Oops..Now what?

Tom Cavallaro

Tom Cavallaro

Senior Member
I told you I now have all the lights working and added turn signals, but now since I went over the timing again and lowered the idle...it seems the flasher won't flash with the idle this low...actually have to raise up the idle quite a bit...and too high in my opinion. What happened, the only other change I made was to put in a new cutout...the one with the diode in it.
 
Sounds like you need to place a volt meter on the two battery terminals and measure voltage at the former idle speed ...and at the new lower idle speed. Maybe the voltage is too low now? I would suspect a faulty battery, --or maybe a turn signal system that requires more voltage than what the battery has when the engine is idling too slowly.
 
What are you on 6v or 12v? poor connec tions somewhere in the circuit could be the culprit. 6v systmes more suspectible to voltage drop through poor connections - check volateg at turn signal indicators and circuit leading to it. ( PS as a wild long shot you don't by any chance have some 12v turn-light system componernts in a 6v car ??? this could account for it!)
 
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Everything is the 6v system. Battery could be low from sitting so long...it's three months now since it's been on the road for a good run. I'll throw a charger on the battery and see what happens after. If I step on the gas a little she starts blinking. Anyone have a number I should be looking for, for a good idle?
 
I had that problem when I tried one of those "flasher capsules" that put out a buzzer sound each time the signal lights flashed (I tend to leave my signals on after the turn is completed). That was just enough excess draw on my 6V system that the turn signals would flash slower and slower then not at all as RPM's were reduced.

I replaced the buzzer with a plain old flasher capsule and all is well.

Are you using a buzzer-flasher capsule? Just a thought...
 
Ok, here's the deal...plain flasher 6v bulbs four lights for the turnsignals. Sitting in the driveway at starting idle the lights flash slow, throttle leaver up in normal idle no flash, and driving down the street no flash...what's up with that?
 
Jeez Tom, how intriguing. A pity we can't blame it it on Lucas, Prince of Darkness.
Dodgy flasher relay? An over-high voltage from the generator when it cuts in?? What happens if you try the indicators with a battery charger connected but the engine off?-does that give us a clue? Why not give us something easy like sub-atomic particle physics for the next puzzle?.
 
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I had a similar problem last year. Everything worked just fine with the engine off. But with the engine running, the turn signals wouldn't work. Only thing I did was to change the flasher, now everything works engine running or not. Both flashers were new out of the box. -- Go figure!
 
I went thru about three flashers before I got one that gave me no problems.
Paul in CT Also re-check your grounds! ! !
 
Make sure you have a 6 volt flasher, 6 and 12 volt look the same, they should have the operating voltage stamped on the case. The "normal" meaning non-solid state, flashers need current flow through them to operate properly. If you are using LED or low current lamps it will affect your flash rate, low voltage will also cause the same issue. Current is a factor of Voltage / Resistance. So if your battery voltage is low or the resistance of the filament in the light bulb is high ( lower resistance in a filament typically results in more light output), the current flow will be lower causing the flash rate will be slow or not at all.
 
I'm not sure what the cp is on the bulbs...they came with the lights I purchased from snyders, that go between the bumper rails. The flasher says 6v 32 cp max. Not much to go on, but the battery was at 80 percent, could that have anything to do with it
 
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