Light of my life

Donovan · Post by **Donovan** » Tue Nov 17, 2015 3:03 pm

Seem to have an intermittent gremlin in my car, and that the turning right indicator sometimes works, but mostly doesn't. Haven't changed the bulbs in it, but when it doesn't work neither front or rear work, and then randomly they start to flash for a second or two and then stop. Left hand side works a treat. Do the left and right side have separate relays or fuses for them?

Also as a side thing, which I don't think is related, but thought I would mention it, is that the temp gauge mostly doesn't work either. It will flicker up and down the odd occasion like it is getting the odd signal, might stay working for 30secs, but other wise nothing. I am thinking that one might be the sensor on the engine.

WideOpenThrottle · Post by **WideOpenThrottle** » Tue Nov 17, 2015 5:01 pm

Firstly check your bulbs and holders for rust / corrosion or poor contacts and broken wires by the holders.

Donovan · Post by **Donovan** » Thu Nov 19, 2015 1:39 pm

done all that, still no go.

Any other ideas?

Keith Jones · Post by **Keith Jones** » Thu Nov 19, 2015 3:55 pm

All flashers work off a single fuse and relay.
Have you checked the indicator stalk/contacts?

Donovan · Post by **Donovan** » Thu Nov 19, 2015 4:02 pm

No, not yet, but think that is ok, as it goes ticker, ticker ticker, really fast like a bulb has gone.

WideOpenThrottle · Post by **WideOpenThrottle** » Thu Nov 19, 2015 4:56 pm

My next step would be to replace the bulb/s as a similar thing happened on my Landcruiser....when the bulbs didn't fix it I put in another bulb assembly.
You need to isolate which bulb/assembly is the culprit. The repair manual indicates

that it is a bulb or open circuit.

Donovan · Post by **Donovan** » Thu Nov 19, 2015 5:01 pm

Have replaced the bulbs already, but will replace the whole assembly next, front first and then rear unit.

It's a pain the in the arse, since it is on the right hand side, seem to turn mostly to the right, and that is always crossing traffic, so get some not very nice gesture's at times from people thinking that I am just a wally not indicating, when I am, they just can't see it.

Guess I have to go back to hand signals

Donovan · Post by **Donovan** » Fri Nov 20, 2015 2:41 pm

have replaced the light assembly and associated wiring, still no go.

Guess indicator stalk is the next item to try.

WideOpenThrottle · Post by **WideOpenThrottle** » Fri Nov 20, 2015 5:08 pm

The plot thickens!

Donovan · Post by **Donovan** » Fri Nov 20, 2015 9:17 pm

Ended up changing the flasher relay before the indicator stalk, and that solved the problem.

No idea why the one relay would cause only one side to fail, but there you go.

Post by **zorruno** » Fri Nov 20, 2015 11:25 pm

Did you change it to an electronic flasher relay? I assume you have. If so you have not eliminated the original problem, but made the issue go away anyway...

Did you check the side marker indicator bulb as well as front/rear?

The earlier relays would be bi-metallic, heated up by current flow though the strip... current changes (eg missing/blown bulbs, or bulbs of lower wattage) would change the flash rate.

Change it to an electronic relay (would have a 555 timer or similar inside), and the number/wattage of connected bulbs won't matter. I'd suspect you probably can't buy bi-metallic ones any more from repco etc - I haven't needed to replace one for years though.

cheers

Donovan · Post by **Donovan** » Sat Nov 21, 2015 9:58 pm

Replaced it with exactly the same type and part number relay, as I have two other NA's sitting around doing not much, so yeah, problem was the relay, nothing else.

Light of my life

Light of my life

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