TR6...electrical: turn signals

[Alibs555]

Good day,

 

I wondered if anyone else has come across this, and if there is a solution:

 

When I put the Turn Signal on, with my Headlights on, and my foot on the brake pedal, the Turn Signal stops blinking. As soon as I remove my foot off of the brake pedal, or turn the headlights off, the Turn Signal blinks away happily. This is true to both sides and all my bulbs are good.

 

I am guessing the electrical load is too high with headlights/brake lights on and it affects the TS. I also get the wipers stalling in the middle of a wipe, only to get going 10 seconds later.

 

The battery is strong, and according to my dash guage, the charging is at 14V.

 

Is it a matter of a lazy flasher unit? Or is there a regulator that isn't doing its job? Or is it an alternator that is giving off warnings of doom?

 

Thanks for any help in advance. Any and all input is appreciated ????.

Edited March 11, 2016 by Alibs555

[stallie]

Sorry I can't help, but it sounds like my LR Discovery. Indicate left with high beams and the windscreen wipers come on.

[barkerwilliams]

Ali,

 

Sounds like a bad earth connection in one or both of the rear light clusters. With brakes, side, and turn bulbs illuminated you have three times the current using the same earth lead.

 

 

Alan

Edited March 11, 2016 by barkerwilliams

[Geko]

I have the same problem occurring only when the engine is idling - annoying at traffic lights. At that point the charge is just 12V which means...no charge and the idiot light stays on. While increasing the rev, the charge "shots" to 13 V but hardly more than that. I've put that on the back of a fried alternator regulator or worn carbon brushes but haven't looked into it yet. As far as I'm concerned it's not a earthing problem, already looked into that.

Edited March 11, 2016 by Geko

[RogerH]

Hi Ali,

as mentioned it could be an earth fault - using a limited return (dodgy lights are often earth faults).

 

Have you measured the Volts into the flasher unit when the fault is live. If the volts are normal (12+ volts) then it is the earth.

 

have you messed with the wiring recently.

 

Roger

[Alibs555]

Thanks Geko, yes, that's exactly what happens. At idle, the voltage drops, then no more blinkers. If I rev it a bit if picks up but only just. So maybe it is a bad alternator regulator.

 

Thanks Roger, I have not touched any wiring. I've only had the car for 5 months....and this has been like that from the tine I got the car. I'll look into the grounding and see what I find.

 

Your suggestions are appreciated.

[RogerH]

Hi Ali,

when the revs drop low enough the battery will take over.

What happens if (with the engine NOT running) you put the indicators on then the headlights then other things - this may isolate a thing or two.

 

Roger

[peejay4A]

In addition to the above advice and as it's affecting your wipers too then I'd look to clean up both battery connections plus the battery negative to body connection.

Edited March 11, 2016 by peejay4A

[Alibs555]

Happy Monday!

 

So here are my findings:

 

Rogers: with the engine off and he ignition on, the turn signal stop blinking when the headlights are on with the foot on the brakes. The moment I either turn the headlights off or let go off of the brake pedal, the turn signals blink.

 

I don't know if this is critical, but my hazard (emergency 4way flashers) lights do not work.

 

By the way, I think the wipers are not related to any this. It seems I may have a lazy wiper switch....when they stall, all I have to do is wiggle the wiper switch and they wipe again.

 

Am I having a grounding issue?

As always, thank you in advance.

[RogerH]

Hi Ali,

I think you need to go through the wiring diagram and check various areas to see if there is any logic to the fault.

 

Here are some good wiring diagrams in case you haven't one http://www.advanceautowire.com/tr2506.pdf

 

Roger

[Geko]

I would first plug the jump start cables from Mrs car to your battery and repeat the operation. If no problem, then it's a charging issue, if the problem persists then you may investigate further i.e. earthing or fault. Indeed the fact that the hazard lights aren't working could be critical to the issue: switch or wiring.

Edited March 14, 2016 by Geko

[sixnick]

Is the alternator belt slipping? check and adjust maybe? Nick

[Alibs555]

Thank you all,

 

Further investigation revealed that the hazard lights connections to the flashing unit was untidy. Cleaned it up and crimped it tighter. Now the hazard lights work perfectly.

 

The belt is new and not slipping...all good there.

 

I will try jumper wires with the Audi and confirm that it isn't a charging issue.

 

Thank you for the wiring diagram...hopefully it will help me find the needle in the hay stack. Everything is pointing to a grounding issue.

 

For those of you have not visited Vancouver, or have only ever visited in the summer, this is a city that is under a gray sky most time (if it isn't raining). So I like driving with my lights on and having to turn my headlights off at every traffic lights so others can see my turn signals is very annoying.... I hope I can get this sorted out!

 

Again thank you :-)

Edited March 15, 2016 by Alibs555

[Geko]

I visited Vancouver 10 years ago for whale watching and see the aquarium. While crossing the border by road coming from Seattle, the Canadian custom guy asked if i had anything to declare, looking specifically for "guns". On the way back, repeat, with the US customs asking me if I had anything to declare, looking specifically for...cigars. That was when the US embargo on Cuba was well on when US citizens transited through Canada to visit Cuba. And that joke lasted 60 years.

[Alan Cochrane]

Ali

 

As Roger has stated it's most likely a bad earth from one or both of the rear light clusters. It's a common fault now that the car's are 40+ years old.

I've had the same symptoms in on my GT6 and ended up earthing each individual bulb holder to the rear light panel. Slight overkill but it has permanently cured the problem and it's a sensible upgrade.

It's a quick and easy job to make up short earth wires and connect them and see what happens.

If it was an alternator output issue or slipping belt, the ammeter would show a constant discharge.

 

Cheers

 

Alan

Edited March 15, 2016 by Alan Cochrane

[Alibs555]

I visited Vancouver 10 years ago for whale watching and see the aquarium. While crossing the border by road coming from Seattle, the Canadian custom guy asked if i had anything to declare, looking specifically for "guns". On the way back, repeat, with the US customs asking me if I had anything to declare, looking specifically for...cigars. That was when the US embargo on Cuba was well on when US citizens transited through Canada to visit Cuba. And that joke lasted 60 years.

Haha...awesome story, Stef. And yes it continues, but not much longer.

[Alibs555]

Ali

 

As Roger has stated it's most likely a bad earth from one or both of the rear light clusters. It's a common fault now that the car's are 40+ years old.

I've had the same symptoms in on my GT6 and ended up earthing each individual bulb holder to the rear light panel. Slight overkill but it has permanently cured the problem and it's a sensible upgrade.

It's a quick and easy job to make up short earth wires and connect them and see what happens.

If it was an alternator output issue or slipping belt, the ammeter would show a constant discharge.

 

Cheers

 

Alan

Thank you Alan. I think that your and Roger's advice on correcting the grounding is sound. I will tackle it in between the items on the "honey do" list.