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Posted by: flat4 Apr 20 2008, 03:21 AM

Hi All, the turn signals on my rebuild seemed to work OK for a while. Now they are not. They work fine with either signal on, or the hazard flashers. When off there is a buzzing from the relay and the brake & turn indicator warning lights are always on, but a bit dimmer than normal.

I disconnected the column stalk and the problem is still there.

So I went back to the last thing I fixed, which was to put bulbs in the various indicator lights and put them back in the correct holes in the gauges. Lo and behold the problem only occurs with the brake warning bulb in. For now I've taken it out so I can fix the rest of the issues on the car, but I'd like to get to the bottom of it and have the warning light back before driving on the road.

Why does the brake warning light come on with the turn signals (flashing in time with the turn indicator)? I assume it is meant to, or is this a problem?

Any ideas?

Thanks, Steve

Posted by: SGB Apr 20 2008, 08:21 AM

hmmm...
The dim glow from the turn signal indicators is supposed to be a result of the "wrong" flasher relay, but I don't think the "right" relay is made anymore. Apparently all the references cite a later flasher. My brake light doesn't participate in the wierd/ dim flasher behavior. I'm really puzzled that changing the flasher indicator bulbs changed anything. It didn't resolve the same problem in my car.

Posted by: flat4 Apr 21 2008, 05:07 AM

My flasher relay is from Pelican and has a 914 part number, so I'm hoping it is the correct one... Part number 914-618-303-11-M44

I bought it as the wiring didn't match the generic one I bought.
Guess I'll keep following wires to see if something has a bad earth.

Cheers, Steve

Posted by: 914Sixer Apr 21 2008, 08:09 AM

What year is your car? 73 had a resistor pluged inline for the brake light. It must be there to work properly. I will get a picture later and post it. I am disassembling a 73 now.

Posted by: flat4 Apr 21 2008, 08:52 AM

Mine is a 74 1.8

Due to the right hand drive conversion there has been some pretty dodgy wiring, so I'm ready to believe anything at the moment.

Cheers, Steve

Posted by: 914Sixer Apr 21 2008, 11:12 AM

Here is the picture of the resistor required on the brake light. It may be needed on your car also. There is also a special seat belt buzzer relay that is aluminum and has a red plastic bottom that also might be required if your car is an early 74.


Attached image(s)

Posted by: SirAndy Apr 21 2008, 03:44 PM

that's not a resistor, that's a diode ...


and here's the problem with that setup:

the diode is on the ground side of the alternator warning light. it is supposed to prevent a chargeback from that circuit.
the ground from the diode goes to the same ground connection as the brake light warning ground, which both are actually grounded through the emergency flasher relay!!!

first sign of a faulty circuit is if you use the blinker at low rpm (idle) and both indicators just glow dimly. if you rev up the engine, the correct blinker indicator will work as expected.

that means either the diode or the emergency flasher relay are faulty. a "quick" fix is to bypass the diode or add an extra ground wire to the blinker indicator lights ...
Andy

PS: a buzz from the relay usually means there's a short in the circuit. turn on the key and see if there's a draw on the relay (obviously, without using the brakelights or blinkers)