Turn signals flashing VERY quickly or simply just staying on.

[MisterOh]

Hey Everyone,

I just replaced my petcock yesterday and in the process of doing so disconnected the fuel gauge wires and then reconnected them when I was done. However, now I have this strange issue where my turn signals either simply stay on when I move the switch to the direction I'm turning or they flash normally but at a very rapid and irregular pace.

Any ideas on what's going on?

Thanks!

[tom203]

Check the grounding of rear blinkers (probably connector under tool tray).Do blinkers at least come on front and rear consistently -both sides ? Do you have the stock flasher?

[Redman]

Hey Everyone,

I just replaced my petcock yesterday and in the process of doing so disconnected the fuel gauge wires and then reconnected them when I was done. However, now I have this strange issue where my turn signals either simply stay on when I move the switch to the direction I'm turning or they flash normally but at a very rapid and irregular pace.

Any ideas on what's going on?

Thanks!

With a typical flasher the "blink rate" is related to the amount of current flowing through it.
With not enough current like if a bulb burnt out or not connected or bad connection then the flasher will not flash (on all the time) or flash slow. With too much current like if wrong bulbs of higher wattage used or if extra bulbs added then it will flash faster.

And if the charging system is putting out way too much, like 17v, then there will be more current thru bulbs and flasher will flash faster. And if charging systme noit working and battery gets low, then flasher will flash slower and slower.

Starnge thing about what you say is that you are having two opposite problems, sometimes doesnt flash at all and sometimes flases too fast. Might the "doesnt flash" be on one side and the "too fast" be on the other side"?

Look at what is happening at each bulb in addition to the one indicator on the instrument panel. Tell us more.

You have a multi-meter to troubleshoot with?

Taking the tank off to work on petcock would only require disconnecting the fuel sender, like you said. So not really meassing with any wiring.

So, just quessing on what you can look at with your eyeballs:
Do all bulbs come on when is flashing slow? If not check bulb, check ground wire, check connection.


.

.

[rustybronco]

Turn ignition switch on, actuate the flashers and lift the rear of the fuel tank. If the flashers operate normally, look for a pinched wire.

[MisterOh]

Front blinkers, rear blinkers, and instrument panel turn signal indicators all flash (or just stay on) in unison.

I have the stock flashers.

Both sides exhibit the switching between non-flashing and flashing too rapidly.

I do have a multi meter. What should I be checking?

I'll be sure to try that, rustybronco when I get off work.

Thanks everyone for the help/

[rustybronco]

If everything was working okay before you replace the petcock, you need to retrace your steps. (double check your work)

[Redman]

...
.....
Both sides exhibit the switching between non-flashing and flashing too rapidly. .......
....

SO what ever is causing this is doing it to both sides the same, so is something that is common to both sides.

About the only one thing that is common to both sides is the flasher itself.
The other thing is the control unit, but that isnt whatr makes it flash, it just sorta remembers which side is suppose to be flashing.
So the flasher would be my major suspect. But that would be just a random failure.

But thinking about it starting when you were working on the petcock....
... and thinking about the fact that a bad ground connection can cause unexplainable symptoms .... look and see if maybe you lost the ground wire (black/white) to frame up near top of battery, or the ground wire connection to the battery negitive, or the ground wire to the signal control unit.

Any black/white wire should have zero ohms to frame ground and to battery negitive.


.

[MisterOh]

Well I went back, disconnected the fuel gauge wires, cleaned them, and reconnected them. Now the flashers just flash rather rapidly, but at least now it's consistent. How rapidly are the flashers supposed to flash, anyway?

[rustybronco]

Once every second to second and a half.

[MisterOh]

Yeah they're flashing probably about 3-4 times a second

[rustybronco]

Do all the bulbs light up and at the same brilliance? If so, beg borrow or snitch a spare turn signal flasher.

You didn't change any of the turn signal bulbs perchance?

[MisterOh]

yup they're blinking at the same brightness.

I didn't touch the bulbs at all