What Would Cause a Turn Signal To Flash Quickly?
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From: okc
when my signals started flashing fast on my 76 F-150, the flasher eventually gave out....and like mil1ion said, when a bulb is out on these old Fords, the other bulb wont flash it will just stay on....if a parking light is out the turn indicator will stay on whenever the lights are on....at least they do on my truck, took me forever to figure out why it was staying on all the time, then someone told me my left taillight was out...replaced the bulb and the indicator went out....pretty wierd...
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From: Purdue
I understand that, I'm not arguing that fact AT ALL, I just forgot that Ford used that style of flasher, i figured they had upgraded by now (not that they need just sayin I figured they had). I was speaking from my experience from my JEEP (which i know is totally different) which uses the square box type and has totally different internals.....no bi metal tab....all done through circuitry. Sorry that this thread go so offtopic. perhaps i should do a lil research before I reply to make sure I know what I'm talkin about.
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From: North of Tulsa, Oklahoma
Well, now the turn signals aren't blinking at all. The turn signal cam is solid and works well, mechanically in both directions. I just don't have any turn signal indication on the dash or outside the truck. Replacing the two pronged standard flasher can with a new one didn't help. I checked each passenger side bulb and didn't find any burned out and no obvious corroded contacts or burnt areas. I'll check the driver side bulbs and sockets this weekend next. Man, I hope it's something simple. I wonder if I put a voltmeter on the left and right rear turn signal contacts, and turned on the blinker, that if I didn't get voltage up to that point, would that give me a hint as to where the problem might be?
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From: Crestline, California
Do your hazard lights work? A fuse going bad or a bad fuse connection maybe could also cause a current surge (sorta like when just before lightbulb burns out it flashes much brighter) and maybe that is why the flasher was going fast and then all is now dead. I am no expert, and yes I probably don't know what I am talking about
, but checking the fuses is always a good thing anyway! Good luck!
Dak
, but checking the fuses is always a good thing anyway! Good luck! Dak
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On a 78 the hazards & Turn signals have their Own flasher unit.
Hazard flasher is on the fuse box
TS flasher is up from the kick panel.
Hazard flasher is on the fuse box
TS flasher is up from the kick panel.
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From: okc
not trying to argue with ya mil1on, but both my 76 and 78 have the flasher fuses hanging on wires, the 78s wasnt on the fusebox...i HAVE seen 78s with it on the fusebox, i just wonder if it was a regional thing, like one region still had the old style fuse boxes when another region switched to the newer style....Ron, did you replace BOTH flasher fuses?? turn on your 4ways and see which ones clicks, that will tell you which one ISNT the turn signal flasher....since none of them work, if there is a short it would be at the switch cause thats where they all split off at.....
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From: North of Tulsa, Oklahoma
Heya fellas. That tech article gave me some more ideas, but no resolution. Okay I looked at it some more last night. The truck never sits. It's my daily driver. Yes, the hazard flashers work at all four corners with no problem. (that's odd,right) I do not have a flasher can on the fuse box. I only noticed one flasher can hanging from under the gauge panel; that's the one I replaced. Is there supposed to be two flasher cans for these '78s? My truck was made in Kansas if that helps any? I think I'll disconnect that one can tonight to see if it stops the hazards from flashing. The fuse for the Hazards is clean and not blown. (I beleive my Haynes manual shows the Hazard and Turn signals sharing the same fuse?) Now, when I activated the right turn signal I noticed the right front orange lamp got a little brighter. It was not very obvious and it did not blink. None of the drivers side bulbs got brighter or blinked when the left turn indicator was on. Also, when the hazard lights were on only the right green arrow dash light blinked. The left arrow dash light never lit up. (I don't know if that has anything to do with it or not?)
Last edited by cigarxtc; Apr 13, 2006 at 02:17 PM.
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I can't believe I typed *On the fuse box*
It should be just above the fuse box taped to the wiper harness.
The TS flasher of course is where I stated it was.
See the small text and arrow pointing to it @ upper left corner of this illustration.
http://www.clubfte.com/users/mil1ion...ingharness.JPG.
TS trouble-shoot.
http://www.clubfte.com/users/mil1ion...ubleshoot2.JPG
http://www.clubfte.com/users/mil1ion...ubleshoot1.JPG
It should be just above the fuse box taped to the wiper harness.
The TS flasher of course is where I stated it was.
See the small text and arrow pointing to it @ upper left corner of this illustration.
http://www.clubfte.com/users/mil1ion...ingharness.JPG.
TS trouble-shoot.
http://www.clubfte.com/users/mil1ion...ubleshoot2.JPG
http://www.clubfte.com/users/mil1ion...ubleshoot1.JPG
Last edited by Mil1ion; Apr 13, 2006 at 09:24 PM.
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Postmaster
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From: North of Tulsa, Oklahoma
Thanks for the pics, Dennis. That helped. Apparently, I only replaced the Hazard flasher. The turn signal flasher was tucked way up in the top left corner behind the dash wiring. (I was surprised that neither of my Haynes Manuals or 1970's Ford Repair Manuals showed any of those pics or troubleshooting block diagrams. Those must be from Ford Tech Repair Manuals?) I pulled the old dusty signal flasher out and put a new one in and everything seems to be working for now. [I tried some swap testing with the Hazard flasher but the Hazard flasher was just about dead too. I thought that was odd that they both went bad at almost the same time?] I replaced both the turn signal and hazard flasher with new ones. I'll be testing off and on this week, but that looks like it solved my problem. I opened the dead flasher cans and was suprised to see not much in there. Just a little conductive wire/thread wrapped around a bar and a thin piece of flexible metal. Simple and effective; just like these '70s pickups. I sure do like being able to fix my own truck. 
Thanks again, to all.
Thanks again, to all.
Last edited by cigarxtc; Apr 17, 2006 at 01:38 PM.