you turn on the headlights.

Do the signals work with the park lights and headlights off? If not, the turn signals are not wired correctly, and you may have only single filament bulbs in them (standard).

 

found this http://www.clubfte.com/users/earl/Re...ing%20Diagrams

it shows 1 wire going to light ,, dont it need 2 ???

 

just checked ,, they do work with the lights off and they are double filament,, so now the hard part comes rewiring

 

i am going to order me a shop manual ,, is there one better than other ?? i bought one for my 58 biscayne ,, i might have to put that on ebay lol

thanks

 

The most common problem with lights behaving erratically is a bad ground. The headlight buckets are usually pretty rusty inside, not a good ground path. Try running a temporary wire from the ground side of the battery to the screws on the parking light lens, while the headlights and blinkers are on.

 

I doubt that it's a ground issue. The symptoms suggest that the turn signal power input connection (often, but not always, a blue wire) is tied to the wrong voltage source.

However, AbluqF1 is right, good grounds are critical.

 

That was my first thought, power coming off the light switch, but if they work with the lights off and with the parking lights on, but not with the headlights on, I don't see how it can be mis-fed. Sounds like the headlights are using up whatever ground path exists.

 

Well, if they are dual filament bulbs, the lights may be blinking on the parking light signal, and not on the turn signal. That would explain why they don't work with the headlights on, because the parking lights go off when the headlights come on.

 

I found these on Earls World, . The top two are a 12v 56 and the color one is 6v ?. It should help with the train of thought of how the circuit works. Dose anyone know if 53 thru 56 wiring is basically the same?

 

Im embarrassed, while I was looking for the material you found and posted it already. LOL. The ? you had about it having 1 wire don't you need 2, were you looking at the schematic with the single element bulbs. It could be that it did not have turn signals on that one, I also do not see a flasher in those two schematics. If you look at the top schematic, what looks like two separate bulbs on each side of the truck could be showing the two separate elements, of one bulb. One element being called the pilot and the other the parking. If you trace them back you will see where they meet up with the flasher. Now if you trace it towards the front, you will see each of the elements going to it's own ground. I lost my circuit info when my laptop crashed, and there is one more schematic that shows what we need in more detail. I will try to find it ,I think we will be able to figure it out with it. My thinking is that a single power source feeds both parking and blinker elements of the same bulb, and is intermittently opened by the flasher when the turn signal is activated. Ill see if I cant find that circuit.